Wilson Manafá Explained

Wilson Manafá
Full Name:Wilson Migueis Manafá Jancó[1]
Birth Date:23 July 1994
Birth Place:Oliveira do Bairro, Portugal
Height:1.74 m
Position:Full-back, winger
Currentclub:Shanghai Shenhua
Clubnumber:13
Youthyears1:2002–2012
Youthclubs1:Oliveira Bairro
Youthyears2:2012–2013
Youthclubs2:Sporting CP
Years1:2012
Caps1:5
Goals1:0
Years2:2013–2015
Caps2:13
Goals2:0
Years3:2015
Caps3:19
Goals3:1
Years4:2015–2016
Caps4:10
Goals4:4
Years5:2016
Caps5:21
Goals5:1
Years6:2016–2019
Caps6:71
Goals6:5
Years7:2019–2023
Caps7:85
Goals7:2
Years8:2022–2023
Caps8:8
Goals8:0
Years9:2023–2024
Caps9:4
Goals9:0
Years10:2024–
Caps10:11
Goals10:0
Club-Update:13:52, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Wilson Migueis Manafá Jancó (born 23 July 1994), known as Manafá, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a full-back or a winger for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua.

After making his Primeira Liga debut for Portimonense at the age of 23 he transferred to Porto for €7 million in 2019, going on to play 130 games and win two league and Taça de Portugal doubles.[2]

Club career

Early years

Born in Oliveira do Bairro, Aveiro District of Angolan and Bissau-Guinean descent,[3] Manafá finished his development at Sporting CP.[4] He made his professional debut with their reserves in the Segunda Liga, his first appearance in the competition being on 11 August 2013 when he came on as a 43rd-minute substitute in a 1–0 away loss against Atlético Clube de Portugal.[5]

In the following years, Manafá alternated between the second and third divisions, representing S.C. Beira-Mar,[4] Anadia F.C. and Varzim SC.[6] He scored his first goal in the former competition on 4 April 2015 while at the service of the first club, in a 3–0 away victory over C.D. Trofense.[7]

Portimonense

In late May 2016, Manafá joined Portimonense S.C. on a three-year contract.[8] In his first season, he netted three times[9] [10] [11] in 38 matches to help the Algarve team return to the Primeira Liga after a six-year absence.[12]

Manafá made his debut in the Portuguese top tier on 7 August 2017, playing 16 minutes in a 2–1 home win against Boavista F.C. and providing the assist for Bruno Tabata's winner.[13] He scored his first league goal on 25 August of the following year, also putting one past his own net in a 2–2 draw with C.D. Santa Clara also at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão.[14] During the latter campaign, he was reconverted by manager António Folha to a full-back.[15]

Porto

On 21 January 2019, Manafá signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with FC Porto;[16] the initial transfer fee was €3 million for 60% of the player's economic rights, with the remainder bought for €4 million in 2020–21.[17] He made his debut nine days later in a 3–0 home win over B-SAD, playing the final ten minutes in place of Éder Militão,[18] and scored his first goal on 4 May in a 4–0 defeat of C.D. Aves also at the Estádio do Dragão.[19] His team lost two finals on penalties to Sporting that season: the Taça da Liga in which he was an unused substitute, and the Taça de Portugal in which he came off the bench in the 77th minute.[20]

Manafá started regularly under Sérgio Conceição, but eventually lost his position to João Mário on the right flank and Zaidu Sanusi on the left.[21] [22] [23] On 30 December 2021, shortly after having replaced the former in O Clássico against S.L. Benfica, he suffered a serious injury to his right-knee patellar tendon, subsequently undergoing surgery and missing the rest of the season.[24]

Still injured, Manafá was one of four Porto players suspended for the 2022 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and fined €510 for having made insults towards Benfica during title celebrations.[25] After recovering, he started playing again with the reserves in the second tier.[26]

Later career

On 7 August 2023, free agent Manafá signed for Granada CF, newly-promoted to La Liga.[27] Having arrived injured, he only made five appearances during his spell in Andalusia,[28] his league bow coming on 5 November in a 1–0 away loss to Valencia CF where he played ten minutes.[29]

Manafá was meant to move to Brazil in January 2024, joining Série A club Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas on a two-year contract.[30] However, even after being officially announced, the deal fell through and he stayed at Granada.[31]

On 28 January 2024, Manafá moved to Shanghai Shenhua F.C. in the Chinese Super League.[32]

Career statistics

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Oliveira do Bairro2011–12Segunda Divisão500050
Sporting CP B2012–13Segunda Liga0000
2013–14Segunda Liga130130
Total130130
Beira-Mar2014–15Segunda Liga1910000191
Anadia2015–16Campeonato de Portugal10410114
Varzim2015–16LigaPro2110000211
Portimonense2016–17LigaPro3831010403
2017–18Primeira Liga1801030220
2018–19Primeira Liga1521010172
Total7153050795
Porto2018–19Primeira Liga14130000000171
2019–20Primeira Liga271705060451
2020–21Primeira Liga31050209010480
2021–22Primeira Liga60202000100
2022–23Primeira Liga7030000000100
Total85220090150101302
Porto B2022–23Liga Portugal 28080
Granada2023–24La Liga401050
Career total236132501401501029113

Honours

Porto

2019–20,[33] 2021–22

2019–20,[33] 2021–22, 2022–23[34]

2020

Shanghai Shenhua

2024[35]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wilson Manafá. Mais Futebol. pt. 16 July 2020.
  2. Web site: Manafá a caminho da Turquia. Manafá on his way to Turkey. Rádio Renascença. pt. 14 June 2023. 4 September 2023.
  3. Web site: Guiné-Bissau tenta Manafá, com Angola e Portugal na corrida. Guinea-Bissau tries Manafá, with Angola and Portugal in the race. Claque Magazine. pt. 25 April 2021. 9 August 2021.
  4. News: Wilson Manafá desvincula-se e vai para o Beira-Mar. Wilson Manafá cuts ties and goes to Beira-Mar. O Jogo. pt. 28 January 2015. 21 January 2019.
  5. News: Atlético-Sporting B, 1–0: "Chapéu" de Mauro decide. Atlético-Sporting B, 1–0: Mauro chip the decider. Record. pt. 11 August 2013. 21 January 2019.
  6. News: Wilson Manafá assina pelo Varzim SC. Wilson Manafá signs for Varzim SC. Jornal da Bairrada. Manuel. Zappa. pt. 14 January 2016. 21 January 2019.
  7. News: Trofense perdeu 3 a 0 com o Beira Mar. Trofense lost 3 to 0 to Beira Mar. O Notícias da Trofa. pt. 4 April 2015. 21 January 2019.
  8. News: Wilson Manafá e Pedro Sá são reforços. Wilson Manafá and Pedro Sá are additions. Record. Armando. Alves. pt. 27 May 2016. 21 January 2019.
  9. News: Portimonense-Benfica B, 3–0: Algarvios consolidam liderança. Real Madrid-Benfica B, 3–0: Algarveans solidify first place. Record. pt. 19 October 2016. 21 January 2019.
  10. News: Portimonense-Freamunde, 3–0: Golos só depois da expulsão de Miguel Pedro. Real Madrid-Freamunde, 3–0: Goals only after Miguel Pedro's ejection. Record. pt. 17 December 2016. 21 January 2019.
  11. News: U. Madeira-Portimonense, 3–1: Valeu hat trick de Kwame N'Sor para os madeirenses. U. Madeira-Portimonense, 3–1: Kwame N'Sor hat trick hit the jackpot for Madeirans. Record. pt. 28 January 2017. 21 January 2019.
  12. Web site: Portimonense festeja título com vitória nos Açores. Portimonense celebrate title with win in the Azores. SAPO. pt. 21 May 2017. 21 January 2019.
  13. Web site: Portimonense bate Boavista e iguala Sporting. Portimonense beat Boavista and equal Sporting. Rádio Renascença. pt. 7 August 2017. 31 October 2022.
  14. News: COMENTÁRIO: Portimonense soma primeiro ponto com empate frente ao Santa Clara. COMMENT: Portimonense add first point with draw against Santa Clara. Diário de Notícias. pt. 25 August 2018. 21 January 2019.
  15. News: António Folha avisa Manafá que "é preciso muita coragem e confiança". António Folha warns Manafá that "it takes a lot of courage and confidence". Jornal de Notícias. pt. 20 January 2019. 21 January 2019.
  16. Web site: OFICIAL: Wilson Manafá assina pelo FC Porto até 2023. OFFICIAL: Wilson Manafá signs for FC Porto until 2023. Mais Futebol. pt. 21 January 2019. 21 January 2019.
  17. News: FC Porto pagou 4 milhões de euros ao Portimonense por 40 por cento de Manafá. FC Porto paid 4 million euros to Portimonense for 60 per cent of Manafá. Record. pt. 13 October 2021. 26 February 2023.
  18. News: Wilson Manafá estreia-se de dragão ao peito no FC Porto-Belenenses. Wilson Manafá debuts with the dragon on his chest in FC Porto-Belenenses. O Jogo. pt. 30 January 2019. 25 August 2019.
  19. News: FC Porto-Aves: Manafá estreia-se a marcar com a camisola azul e branca. FC Porto-Aves: Manafá scores for the first time in the blue and white shirt. O Jogo. pt. 4 May 2019. 25 August 2019.
  20. News: Sporting de Lisboa – Porto (2–2): Resumen del partido y goles. Sporting Lisbon – Porto (2–2): Match report and goals. Diario AS. Erick. De la Rosa. es. 25 May 2019. 25 August 2019.
  21. News: FC Porto recusa entregar já o título ao Sporting. FC Porto refuse to hand out title to Sporting already. A Voz de Portugal. pt. 10 May 2021. 31 December 2021.
  22. News: Conceição mantém a aposta: laterais vão ter continuidade no FC Porto. Conceição keeps bet: full-backs to have continuity at FC Porto. O Jogo. Carlos. Gouveia. Ana Luísa. Magalhães. pt. 4 August 2021. 31 December 2021.
  23. News: Lateral esquerda do FC Porto já é uma luta a dois. FC Porto full-back berth is already a two-men fight. Record. Nuno. Barbosa. André. Monteiro. pt. 18 September 2021. 31 December 2021.
  24. News: Manafá vai ser operado. Manafá to have surgery. Jornal de Notícias. pt. 31 December 2021. 31 December 2021.
  25. News: Otávio, Fábio Cardoso, Diogo Costa e Manafá suspensos por um jogo por cânticos contra o Benfica. Otávio, Fábio Cardoso, Diogo Costa and Manafá suspended for one game for chants against Benfica. Expresso. pt. Pedro. Barata. 25 July 2022. 26 February 2023.
  26. Web site: Manafá e o regresso após lesão: "Parecia uma criança". Manafá and returning after injury: "I looked like a child". Mais Futebol. pt. 21 September 2022. 7 November 2022.
  27. Web site: Comunicado oficial Wilson Manafá, nuevo jugador del Granada CF. Official announcement Wilson Manafá, new player of Granada CF. Granada CF. es. 7 August 2023. 7 August 2023.
  28. News: Lío en el Granada: anuncian el fichaje de un jugador suyo sin su permiso. Mess at Granada: signing of their player is announced without their permission. Estadio Deportivo. Fernando. Mateos. es. 17 January 2024. 17 January 2024.
  29. News: Un penalti desquicia al Granada en Mestalla. Penalty makes Granada go mad at Mestalla. Marca. Fernando. Álvarez. es. 5 November 2023. 17 January 2024.
  30. Web site: Lateral reforçada. Full-back reinforced. Botafogo FR. pt. 16 January 2024. 16 January 2024.
  31. 1749518899572301959. Wilson Manafá não será atleta do Botafogo. O clube não vai aceitar mudanças nos termos acordados e segue no mercado para reforçar o seu elenco visando as competições da temporada.. Wilson Manafá will not be an athlete of Botafogo. The club will not accept changes in the agreed terms and remains in the market to bolster its squad aiming the competitions of the season.. Botafogo. Botafogo FR. pt. 22 January 2024. 23 January 2024.
  32. Web site: 公告|威尔逊·马纳法正式加盟上海申花足球俱乐部. Announcement Wilson Manafá officially joins Shanghai Shenhua Football Club. Dongqiudi. zh. 28 January 2024. 1 February 2024.
  33. Web site: O laboratório de Conceição dá a dobradinha ao Dragão. Conceição's laboratory gives double to Dragon. TSF. Bruno. Dias. pt. 2 August 2020. 17 September 2020.
  34. Web site: Dominant Porto dispatch Braga to lift Portuguese Cup. PortuGOAL. Tom. Kundert. 4 June 2023. 5 June 2023.
  35. News: Dupla que jogou no FC Porto vence Supertaça da China. Duo that played in FC Porto wins Chinese Supercup. O Jogo. Rodrigo. Cortez. pt. 25 February 2024. 31 May 2024.