Marco Soares

Marco Paulo da Silva Soares (born 16 June 1984) is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays for Portuguese club F.C. Arouca as a defensive midfielder.

Club Career

Born in Setubal, Portugal, Soares started playing professionally with F.C. Barreirense, competing two seasons in the third division and one in the second. In 2006 he signed for U.D. Leiria, but only totalled two Primeira Liga appearances in his first two years, also serving two loans in the process, one of them in Romania with CS Pandurii Targu Jiu.

Soares returned to Leiria for the 2008–09 campaign, helping Uniao promote to the top flight after a one-year absence. Eventually, he would also become club captain.

On 31 October 2010, during a 1–2 home loss against Sporting CP – where he had played youth football – Soares fractured his left leg while attempting a shot, being sidelined for four months. After returning, he contributed 14 matches in 2011–12 as his team suffered relegation.