Cristiano (footballer, born 1990)

Cristiano Pereira Figueiredo (born 29 November 1990), known simply as Cristiano, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bulgarian club FC Spartak Varna.

Not to be confused with Cristian (footballer, born 1990).
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Pereira and the second or paternal family name is Figueiredo.
Cristiano
Personal information
Full name Cristiano Pereira Figueiredo[1]
Date of birth (1990-11-29) 29 November 1990[1]
Place of birth Munich, Germany[1]
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Spartak Varna
Number 31
Youth career
2004−2006 Académico Viseu
2006−2007 Académica
2007−2008 Penalva
2008−2009 Braga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 Penalva 2 (0)
2009−2011 Braga 0 (0)
2010−2011 → Vizela (loan) 15 (0)
2011−2012 Valencia B 5 (0)
2012−2014 Braga B 44 (0)
2013−2016 Braga 3 (0)
2014−2015 → Académica (loan) 26 (0)
2016−2017 Panetolikos 1 (0)
2017 Belenenses 14 (0)
2017−2019 Vitória Setúbal 37 (0)
2019–2021 Hermannstadt 68 (0)
2021–2022 CFR Cluj 0 (0)
2022 Dinamo București 8 (0)
2023– Spartak Varna 14 (0)
International career
2010 Portugal U20 1 (0)
2011 Portugal U21 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:07, 9 September 2023 (UTC)

He played 80 Primeira Liga games for Braga, Académica, Belenenses and Vitória de Setúbal, while also representing three teams in Romania and having brief spells in Spain, Greece and Bulgaria.

Club career

Born in Munich, Germany to Portuguese parents, Cristiano started playing youth football with Académico de Viseu FC, finishing his development with S.C. Braga.[2] He spent his first two years as a senior as the latter's third choice, also being loaned to F.C. Vizela who acted as the farm team.[3]

Cristiano was signed by Valencia CF from Spain on 24 July 2011, being assigned to the B side in the Segunda División B.[4] He appeared in just five games during his only season.

In summer 2012, Cristiano returned to Portugal and Braga, being again third string with the main squad and competing with the re-created reserves in the Segunda Liga. He made his debut as a professional on 11 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 away draw against S.L. Benfica B.[5]

For the 2014–15 campaign, Cristiano went on loan to Académica de Coimbra of the Primeira Liga. He appeared in 28 games in all competitions, helping his team narrowly avoid relegation.[6]

On 5 January 2016, having been deemed surplus to requirements by manager Paulo Fonseca as several other Portuguese players, Cristiano signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Greek club Panetolikos FC.[7] He returned to his country one year later, going on to represent C.F. Os Belenenses[8] and Vitória de Setúbal in the top tier.[9]

Cristiano joined FC Hermannstadt on 4 July 2019.[10] Two years later, he agreed to a three-year deal at CFR Cluj also from the Romanian Liga I.[11] However, in January 2022 the free agent signed with FC Dinamo București still in that country and league.[12] A year later, he moved to FC Spartak Varna of the First Professional Football League (Bulgaria).[13]

International career

Cristiano won his first cap for the Portugal under-21 side on 9 February 2011, playing the second half of a 3–1 friendly win over Sweden in Cartaxo.[14]

Personal life

Cristiano's younger brother, Tobias, was also a footballer. A defender, he played youth football at Sporting CP.[15]

References
  1. "Cristiano" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  2. "Valência confirma contratação de guarda-redes Cristiano" [Valencia confirm signing of goalkeeper Cristiano] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  3. "Oportunidades para ganhar ritmo em Vizela" [A chance to get playing time in Vizela]. Record (in Portuguese). 1 September 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. Picó, Diego (24 July 2011). "El Valencia ficha al portero Cristiano Pereira" [Valencia sign goalkeeper Cristiano Pereira]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  5. "Benfica B-Sp. Braga B, 2–2: André Gomes dá empate nos descontos" [Benfica B-Sp. Braga B, 2–2: André Gomes for the draw in injury time]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 August 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  6. Machado, Miguel (16 June 2015). "Sp. Braga – Yazalde, João Pedro, Capela e Cristiano fora das opções de Paulo Fonseca" [Sp. Braga – Yazalde, João Pedro, Capela and Cristiano out of Paulo Fonseca's plans]. Correio do Minho (in Portuguese). Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  7. Αποκτήθηκε ο Κριστιάνο [Cristiano acquired] (in Greek). Panetolikos F.C. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  8. "Cristiano, o dono da baliza do Belenenses" [Cristiano, the owner of Belenenses' goal]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 8 January 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  9. "Cristiano reforça Vitória Setúbal" [Cristiano strengthens Vitória Setúbal] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  10. Sousa, Ricardo (5 July 2019). "Cristiano muda-se para a Roménia e recebe elogios no Bonfim" [Cristiano moves to Romania and is praised at the Bonfim]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  11. "CFR Cluj transferă din Liga 1 » Acord pe 3 ani cu jucătorul" [CFR Cluj transfer from Liga 1 » Three-year agreement with player]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 10 May 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  12. Apostol, Eduard; Barbu, Alexandru (21 January 2022). "A reziliat contractul cu CFR Cluj și a semnat cu Dinamo" [He terminated the contract with CFR Cluj and signed with Dinamo]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  13. "Новият вратар на Спартак Вн Кристиано Фигейредо: Контузии в двете колена ме спряха във Валенсия. Работил съм с Унай Емери и Жорже Жезус, не познавах Димитър Димитров, но знам, че ще донесе победоносен дух, казва той" [The new goalkeeper of Spartak Vn Cristiano Figueiredo: Injuries to both knees stopped me at Valencia. I have worked with Unai Emery and Jorge Jesus, I didn't know Dimitar Dimitrov, but I know he will bring a winning spirit, he says]. Telegraph (in Bulgarian). 14 January 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  14. "Sub-21: Portugal bate Suécia no Cartaxo" [Under-21: Portugal beat Sweden in Cartaxo]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 February 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  15. "Tobias Figueiredo e... irmão Cristiano à conversa" [Tobias Figueiredo and... brother Cristiano chatting]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 January 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
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