Fábio Ricardo Gomes Fonseca (born 18 August 1985), commonly known as Espinho, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

Espinho
Espinho with Ludogorets in 2014
Personal information
Full name Fábio Ricardo Gomes Fonseca[1]
Date of birth (1985-08-18) 18 August 1985 (age 39)[1]
Place of birth Espinho, Portugal[1]
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1993–2004 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Porto B 36 (2)
2006–2009 Espinho 79 (12)
2009–2011 Leixões 40 (0)
2011–2013 Moreirense 51 (11)
2013–2015 Ludogorets 52 (4)
2015–2016 Málaga 2 (0)
2016Moreirense (loan) 15 (2)
2016–2019 Boavista 86 (10)
2019–2023 Feirense 95 (10)
Total 456 (51)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Espinho was born in Espinho. A product of FC Porto's youth system he never appeared officially for its first team, spending two years with the reserves in the third division. In 2006, he signed with local S.C. Espinho in the same level.

On 8 June 2011, after two seasons in division two with Leixões SC, Espinho joined Moreirense FC.[2] He scored nine goals in his first year to help the club return to the Primeira Liga after a seven-year absence, and, on 19 August 2012, celebrated his debut in the competition by netting his team's goal in a 1–1 away draw against F.C. Paços de Ferreira.[3]

On 11 June 2013, Espinho signed a one-year deal with PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in the Bulgarian A Football Group, moving abroad for the first time at the age of 28.[4] He appeared in 95 competitive games during his spell (seven goals), helping to back-to-back national championships.[5]

Espinho left Ludogorets in June 2015, and signed a contract with Málaga CF as a free agent.[6] He played only three matches for the Spaniards before returning to Moreirense on loan the following January,[7] then joined fellow league team Boavista F.C. for one year in July.[8]

Career statistics

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As of 16 May 2015[9]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Porto B 2004–05[10] Segunda Divisão 14 2 14 2
2005–06[10] 22 0 22 0
Total 36 2 36 2
Espinho 2006–07[10] Segunda Divisão 24 1 3 1 27 2
2007–08[10] 29 2 2 0 31 2
2008–09[10] 26 9 1 0 27 9
Total 79 12 6 1 85 13
Leixões 2009–10[10] Primeira Liga 13 0 5 1 18 1
2010–11[10] Segunda Liga 27 0 5 2 32 2
Total 40 0 10 3 50 3
Moreirense 2011–12[10] Segunda Liga 28 9 10 2 38 11
2012–13[10] Primeira Liga 23 2 7 0 30 2
Total 51 11 17 2 68 13
Ludogorets 2013–14[11] A Group 29 2 10 0 15[a] 0 54 2
2014–15[11] 23 2 6 2 12[b] 1 41 5
Total 52 4 16 2 27 1 95 7
Career total 258 29 49 8 27 1 334 38
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Fábio Espinho" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Moreirense contrata médio Fábio Espinho e avançado N'Jock" [Moreirense sign midfielder Fábio Espinho and forward N'Jock] (in Portuguese). Guimarães TV. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  3. ^ "P. Ferreira-Moreirense, 1–1 (resultado final)" [P. Ferreira-Moreirense, 1–1 (final score)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 19 August 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Лудогорец представи първото си ново попълнение" [Ludogorets introduced their first new addition] (in Bulgarian). Sportal. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Ludogorets de Fábio Espinho e Vitinha tetracampeão da Bulgária" [Fábio Espinho and Vitinha's Ludogorets Bulgarian champions for the fourth consecutive time] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  6. ^ "В Испания: Ешпиньо се разбра с Малага" [In Spain: Espinho commits to Málaga] (in Bulgarian). Sportal. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  7. ^ "El Málaga y el Moreirense alcanzan un acuerdo para la cesión de Espinho" [Málaga and Moreirense reach an agreement for the loan of Espinho] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Fábio Espinho no Boavista" [Fábio Espinho at Boavista]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 19 July 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Fábio Espinho". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Fábio Espinho at ForaDeJogo (archived)  
  11. ^ a b "Fábio Espinho". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
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