In Pedro Gonçalves biography, we explore his journey from a talented youngster in Vidago to a prolific forward of Sporting CP.
Pedro Gonçalves is one of the most exciting and promising players in Portuguese football. He has been dubbed as the “new Bruno Fernandes” by some fans and media, due to his similar playing style and impact on the pitch. But who is Pedro Gonçalves, and how did he become a star?
In this biography, we explore his journey from a chubby and short kid in the small village of Vidago to a star winger and top scorer of Sporting CP, who helped his club win the Primeira Liga and Taça da Liga double in 2021. We also look at his personal life, his achievements, his challenges, and his prospects. This, is Pedro Gonçalves life story.
Everything to know about Pedro Gonçalves
Gonçalves lost his father when he was only one month old, and was raised by his mother and stepfather in the small village of Vidago, where his mother worked as the kit provider for the local club.
His nickname was “Potinho” and later “Pote” (which means “pot” or “jar” in Portuguese) because he was chubby and short as a child. He later grew to 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) tall.
Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the Pedro Gonçalves biography.
Pedro Gonçalves information
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we will have a glance at the player’s general information.
Born on June 28, 1998, Pedro Gonçalves real name is Pedro António Pereira Gonçalves.
- Full Name: Pedro António Pereira Gonçalves
- Nickname: Pote
- Profession: Professional Football Player
Physical Stats
- Weight: 65 Kilograms
- Height: 1.73 m
- Eye Color: Brown
- Hair Color: Brown
Date of Birth and Personal Info
- Date of Birth: June 28, 1998
- Birth Place: Vidago, Portugal
- Nationality: Portuguese
Football Information
- Position: Winger
- Jersey Number: 8
- Professional Debut: 2017
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Pedro Gonçalves early life
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we take a look at the player’s early life.
Gonçalve was born on 28 June 1998 in Vidago, a small village in the north of Portugal. He lost his father when he was only one month old, and was raised by his mother and stepfather, who worked as a volunteer firefighter. His mother also worked as the kit provider for the local club Vidago, where Pedro started playing football at the age of eight. His nickname was “Potinho” and later “Pote” (which means “pot” or “jar” in Portuguese) because he was chubby and short as a child.
Gonçalves impressed the scouts of Braga when he was 13 years old and earned a chance to join their academy. He moved to the city of Braga, where he shared a house with a lady and two other young players. He spent five years in the youth ranks but decided to leave the club after his coach Agostinho Oliveira was sacked. His talent did not go unnoticed, as Valencia’s manager Nuno Espírito Santo offered him a professional deal, and welcomed him to the Spanish club’s youth teams. Pedro adapted well to his new environment and became the captain of his team.
Pedro Gonçalves profile
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we will have a glance at the player’s profile.
Pedro Gonçalves is a Portuguese footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Sporting CP and the national team. He was born in Vidago, a small town in the north of Portugal, and started his career at the local club. Gonçalves then played for several clubs in Portugal, Spain, and England, before joining Sporting CP in 2020. He is the top scorer of the Primeira Liga and the Best Young Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021.
Read More: Sporting History- All about the Club
Pedro Gonçalves football career
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we dive deep into the professional life of the Portuguese international.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Pedro Gonçalves moved to England in July 2017, signing a two-year deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He only played one official game for the first team, in a 2–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup, where he came off the bench in the 62nd minute.
Famalicão
Continuing toward Pedro Gonçalves biography, He returned to Portugal in July 2019, joining Famalicão on a five-year contract. He said he missed his home country during his stay in England. He made his debut in the Primeira Liga on 10 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 win at Santa Clara. Gonçalves scored his first goal on 10 September, helping his team beat Paços de Ferreira 4–2 at home. He became a key player and a leader for Famalicão, wearing the captain’s armband in January 2020. He scored seven goals and provided eight assists in 40 games in all competitions, helping his team finish sixth in the league, their best-ever result.
Sporting CP
2020–21 season
Pedro Gonçalves joined Sporting CP in August 2020, signing a five-year deal for €6.5 million for 50% of his economic rights. He made his first appearance for the club in October, in a 4–1 loss to LASK in the UEFA Europa League play-off round, where he replaced Luciano Vietto in the 67th minute. He scored two goals in a 4–0 win over Tondela in November, reaching five goals in his first six league games, only behind Haris Seferovic.
On 15 May 2021, Pedro Gonçalves scored two goals in a 4–3 loss to Benfica in the Derby de Lisboa, which was Sporting’s first and only defeat in the league. Four days later, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 win over Marítimo, taking his tally up to 23 goals, winning the Bola de Prata as the top scorer of the Primeira Liga. He also beat Seferovic by one goal to win the individual award and became the first Portuguese player since Domingos Paciência in 1996 to do so. Gonçalves also helped Sporting win their first league title in 19 years and the Taça da Liga.
2021–22 season
Pedro Gonçalves scored a goal in the 2–1 win over Braga in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira on 31 July and was named man of the match. He scored three goals in two league games in August, in a 3–0 win over Vizela and a 2–1 win over Braga, earning him the Primeira Liga’s Midfielder of the Month award. However, he injured his left foot at the end of August, which kept him out of action for almost two months. He extended his contract with Sporting until 2026 on 29 October, raising his buyout clause from €60 million to €80 million.
On 3 November, he scored his first two UEFA Champions League goals in a 4–0 win over Beşiktaş, and was named man of the match. He did it again on 24 November, scoring two goals in a 3–1 win over Borussia Dortmund, securing Sporting’s place in the round of sixteen for the first time since the 2008–09 season. He became the second Portuguese player after Cristiano Ronaldo to score two or more goals in consecutive Champions League matches.
His second season was marked by frequent injuries that affected his form. He played 31 games, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists, being the highest contributor of his team that season.
2022-23 season
Gonçalves began the season with a goal in a 3–3 draw at Braga on 7 August and then scored two more goals against Rio Ave the next week. He showed his quality and consistency from the previous season, scoring three goals and providing three assists in September, even though his team struggled with form and injuries. He sometimes played as a number 8, when his teammates were unavailable.
On 16 March 2023, he scored a stunning goal from almost the halfway line in a 1–1 draw at Arsenal, helping his team advance to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, after winning on penalties following a 3–3 aggregate score in London.
2023–24 season
Before the start of the 2023-24 season, Sporting gave Gonçalves the number 8 shirt, which had previously been worn by Matheus Nunes and Bruno Fernandes.
International career
Here, we will take a look at Pedro Gonçalves stats at the international level.
Gonçalve was part of the under-21 team that played in the first stage of the under-21 finals. Fernando Santos called him up for his UEFA Euro 2020 squad the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He made his first appearance for the senior team on 4 June 2021, playing the second half of the 0–0 friendly draw with Spain in Madrid. In the Euro 2020, Portugal’s team was eliminated in the round of 16, and he did not get the chance to play any games for his country. Despite finding his way into Portugal’s preliminary 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he did not make it to the final selection..
Pedro Gonçalves’s playing style
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we tend to the versatile Winger’s style of play.
Gonçalves is a flexible and inventive player who can adapt to different roles and positions on the front line. He used to play as a central midfielder in a deeper position when he was at Famalicão. But at Sporting CP, he changed his role to an attacking midfielder or a right winger in the 3–4–2–1 or 3–4–3 formations, under the guidance of Rúben Amorim. He had the liberty to roam around and exploit spaces. Gonçalves could also act as a false 9, coming back to collect the ball and connect with his teammates. He has good technique and balance, which enable him to handle the ball and pass it to dangerous areas of the pitch.
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Pedro Gonçalves honors and achievements
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we will have a glance at the player’s achievements.
Club level
- He has won the Primeira Liga, the Taça da Liga, and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira with Sporting CP in the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons. He helped his club end a 19-year drought for the league title in 2021.
International level
- He has represented Portugal at the senior level since 2021 and was part of the squad for the UEFA Euro 2020. He also played for the under-21 team in the first stage of the under-21 finals.
Individual level
- He has been named the Primeira Liga’s Best Young Player of the Year twice in a row, in 2019–20 and 2020–21. He has also won the Primeira Liga’s Midfielder of the Month award five times, and the Primeira Liga’s Player of the Month award twice.
- He has been the top scorer of the Primeira Liga in 2020–21, scoring 23 goals and winning the Bola de Prata. He also became the first Portuguese player since Domingos Paciência in 1996 to do so.
- He has been included in the Primeira Liga’s Team of the Year in both the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.
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Pedro Gonçalves personal life
In this part of Pedro Gonçalves biography, we take a look at the 25-year-old’s personal life.
Pedro Gonçalves’s girlfriend is Bruna Rafaela, a stunning fashion model with a degree from the University of Minho. The couple revealed their romance in 2018 and have been inseparable ever since.
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