João Palhinha
Palhinha with Portugal in 2023
Personal information
Full name João Maria Lobo Alves Palhares Costa Palhinha Gonçalves[1]
Date of birth (1995-07-09) 9 July 1995[2]
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal[2]
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Fulham
Number 26
Youth career
2008–2009 Alta de Lisboa
2009–2012 Sacavenense
2012–2014 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Sporting CP B 21 (1)
2015–2016Moreirense (loan) 29 (0)
2016–2022 Sporting CP 72 (4)
2016–2017Belenenses (loan) 13 (1)
2018–2020Braga (loan) 50 (4)
2022– Fulham 53 (5)
International career
2013 Portugal U18 2 (0)
2013−2014 Portugal U19 14 (1)
2015 Portugal U20 2 (0)
2021− Portugal 24 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runner-up2014 Hungary
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:19, 13 January 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:39, 19 November 2023 (UTC)

João Maria Lobo Alves Palhares Costa Palhinha Gonçalves (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒoˈɐ̃w̃ paˈʎiɲɐ]; born 9 July 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Fulham and the Portugal national team.

He came through at Sporting CP, first appearing with the first team in 2017 and also having loans at Moreirense, Belenenses and Braga. After returning in 2020, he became a starter, notably winning the 2020–21 Primeira Liga and back-to-back Taças da Liga in 2021 and 2022. In July 2022, he signed with Fulham for £20 million.

A former Portugal youth international, finishing second at the 2014 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, Palhinha made his full debut in 2021 and was part of the squads at UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Sporting CP

2012–15: Early career

Born in Lisbon, Palhinha joined local Sporting CP's youth system in 2012, aged 17.[3] He played his first game as a professional with the B team, coming on as a late substitute for fellow youth graduate Iuri Medeiros in a 3−2 home win against Portimonense in the Segunda Liga, on 3 February 2014;[4] it was one of only two appearances during the season. Still in the second division, Palhinha scored his first senior goal on 4 April 2015, his header contributing to a 3−1 home victory over Leixões.[5]

2015–20: Various loans and short return

From July 2015 to January 2017 he was loaned to Primeira Liga clubs Moreirense[6] and Belenenses, respectively,[7] making his debut in the competition whilst with the former in a 0−2 home loss to Arouca where he played 22 minutes from the bench,[8][9] and netting for the first time while at the service of the latter against Vitória de Guimarães (1−1 away draw, 90 minutes played).[10]

Palhinha with Braga in 2019

Subsequently, returning to the Estádio José Alvalade,[11] Palhinha made his competitive debut with the first team on 21 January 2017, starting in a 2−2 draw at Marítimo.[12] He scored his first goals for them on 12 October of the same year, netting twice in a 4–2 away win over Oleiros in the Taça de Portugal.[13]

Palhinha spent the following two seasons on loan to Braga.[14] He appeared in 76 competitive matches during his spell,[15] helping to a third-place finish in 2019–20[16] and notably scoring the game's only goal against Benfica for the club's first win at that opposition in 65 years.[17]

2020–22: Breakthrough and departure

Having started the 2020–21 campaign training on his own in the midst of negotiations with Al Nassr and CSKA Moscow, Palhinha was eventually reintegrated into Sporting's main squad[18][19] and ended up contributing 32 appearances for the champions,[20][21] with a goal in the 2–0 home defeat of Paços de Ferreira;[22] consequently, he was named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year alongside five of his teammates.[21]

In 2021–22, still under manager Rúben Amorim, Palhinha began facing stiff competition from newly-signed Manuel Ugarte.[23][24] He played 95 official games during his spell, scoring seven times.[25]

Fulham

On 4 July 2022, Palhinha signed a five-year contract with Fulham for £20 million.[26][27] He made his Premier League debut on 6 August, playing the entire 2–2 home draw against Liverpool.[28] He scored his first goal 14 days later, helping the hosts to beat Brentford 3–2.[29] He was his team's Player of the Season with 68% of the votes, to runner-up Bernd Leno's 17%;[30] he also managed to lead all players in tackles, with a total of 147.[31]

On 26 August 2023, Palhinha scored a late equaliser in a 2–2 away draw against Arsenal.[32] On the summer transfer deadline day, he had his medical tests in Germany ahead of a €65 million transfer to Bayern Munich, yet the deal collapsed as Fulham failed to find a replacement before the window shut.[33] On 14 September, he agreed to a new contract until 2028, with an option to extend a further year.[34]

International career

Palhinha represented Portugal at under-18,[35] under-19[36] and under-20 levels.[37] He participated in the 2014 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where his team finished second.[38]

In March 2021, Palhinha was called up to the full side for the first time, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan, Luxembourg and Serbia.[39] He won his first cap in the match with the first adversary, replacing Rúben Neves late into the 1–0 victory in Turin.[40] He scored his first goal in the same phase, closing the 3–1 away win over Luxembourg.[41]

Being selected for UEFA Euro 2020,[42] Palhinha appeared against France in the group stage (2–2)[43] and Belgium in the round of 16 (1–0 loss).[44] In November 2022, he was named in the final squad for the World Cup finals in Qatar,[45] playing all three group-phase matches[46][47][48] in an eventual quarter-final exit.[49]

Style of play

Palhinha is known for his defensive positioning, stamina and tackling.[50][51][52] Described as an astute ball-winning midfielder, he is especially aggressive in stopping counter-attacks early by lunging into challenges, often preferring slide tackles in order to maximise his radius. He presses aggressively overall and records a high volume of tackles due to his proximity to the player in possession. A physical and tall player, his height helps him dominate aerial duels and his strength allows him to hold off opponents when dribbling. In open play, he oscillates between positions outside of the press and between the lines; when positioned outside of the opposition's press, he plays the role of a field general, directing teammates with his voice and hand gestures, with his vocal leadership being seen as one of his strengths.[53][54][55][56]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 13 January 2024[57][58]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sporting CP B 2013–14 Segunda Liga 2020
2014–15 Segunda Liga 171171
2016–17 LigaPro 1010
2017–18 LigaPro 1010
Total 211211
Sporting CP 2016–17 Primeira Liga 110000000110
2017–18 Primeira Liga 2022003[lower-alpha 3]072
2020–21 Primeira Liga 321313000382
2021–22 Primeira Liga 27320306[lower-alpha 4]01[lower-alpha 5]0393
Total 72473609010957
Moreirense (loan) 2015–16 Primeira Liga 2900000290
Belenenses (loan) 2016–17 Primeira Liga 1311040181
Braga (loan) 2018–19 Primeira Liga 2326030322
2019–20 Primeira Liga 272204111[lower-alpha 6]1444
Total 5048071111766
Fulham 2022–23 Premier League 3535100404
2023–24 Premier League 1820040222
Total 5355140626
Career total 238152142112011030121
  1. Includes Taça de Portugal, FA Cup
  2. Includes Taça da Liga, EFL Cup
  3. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  4. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  5. Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  6. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 19 November 2023[59]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Portugal 2021122
202260
202360
Total242
As of match played 12 October 2021. Portugal score listed first, score column indicates score after each Palhinha goal.[59]
List of international goals scored by João Palhinha
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
130 March 2021Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg3 Luxembourg3–13–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
212 October 2021Estádio Algarve, Loulé/Faro, Portugal10 Luxembourg4–05–0

Honours

Braga

Sporting CP

Individual

References

  1. "Palhinha" (in Portuguese). Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "João Palhinha" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  3. "Júnior Palhinha assina contrato com o Sporting" [Junior Palhinha signs contract with Sporting]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 November 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  4. "Sporting B-Portimonense, 3−2: Leões voltam aos triunfos" [Sporting B-Portimonense, 3−2: Lions return to winning ways]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  5. "Sporting B-Leixões, 3−1: Quarto triunfo seguido para os leões" [Sporting B-Leixões, 3−1: Fourth win in a row for the lions]. Record (in Portuguese). 4 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. "Sporting empresta Palhinha ao Moreirense" [Sporting loan Palhinha to Moreirense]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 12 August 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  7. Gomes de Andrade, Maria (9 August 2016). "Sporting: João Palhinha emprestado ao Belenenses" [Sporting: João Palhinha loaned to Belenenses] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  8. "Arouca estreia-se na I Liga triunfo em casa do Moreirense" [Arouca make I League debut with win at Moreirense]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 16 August 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  9. "João Palhinha direto à estreia" [João Palhinha headed straight for debut]. Record (in Portuguese). 17 August 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  10. "Vitória de Guimarães e Belenenses dividem pontos" [Vitória de Guimarães and Belenenses share points] (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  11. Miroto Simões, Luís (4 January 2017). "Palhinha: "Regresso agora a casa"" [Palhinha: "I return home now"]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  12. Calaveiras, Carlos (21 January 2017). "Leão agrava crise" [Lion worsens crisis] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
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  57. João Palhinha at WorldFootball.net
  58. João Palhinha at Soccerway
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