Hélio Sandro Oliveira Alves Varela (born 3 May 2002) is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays as a winger for Belgian Pro League club Gent. Born in Portugal, Varela plays for the Cape Verde national team.
Club career
Varela is a youth product of Monte Caparica, Charneca Caparica, Vitória Setúbal and Cova da Piedade. He began his senior career with Amora in 2020, before joining Sintrense for the 2021–22 Liga 3 season.[1] He moved to the reserves of Portimonense in the summer of 2022. He made his professional debut with them in a 0–0 (5–4) Taça da Liga penalty shootout loss to Leixões on 30 July 2023.[2] He scored his first league goal in a 1–1 Primeira Liga tie with Arouca on 26 August 2023.[3]
On 16 August 2024, Varela joined Gent.[4] On 30 October, Varela made his debut with Gent in the Croky Cup against Union Rochefortoise, he immediately scored 2 goals.
International career
Born in Portugal, Varela is of Cape Verdean descent. He was called up to the Cape Verde national team for a set of friendlies in October 2023.[5] He debuted with Cape Verde as a substitute in a 5–1 friendly loss to Algeria on 12 October 2023.[6]
Career statistics
- As of match played 26 January 2025
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Amora | 2020–21 | Campeonato de Portugal | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| Sintrense | 2021–22 | Campeonato de Portugal | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 5 | |||
| Portimonense | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 33 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 37 | 6 | |
| 2023–24 | Liga Portugal 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 38 | 6 | |||
| Gent | 2024–25 | Belgian Pro League | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | 4[b] | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 77 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 86 | 12 | ||
- ^ Appearances in relegation play-offs
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
References
- ^ ""Liga 3 está mais perto da II Liga do que do Campeonato de Portugal"". www.ojogo.pt. 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Leixões SC vs Portimonense". SAPO Desporto.
- ^ "Nasce de um lançamento lateral. Hélio Varela adianta assim o Portimonense". Notícias ao Minuto. 26 August 2023.
- ^ "Helio Varela versterkt aanval van KAA Gent" (in Dutch). K.A.A. Gent. 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Portimonense: Hélio Varela em estreia na seleção de Cabo Verde | Abola.pt". Abola.pt. 5 October 2023.
- ^ "Portimonense: primeira internacionalização para Hélio Varela | Abola.pt". Abola.pt. 12 October 2023.
External links
- Hélio Varela at Soccerway
- Hélio Varela at BDFutbol
- Hélio Varela at National-Football-Teams.com