Lucas João Explained

Lucas João
Fullname:Lucas Eduardo dos Santos João[1]
Birth Date:4 September 1993[2]
Birth Place:Lisbon, Portugal
Height:1.92 m
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:2007–2011
Youthclubs1:Beira Mar Almada
Youthyears2:2011–2012
Youthclubs2:Nacional
Years1:2012–2015
Caps1:46
Goals1:6
Years2:2012–2013
Clubs2:Mirandela (loan)
Caps2:27
Goals2:12
Years3:2015–2019
Caps3:112
Goals3:26
Years4:2017
Clubs4:Blackburn Rovers (loan)
Caps4:13
Goals4:3
Years5:2019–2023
Caps5:116
Goals5:42
Years6:2023
Caps6:9
Goals6:3
Years7:2024
Caps7:10
Goals7:3
Nationalyears1:2013
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2013
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:2
Nationalyears3:2016
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2015
Nationalcaps4:2
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2022–
Nationalcaps5:4
Nationalgoals5:1
Club-Update:1 July 2024

Lucas Eduardo dos Santos João (born 4 September 1993), known as Lucas João, is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Angola national team.

After starting out at Nacional, he went on to spend the vast majority of his career in the English Championship, with Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn Rovers and Reading.

Lucas João made his full debut for Portugal in 2015, before changing his allegiance to Angola in 2022.

Club career

Nacional

Born in Lisbon of Angolan descent,[3] Lucas João started playing football with amateurs Beira Mar Atlético Clube Almada. In 2011 he signed with C.D. Nacional, where he spent his last year as a junior.[4]

Lucas João made his senior debut with lowly SC Mirandela, on loan.[5] He returned to the Madeirans for the 2013–14 season, making his Primeira Liga debut on 15 September 2013 against F.C. Arouca after coming on as a 78th-minute substitute, in a 0–1 home loss.[6]

Lucas João scored his first goal(s) in the top flight on 11 January 2015, his brace helping to defeat Boavista F.C. 2–1 at home.[7] He netted a further six – seven overall – during the campaign, as his team finished in seventh position.

Sheffield Wednesday

On 31 July 2015, Lucas João joined former teammate Marco Matias at English club Sheffield Wednesday, agreeing to a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[8] [9] He made his debut in the Football League Championship on 8 August, replacing Atdhe Nuhiu for the last 13 minutes of a 2–0 win against Bristol City.[10] He scored his first goal three days later, in a 4–1 victory over Mansfield Town in the League Cup, also at Hillsborough.[11]

Lucas João was one of three players on target on 27 October 2015 as Wednesday defeated Arsenal 3–0 at home to reach the fifth round of the League Cup.[12] On 30 January 2017, he moved to fellow second-tier team Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of the season.[13]

Reading

Lucas João joined Reading on 6 August 2019, on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee three days after scoring against them at the service of Sheffield Wednesday.[14] The first goal for his new club came on his second Championship appearance, but in a 2–1 away loss to Hull City.[15]

On 5 September 2020, Lucas João scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 win against Colchester United in the EFL Cup.[16] He ended the league season as the fifth highest goalscorer with 19, as the Royals missed the playoffs by one place.[17]

On 17 May 2023, after refusing to travel with the squad for their last away fixture of the campaign after relegation was confirmed,[18] Reading announced that Lucas João would leave the Madejski Stadium at the end of his contract.[19]

Later career

Lucas João signed for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port F.C. on 28 July 2023.[20] In February 2024, having been crowned champion,[21] he moved to the Qatar Stars League with Umm Salal SC on a short-term contract.[22]

International career

Portugal

Lucas João won five caps for Portugal at youth level, including three for the under-21s.[23] [24] [25] He was first called up to the full side on 6 November 2015, with manager Fernando Santos picking him ahead of friendlies against Russia and Luxembourg.[26] He made his debut in the former match, featuring 18 minutes in the 1–0 loss in Krasnodar.[27]

Angola

In March 2022, Lucas João was selected by Angola for friendlies with Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea to be held later that month.[28] [29]

Career statistics

Club

[30] [31]

ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nacional2012–13Primeira Liga00000000
2013–14Primeira Liga1600031191
2014–15Primeira Liga306413010387
Total46641611000578
Mirandela (loan)2012–13Segunda Divisão2712102812
Sheffield Wednesday2015–16Championship406204220488
2016–17Championship1001011121
2017–18Championship3093010349
2018–19Championship311010003210
2019–20Championship11000011
Total112267063002012729
Blackburn Rovers (loan)2016–17Championship133133
2019–20Championship1960000196
2020–21Championship391900134022
2021–22Championship241000002410
2022–23Championship3472000367
Total116422013000011945
Shanghai Port2023Chinese Super League930010103
Umm Salal2023–24Qatar Stars League930093
Career Total32791141137202035899

International

National teamYearAppsGoals
Portugal201520
Angola202241
Total61

Scores and results list Angola's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lucas João goal.

Honours

Shanghai Port

2023[21]

Individual

February 2022[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Notification of shirt numbers: Reading. English Football League. 59. 26 October 2019.
  2. Web site: Lucas Joao. 11v11. AFS Enterprises. 16 July 2018.
  3. Web site: Traquinas da margem sul sempre a crescer. Dennis the Menace of the South bank always growing. Mais Futebol. Ricardo. Gouveia. pt. 28 March 2017. 28 March 2017.
  4. News: Oito reforços na apresentação. Eight signings in presentation. Record. pt. 13 July 2012. 31 July 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152502/http://www.record.xl.pt/futebol/nacional/1a-liga/nacional/detalhe/oito-reforcos-na-apresentacao--767564.html. 24 September 2015.
  5. News: Explodir em Mirandela. Exploding in Mirandela. Record. pt. 5 December 2013. 31 July 2015.
  6. News: Nacional-Arouca, 0–1: No jogo do silêncio surpresa veio no fim. Nacional-Arouca, 0–1: Surprise came in the end in game of silence. Record. pt. 15 September 2013. 14 February 2018.
  7. News: Nacional-Boavista, 2–1: Assistências de luxo na noite de Lucas. Nacional-Boavista, 2–1: Deluxe assists in Lucas night. Record. pt. 11 January 2015. 31 July 2015.
  8. Web site: Owls sign coveted striker Lucas Joao. Sheffield Wednesday F.C.. 31 July 2015. 31 July 2015.
  9. Web site: Lucas Joao: Sheffield Wednesday sign Portugal Under-21 striker. BBC Sport. 31 July 2015. 31 July 2015.
  10. Web site: Sheffield Wednesday 2–0 Bristol City. BBC Sport. 8 August 2015. 17 August 2018.
  11. Web site: Sheffield Wednesday 4–1 Mansfield Town. BBC Sport. 11 August 2015. 11 August 2015.
  12. Web site: Sheffield Wednesday 3–0 Arsenal. BBC Sport. Luke. Reddy. 27 October 2015. 27 October 2015.
  13. Web site: Rovers swoop for Owls striker. Blackburn Rovers F.C.. 30 January 2017. 30 January 2017.
  14. Web site: Lucas João seals permanent move to Reading. Reading F.C.. 6 August 2019. 6 August 2019.
  15. Web site: Hull City 2–1 Reading. BBC Sport. 10 August 2019. 18 August 2019.
  16. Web site: Reading 3–1 Colchester United. BBC Sport. 5 September 2020. 5 September 2020.
  17. Web site: Ivan Toney wins the Sky Bet Championship Golden Boot award. English Football League. 8 May 2021. 16 November 2021.
  18. News: Noel Hunt hits out at former Sheffield Wednesday striker Lucas Joao after Reading no-show. Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Dom. Howson. 9 May 2023. 30 July 2023.
  19. Web site: New deals offered as contracts come to their conclusion. Reading F.C.. 17 May 2023. 19 July 2023.
  20. Web site: 官宣·安哥拉中锋卢卡斯·若昂正式加盟上海海港足球.... Dongqiudi. zh. 28 July 2023. 30 July 2023.
  21. Web site: Lucas João é campeão chinês. Lucas João is Chinese champion. ANFA. pt. 29 October 2023. 6 November 2023.
  22. Web site: 官方:前海港外援卢卡斯-若昂加盟卡塔尔球队乌姆沙拉尔. Official: Lucas João, former Port import, joins Qatar's Umm Salal. Dongqiudi. zh. 14 February 2024. 14 February 2024.
  23. News: Sub-20: Hugo Guedes e Lucas João estreiam-se na convocatória. Under-20: Hugo Guedes and Lucas João selected for the first time. Record. pt. 12 March 2013. 3 March 2021.
  24. News: Ivan Cavaleiro arrasa Suíça com "hat-trick". Ivan Cavaleiro crushes Switzerland with hat-trick. Diário de Notícias. João. Ruela. pt. 14 August 2013. 3 March 2021.
  25. News: Portugal-Polónia, 6–1. Portugal-Poland, 6–1. Record. pt. 10 September 2013. 3 March 2021.
  26. News: Portugal gives Ronaldo a rest, calls up newcomers for games. USA Today. 6 November 2015. 7 November 2015.
  27. Web site: Rússia vence Portugal em Krasnodar. Russia beat Portugal in Krasnodar. UEFA. pt. 14 November 2015. 17 November 2015.
  28. News: Seleção angolana realiza dois particulares em solo português. Angolan national team to hold two friendlies on Portuguese soil. O Jogo. pt. 15 March 2022. 23 March 2022.
  29. Web site: Junior and Yiadom on WC brink; Joao receives Angola call. Reading F.C.. 23 March 2022. 23 March 2022.
  30. Web site: Lucas João. Soccerway. 5 August 2016.
  31. Web site: Lucas João. Worldfootball. 26 April 2018.
  32. News: Reading FC's Lucas Joao wins Championship Player of the Month. Reading Chronicle. James. Earnshaw. 11 March 2022. 7 April 2022.