Fernando Aguiar
Encyclopedia
Fernando João Lobo Aguiar (born 18 March 1972 in Chaves) is a retired Portuguese
-born Canadian
footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
He was arguably Canada's second most successful player to have featured in Portugal, after striker Alex Bunbury
, and is one of about a dozen Portuguese-Canadians to have played soccer in Portugal.
.
He began his Europe
an career in 1994 with Portuguese first division side C.S. Marítimo. However, he had trouble cracking the line-up and subsequently dropped down
a division, where he would spend five years, playing for C.D. Nacional, F.C. Maia
, and S.C. Beira-Mar, helping the latter achieve promotion and subsequently stay in the top flight.
His good form was noticed by giants S.L. Benfica, for whom he signed in January 2002, going on to play a somewhat important defensive role. On 25 January 2004, Aguiar scored the only goal in a 1–0 away win against Vitória de Guimarães (in the 90th minute), assisted by Miklós Fehér
, who would die in the hospital just hours later. He also helped the Lisbon
-side capture the 2004 Portuguese Cup
.
After his cup winning exploits, Aguiar made a surprise transfer to Swedish
side Landskrona BoIS
. However, an injury and his high wages ruined the move, and he left after only a few months for F.C. Penafiel. In 2006, he joined second-tier club Gondomar SC
, representing it for three years, with relegation in the last
, after which he was released, aged 37, retiring shortly after.
. Ironically, he made his debut in a January 1995 SkyDome Cup
match against Portugal
, and went on to earn a total of 13 caps, scoring no goals.
Aguiar represented Canada in four FIFA World Cup qualification
matches; his final international was a July 1999 match against Saudi Arabia
.
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
-born Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
He was arguably Canada's second most successful player to have featured in Portugal, after striker Alex Bunbury
Alex Bunbury
Alexander "Alex" Bunbury is a former Canadian professional footballer, who played as a striker.-Club career:Bunbury started playing professionally with the Hamilton Steelers in Canada, also having one-year spells in the Canadian Soccer League with the Toronto Blizzard and Montreal Supra.In 1993,...
, and is one of about a dozen Portuguese-Canadians to have played soccer in Portugal.
Club career
Powerfully built, Aguiar began his career in the Canadian Soccer League, playing for his home town's (he moved to Canada at an early age) Toronto Blizzard. Although the league disbanded in 1992, he remained with the team for its only season in the American Professional Soccer LeagueAmerican Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
.
He began his Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an career in 1994 with Portuguese first division side C.S. Marítimo. However, he had trouble cracking the line-up and subsequently dropped down
Liga de Honra
The Liga de Honra , known for sponsorship reasons as the Liga Orangina, is the Portuguese second level football league. It was formerly called Segunda Divisão and Segunda Divisão de Honra . When the LPFP took control of the two nationwide levels, it was renamed Segunda Liga, before renaming it...
a division, where he would spend five years, playing for C.D. Nacional, F.C. Maia
F.C. Maia
Futebol Clube da Maia is a Portuguese football club based in Maia, Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto. Founded in 1954, it currently plays in the Porto Regional League, holding home games at Estádio Professor Doutor Vieira de Carvalho, which holds 15,000 spectators.-History:Maia never competed in...
, and S.C. Beira-Mar, helping the latter achieve promotion and subsequently stay in the top flight.
His good form was noticed by giants S.L. Benfica, for whom he signed in January 2002, going on to play a somewhat important defensive role. On 25 January 2004, Aguiar scored the only goal in a 1–0 away win against Vitória de Guimarães (in the 90th minute), assisted by Miklós Fehér
Miklós Fehér
Miklós "Miki" Fehér was a Hungarian footballer who played as a striker.On 25 January 2004, Fehér died of a cardiac arrest during a match between Vitória de Guimarães and his team Benfica in Guimarães, Portugal....
, who would die in the hospital just hours later. He also helped the Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
-side capture the 2004 Portuguese Cup
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
.
After his cup winning exploits, Aguiar made a surprise transfer to Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
side Landskrona BoIS
Landskrona BoIS
Landskrona BoIS is a Swedish professional football club located in Landskrona, which currently plays in the second highest Swedish division, Superettan. The club, formed on 7 February 1915 was a merger of two clubs from the city of Landskrona; IFK Landskrona and Diana...
. However, an injury and his high wages ruined the move, and he left after only a few months for F.C. Penafiel. In 2006, he joined second-tier club Gondomar SC
Gondomar S.C.
Gondomar Sport Clube is a Portuguese football club based in Gondomar, Porto District. Founded on 1 May 1921, it currently plays in the Portuguese third division, holding home games at Estádio de São Miguel, with a capacity of 5,000 spectators.-History:...
, representing it for three years, with relegation in the last
2008–09 Liga de Honra
The 2008–09 Liga de Honra season is the nineteenth since its establishment. Trofense are the defending champions.-Teams promoted to Liga de Honra:*Oliveirense*Sporting Covilhã-League table:-Summary:...
, after which he was released, aged 37, retiring shortly after.
International career
Aguiar has both Portuguese and Canadian citizenship but, having grown up in Canada, he eventually featured for the its national teamCanada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. Ironically, he made his debut in a January 1995 SkyDome Cup
SkyDome Cup
The SkyDome Cup was a football tournament played in late January 1995 in the SkyDome stadium between hosts Canada, then European champions Denmark, and Portugal...
match against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, and went on to earn a total of 13 caps, scoring no goals.
Aguiar represented Canada in four FIFA World Cup qualification
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The FIFA World Cup is a global event, so qualification is required to reduce the large field of participants from about 200 to 32.Qualifying tournaments...
matches; his final international was a July 1999 match against Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
.