# João Afonso (footballer, born 2007)
**João Afonso** (João de Oliveira Afonso, born 2007 in [Ponta Delgada](https://www.edgepedia.org/ponta-delgada)) is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for [FC Porto](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-porto) and the Portugal national under-21 team. He began his career in the Azores with GD São Roque, made his senior debut for Santa Clara in the [Primeira Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/primeira-liga) in May 2026 at age 19, and joined FC Porto weeks later as the champion's first signing for the 2026/27 season.[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html) • [2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589) • [3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | João de Oliveira Afonso[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html) |
| Born | 2007, Ponta Delgada, Portugal[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html) |
| Position | Goalkeeper; right-footed[4](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joao-afonso/profil/spieler/1083369) |
| Height | 1.87 m (Transfermarkt); worldfootball.net lists 190 cm[4](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joao-afonso/profil/spieler/1083369) • [5](https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe1047221/joao-afonso/) |
| Senior debut | Santa Clara, Primeira Liga, against Nacional, May 2026, clean sheet in a display described as very positive[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589) |
| FC Porto deal | Five seasons to June 2031; €1.5 million fixed plus up to €500,000 in variables; €30 million release clause[3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426) |
| International | Portugal U21, squad number 22; 1 match played, 90 minutes[6](https://www.uefa.com/under21/teams/players/250210106--joao-afonso/) |
| Honours | Supertaça 2026-27[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html) |
## Youth career in the Azores
Afonso is from the Freguesia do Livramento in Ponta Delgada and started at GD São Roque in the 2014/15 season, aged about seven, progressing through the club's 7-a-side and youth age groups through 2021/22.[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589) • [7](https://www.soccerzz.com/player/joao-afonso/976798/history) He moved to Santa Clara, also in Ponta Delgada, in 2022/23, and trained with the first team from the time he joined the club.[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589) In the 2025/26 season he appeared for Santa Clara's under-19 side (4 matches) and under-23 side (23 matches) before his first-team chance.[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589)
## Santa Clara and senior debut
Afonso made his Primeira Liga debut for Santa Clara against Nacional in May 2026, in a heavily changed side, replacing Gabriel Batista in goal. He kept a clean sheet in a display described as very positive, including an early flying save from a Chucho Ramírez shot, and coach Petit praised his personality and quality.[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589) Afonso said he had worked with the team for four years and called the debut a special moment.[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589)
He made 2 league appearances, totaling 180 minutes, for Santa Clara in the [2025-26 Primeira Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/2025-26-primeira-liga) season.[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html) His second start came away to FC Porto on the final day of the season; after the match he said it was a moment he would never forget and that he felt Santa Clara deserved a point from the game.[8](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-foi-um-momento-que-nunca-vou-esquecer-para-o-resto-da-vida-2026051616591820987)
## Move to FC Porto
On 25 May 2026 FC Porto announced Afonso as its first signing of the off-season for the champion squad of 2026/27, on a five-season contract running to June 2031.[3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426) Porto agreed with Santa Clara a fixed fee of €1.5 million for the registration rights and 80% of the player's economic rights, plus up to €500,000 in variables tied to objectives, with an option to buy the remaining 20% for a further €2 million; the contract set a release clause of €30 million.[3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426) The club stated it would bear no intermediary-service costs, with Santa Clara responsible for the solidarity mechanism owed to third parties.[3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426)
A Bola reported that Porto had followed the goalkeeper since his under-15 years, and that he was expected to get minutes with the B team while training under Francesco Farioli and doing pre-season with the main squad.[3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426) • [9](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/fc-porto-joao-afonso-destinado-a-elite-e-ao-dragao-desde-os-sub-15-2026052417450107837) In 2026/27 he is registered with FC Porto B, wearing number 50, and is provisionally third in the goalkeeping hierarchy while João Costa recovers; he played 90 minutes in a 4-0 win over [Gibraltar](https://www.edgepedia.org/gibraltar).[3](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426) BDFutbol credits him with a Supertaça honor for 2026-27.[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html)
## International career
Afonso has represented Portugal at youth level, with one U18 friendly (90 minutes) and two U23 friendlies (135 minutes) recorded by worldfootball.net.[5](https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe1047221/joao-afonso/) Petit noted during his debut week that Afonso had been called up by the under-20 sides and then the under-21s.[2](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589) UEFA's Under-21 page lists him with the Portugal U21 squad, national team number 22, with 1 match played and 90 minutes.[6](https://www.uefa.com/under21/teams/players/250210106--joao-afonso/)
## A namesake also born in 2007
A second Portuguese footballer of the same name and birth year plays as an outfield player. **João Duarte Vale Afonso**, a right winger born 2007 in Lousada, was signed by Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Penafiel in July 2023 at age 16, after scoring six goals in 29 games for Penafiel's U17 side in 2022/23; he had earlier spells at the Braga Development and Training Center (2016 to 2018), FC Romariz, FC Porto, and Dragon Force FC, and joined SL Benfica U23 on 1 July 2025 with a contract to 30 June 2027.[10](https://www.slbenfica.pt/en-us/agora/noticias/2023/07/11/futebol-formacao-benfica-contratacao-joao-afonso) • [11](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joao-afonso/profil/spieler/1443801) Database entries for the two players are separate, and the goalkeeper's full name, João de Oliveira Afonso, distinguishes him from the winger's João Duarte Vale Afonso.[1](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html) • [11](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joao-afonso/profil/spieler/1443801)
## References
1. [João Afonso, João de Oliveira Afonso – Footballer, BDFutbol](https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j714316.html)
2. [João Afonso: «Cagado? Não mister, pode meter-me, que vou corresponder», A Bola, 12 May 2026](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-cagado-nao-mister-pode-meter-me-que-vou-corresponder-2026051215073401589)
3. [Mercado: João Afonso é reforço do FC Porto até 2031 (oficial), A Bola, 25 May 2026](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/mercado-joao-afonso-e-reforco-do-fc-porto-ate-2031-oficial-2026052513115552426)
4. [João Afonso – Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joao-afonso/profil/spieler/1083369)
5. [João Afonso: Career, Stats & Clubs, worldfootball.net](https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe1047221/joao-afonso/)
6. [João Afonso | UEFA Under-21, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/under21/teams/players/250210106--joao-afonso/)
7. [João Afonso :: Timeline, soccerzz.com](https://www.soccerzz.com/player/joao-afonso/976798/history)
8. [João Afonso: «Foi um momento que nunca vou esquecer para o resto da vida», A Bola, 16 May 2026](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/joao-afonso-foi-um-momento-que-nunca-vou-esquecer-para-o-resto-da-vida-2026051616591820987)
9. [FC Porto: João Afonso destinado à elite (e ao Dragão) desde os sub-15, A Bola, 24 May 2026](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/fc-porto-joao-afonso-destinado-a-elite-e-ao-dragao-desde-os-sub-15-2026052417450107837)
10. [João Afonso is a new signing!, SL Benfica, 11 July 2023](https://www.slbenfica.pt/en-us/agora/noticias/2023/07/11/futebol-formacao-benfica-contratacao-joao-afonso)
11. [João Afonso – Player profile (winger), Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joao-afonso/profil/spieler/1443801)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Portuguese footballers › Goalkeepers and defenders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license