Vasco Fernandes

Vasco Herculano Salgado Cunha Mango Fernandes (born 12 November 1986) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Casa Pia A.C. as a right back or a central defender.

Club Career

Born in Olhao, Algarve of Guinea-Bissauan descent, Fernandes started his professional career with hometown's S.C. Olhanense, making his debut in the Segunda Liga. Prior to that, he was loaned to FC Girondins de Bordeaux from France, but never appeared officially for the Ligue 1 club.

After another loan, now in Spain with UD Salamanca where he teamed up with countryman Ze To, Fernandes returned to Portugal after being bought by Leixoes SC. He played roughly half of the games during the season, as the Matosinhos team overachieved for a final sixth place in the Primeira Liga. His debut in the competition took place on 24 August 2008, when he played the full 90 minutes in a 1–3 home loss against C.D. Nacional.

Fernandes was loaned again for the 2009–10 campaign, also in Spain and in its Segunda Division, moving to RC Celta de Vigo. He was much more regularly used than in his previous stint in the country, although the Galicians constantly battled relegation even though they finished 12th.

On 1 July 2010, Fernandes left Leixoes permanently and joined Elche CF – still in Spain and its second tier. In the following years he rarely settled with a club, representing S.C. Beira-Mar and Olhanense in his country as well as Platanias FC (Super League) and Aris Thessaloniki FC (lower leagues) in Greece and CS Pandurii Targu Jiu in the Romanian Liga I.

On 3 June 2016, aged nearly 31, Fernandes signed a two-year contract with Vitoria F.C. in the Portuguese top flight. He scored his first league goal on 17 September of that year, but in a 1–4 home defeat to F.C. Pacos de Ferreira.

Fernandes received the first red card of 2017–18, after being sent off with 20 minutes left of the 1–1 home draw against Moreirense FC.