Nélson Marcos

Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos (born 10 June 1983), known simply as Nélson, is a Cape Verdean-born Portuguese former footballer who played as a right back.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Tomar and the second or paternal family name is Marcos.
Nélson
Nélson training with Betis in 2011
Personal information
Full name Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos[1]
Date of birth (1983-06-10) 10 June 1983[1]
Place of birth Sal, Cape Verde[1]
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
Batuque
2000–2002 Vilanovense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2003 Vilanovense 32 (0)
2003–2004 Salgueiros 27 (2)
2004–2005 Boavista 23 (1)
2005–2008 Benfica 72 (0)
2008–2013 Betis 81 (1)
2010–2011 → Osasuna (loan) 29 (1)
2013–2014 Palermo 8 (1)
2013–2014 → Almería (loan) 14 (0)
2014–2015 Belenenses 27 (0)
2015–2017 Alcorcón 55 (0)
2017–2018 AEK Larnaca 27 (0)
International career
2006 Portugal U21 3 (0)
2009–2012 Portugal 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:53, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

After making a name for himself at Benfica, appearing in 107 official games over three seasons, he went on to spend the vast majority of his career in Spain, representing Betis, Osasuna, Almería and Alcorcón. He also competed professionally in Italy and Cyprus.

Nélson won four caps for the Portugal national team, during three years.

Club career

Early years

Born in Sal, Cape Verde, Nélson started his professional career with Vilanovense FC. He began making a name in the Primeira Liga with Boavista FC, having joined from soon-to-be-extinct S.C. Salgueiros also in Porto.

In May 2005, Nélson was involved in a car crash along with countryman and former Boavista player José Bosingwa, who represented FC Porto at the time. The latter, behind the wheel of his jeep at the time of the accident, was travelling too quickly and due to wet conditions he crashed the car into an embankment which was followed by the car bursting into flames; one passenger required his foot to be amputated, whilst the other three were unharmed.[2]

Benfica

Nélson signed with S.L. Benfica from Boavista for €1.5 million in the summer of 2005, on a five-year contract.[3] He made the right-back spot his own upon his arrival, making twenty-five appearances during his first season; in the 2006–07 campaign, he was also a starter.

In the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, after having faced Manchester United in the same competition and stage the season before, Nélson scored a fantastic goal with a long-range shot into Edwin van der Sar's top-right hand corner at Old Trafford, on 6 December 2006; eventually, the game was lost 1–3 and Benfica had to settle for a place in the UEFA Cup after finishing third.[4]

Betis
Nélson training with Betis in 2009.

In late August 2008, Nélson moved to Real Betis in Spain for €6 million, on a five-year deal.[5] He quickly became an automatic first-choice, as the Andalusia side was eventually relegated.

On 31 August 2010, Nélson was loaned to CA Osasuna, with the Navarrese having an option to make the move permanent at the season's end. Battling with Damià for first-choice status throughout the vast majority of the campaign, he netted on 20 December 2010 in a 4–0 away victory over Hércules CF,[6] his first goal in over four years.

On 11 May 2011, in the last minute of the first half of a La Liga home fixture against Sevilla FC (eventual 3–2 home win), Nélson collided with opponent Lautaro Acosta, fracturing his left ankle in the outcome.[7] His injury was not as serious as initially expected though.[8]

Nélson spent the first part of 2011–12, with Betis again in the top level, recovering from his condition. On 4 December 2011, in one of his first bench appearances, he was caught on camera talking to his previous team Osasuna's assistant manager Alfredo, leading to rumours that he was filtering his team's lineup to the opposition, which was denied by both parties.[9][10]

On 11 February 2012, in his very first game for the Verdiblancos upon his return, Nélson scored from long distance in the 90th minute of the match against Athletic Bilbao, for a 2–1 home win.[11]

Palermo

On 28 January 2013, days after being released by Betis, Nélson moved to Italy's U.S. Città di Palermo, agreeing to a contract until June 2015[12] and rejoining former Benfica teammate Fabrizio Miccoli. He scored in his Serie A debut the following week, but his late backheel goal could not help prevent a 1–2 home loss to Atalanta BC.[13]

Nélson returned to Spain and its top division on 2 August 2013, signing with UD Almería in a season-long loan deal.[14] He subsequently returned to Palermo, but was immediately deemed surplus to requirements and was not even called up to join the first team pre-season camp; his contract was terminated by mutual consent in August 2014.[15]

Later years

In late August 2014, free agent Nélson joined C.F. Os Belenenses.[16] He made his competitive debut on 13 September, featuring as a right midfielder and playing 78 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against Sporting CP.[17]

Nélson returned to Spain on 29 July 2015, signing a one-year deal with AD Alcorcón.[18]

International career

Nélson was granted Portuguese citizenship in December 2005, and played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[19] He received his first call-up to the senior team in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Kazakhstan on 15 November 2006, but did not leave the bench.

Nélson finally made his full debut on 31 March 2009, appearing in a 2–0 friendly win with South Africa in Lausanne, Switzerland.[20]

Statistics
As of match played on 16 May 2018
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vilanovense 2000–01[21] Second Division 5000—50
2001–02[21] Second Division 27010—280
Total 32010—330
Salgueiros 2003–04[21] Segunda Liga 27230—302
Boavista 2004–05[21] Primeira Liga 23120—251
Benfica 2005–06[21] Primeira Liga 250207[lower-alpha 1]0340
2006–07[21] Primeira Liga 280306[lower-alpha 1]1371
2007–08[21] Primeira Liga 190506[lower-alpha 2]0300
Total 7201001911011
Betis 2008–09[22] La Liga 35010—360
2009–10[22] Segunda División 22010—230
2011–12[22] La Liga 14110—151
2012–13[22] La Liga 10000—100
Total 81130—841
Osasuna (loan) 2010–11[22] La Liga 29120—312
Palermo 2012–13[23] Serie A 8100—81
Almería (loan) 2013–14[22] La Liga 14010—150
Belenenses 2014–15[21] Primeira Liga 27060—330
Alcorcón 2015–16[22] Segunda División 36000—360
2016–17[22] Segunda División 19070—260
Total 55070—620
AEK Larnaca 2017–18[23] Cypriot First Division 2705000320
Career total 39564001914547
  1. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup

Honours

AEK Larnaca

References
  1. "Nélson" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  2. "Bosingwa e mais quatro futebolistas envolvem-se em aparatoso acidente" [Bosingwa and four other footballers involved in spectacular accident] (in Portuguese). Record. 16 May 2005. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  3. "Miguel makes switch to Mestalla". UEFA. 19 August 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. United heading into last 16; UEFA, 6 December 2006
  5. "Nélson ya es jugador del Betis" [Nélson is already a Betis player] (in Spanish). Real Betis. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  6. "Giant performance shocks Hercules". ESPN Soccernet. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  7. Osasuna hit back for stunning win; ESPN Soccernet, 11 May 2011
  8. El susto de Nelson se queda en luxación del astrágalo (Nelson scare just a talus bone dislocation); Marca, 12 May 2011 (in Spanish)
  9. Nelson se mete en un lío (Nelson in hot waters); Diario de Navarra, 7 December 2011 (in Spanish)
  10. Alfredo niega que Nelson les filtrara información del Betis antes del partido (Alfredo denies Nelson filtered information on Betis before match) Archived 7 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine; Noticias de Navarra, 7 December 2011 (in Spanish)
  11. Nelson sinks Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 11 February 2012
  12. "Preso anche Nelson, domani la presentazione Boselli" [Nelson in too, press conference with Boselli scheduled tomorrow] (in Italian). U.S. Palermo. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  13. "Palermo 1–2 Atalanta". ESPN FC. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  14. Nelson se convierte en el séptimo fichaje del Almería para la próxima temporada (Nélson becomes Almería's seventh signing for the following season) Archived 5 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine; UD Almería, 2 August 2013 (in Spanish)
  15. "Viviano passa alla Sampdoria, rescisso il contratto di Nelson" [Viviano joins Sampdoria, Nelson contract terminated] (in Italian). U.S. Palermo. 12 August 2014. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  16. "Nélson: "Ainda tenho grandes planos na minha carreira"" [Nélson: "I still have big plans for my career"] (in Portuguese). Record. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  17. "Nélson: "Ainda procuro a melhor forma física"" [Nélson: "I am still looking for my best physical condition"] (in Portuguese). Record. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  18. "Nélson Augusto Tomar Ramos [sic], nuevo jugador de la AD Alcorcón" [Nélson Augusto Tomar Ramos, new player of AD Alcorcón] (in Spanish). AD Alcorcón. 29 July 2015. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  19. Nélson pride at Portugal call; UEFA, 23 February 2006
  20. Portugal rediscover winning feeling; UEFA, 31 March 2009
  21. "Nélson". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  22. "Nélson: Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  23. "Nélson". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  24. "AEK Larnaca v Apollon Starting XIs, May 16, 2018". Goal. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
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