Lorenzo Gordinho

Lorenzo Joao Gordinho (born 26 April 1994) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a defender for Viborg FF and the South Africa national team.

An academy graduate of Chiefs, Gordinho made his senior professional debut in 2013 and, either side of a year-long loan at Bloemfontein Celtic in 2018, represented the club on 71 occasions. Two years later, he joined fellow PSL side Bidvest Wits. He signed for Danish side Viborg FF in the summer of 2020

Gordinho is also a full international with South Africa, having made his senior debut in 2017, and has to date earned three caps with the national team.

Club Career

Early career

Gordinho is the son of former Orlando Pirates and Benoni United player, Manny Faria. In his early years, he and his brother Anthony played for Easterns in Benoni and later in Balfour, before being invited to train with Orlando Pirates’ development team. From there Gordinho was signed by Kazier Chiefs at the age of 15 after being put into contact with development coach, Lucky Stylianou by close friend Masalealo Seanego. His brother later trialled in Brazil before joining Ajax Cape Town's academy.

Kaizer Chiefs

Having progressed through the club's academy, Gordinho made his Kaizer Chiefs debut in the 2013–14 PSL season under coach Stuart Baxter. He made only two appearances across all competitions the following season as the club claimed a domestic double, winning the PSL and MTN 8 titles. Following Baxter's departure, and Steve Komphela's arrival in 2015, he was chosen to be part of the club's captains committee and became a regular within the starting line-up. He was voted PSL Player of the Month for August and September 2016. In January 2017, Gordinho was one of four Chiefs players who travelled to England to train with Fulham as part of a relationship-building exercise between the two clubs. Later that month, he was invited to trial with Danish Superliga side AaB and featured for the side in a friend