Nélson Marcos

Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos (born 10 June 1983 in Ilha do Sal, Cape Verde), simply Nélson, is a Portuguese footballer of Cape Verdean descent who plays for Real Betis in Spain, as a right defender.

Club career

Early years

Nélson started his professional career with Vilanovense FC. He began making a name in the Portuguese first division with Boavista FC, having joined from soon-to-be-extinct side of S.C. Salgueiros, also in Porto.

In May 2005, he was involved in a car crash along with fellow Portuguese footballer and former Boavista player José Bosingwa, which represented F.C. Porto at the time.^[1] Bosingwa, 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; the other three were unharmed.

Benfica

Nélson joined S.L. Benfica from Boavista for €1.5 million in 2005, on a five-year contract.^[2] He made the right-back spot his own upon his arrival, making twenty-five appearances during his first season. In the 2006–07, he was equally impressive.

In the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, after having faced Manchester United in the same competition and stage the season before (Benfica won its home game, and the English finished bottom, eliminated from European competition as the encarnados reached the last eight), 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 the third UEFA Cup spot.^[3]

Betis

Nélson signed for Real Betis in La Liga for €6 million in late August 2008, on a five-year contract.^[4] He quickly became an automatic first-choice, as the Andalusia outfit 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 scored on 20 December 2010 in a 4–0 win at Hércules CF,^[5] his first goal in over four years.

On 11 May 2011, in the last minute of the first half of a home fixture against Sevilla FC (eventual 3–2 home win), Nélson collided with opponent Lautaro Acosta, fracturing his left ankle in the outcome.^[6] His injury was not as serious as initially expected though.^[7]

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.^[8][9]

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.^[10]

International career

Nélson was granted Portuguese citizenship in December 2005, and played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.^[11] He received his first call-up to the senior side in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Kazakhstan on 15 November 2006, but did not leave the bench.

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

References

1. ^ "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. http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/interior.aspx?content_id=238647. Retrieved 23 March 2012. 
2. ^ "Miguel makes switch to Mestalla". UEFA.com. 19 August 2005. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/intertotocup/news/kind=1/newsid=327738.html. 
3. ^ United heading into last 16; UEFA.com, 6 December 2006
4. ^ "Nélson a Betis player" (in Spanish). Betis official website. 26 August 2008. http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/. 
5. ^ "Giant performance shocks Hercules". ESPN Soccernet. 20 March 2011. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/301898?cc=5739. Retrieved 30 March 2011. 
6. ^ Osasuna hit back for stunning win; ESPN Soccernet, 11 May 2011
7. ^ El susto de Nelson se queda en luxación del astrágalo (Nelson scare just a talus bone dislocation); Marca, 12 May 2011 (Spanish)
8. ^ Nelson se mete en un lío (Nelson in hot waters); Diario de Navarra, 7 December 2011 (Spanish)
9. ^ Alfredo niega que Nelson les filtrara información del Betis antes del partido (Alfredo denies Nelson filtered information on Betis before match); Noticias de Navarra, 7 December 2011 (Spanish)
10. ^ Nelson sinks Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 11 February 2012
11. ^ Nélson pride at Portugal call; UEFA.com, 23 February 2006

External links

• Betis official profile (Spanish)
• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo
• PortuGOAL profile
• BDFutbol profile
• Nélson Marcos at National-Football-Teams.com
• Transfermarkt profile

v t e Portugal squad – 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship 1 Vale 2 Nélson 3 Meireles 4 Semedo 5 Pedro Ribeiro 6 Zé Castro 7 Quaresma 8 M. Fernandes 9 Almeida 10 Moutinho 11 Valente 12 Paulo Ribeiro 13 Rolando 14 Custódio 15 Morais 16 Amaro 17 Varela 18 Nani 19 Vaz Tê 20 Lourenço 21 F. Oliveira 22 D. Fernandes Coach: A. Oliveira