Nélson Marcos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nélson

Nélson training with Betis in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos
Date of birth	(1983-06-10) 10 June 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Sal, Cape Verde
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
	Batuque
2000–2002	Vilanovense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2003	Vilanovense	32	(0)
2003–2004	Salgueiros	27	(2)
2004–2005	Boavista	23	(1)
2005–2008	Benfica	72	(0)
2008–2013	Betis	81	(1)
2010–2011	→ Osasuna (loan)	29	(1)
2013–2014	Palermo	8	(1)
2013–2014	→ Almería (loan)	14	(0)
2014–2015	Belenenses	27	(0)
2015–2017	Alcorcón	55	(0)
2017–2018	AEK Larnaca	27	(0)
Total		395	(6)
International career
2006	Portugal U21	3	(0)
2009–2012	Portugal	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos (born on June 10, 1983), known as Nélson, is a former professional footballer. He played as a right-back.

Nélson became well-known while playing for S.L. Benfica in Portugal. He played over 100 games for them in three seasons. Later, he spent most of his career in Spain. There, he played for teams like Real Betis, CA Osasuna, UD Almería, and AD Alcorcón. He also played professionally in Italy and Cyprus.

Nélson was born in Cape Verde. He played four games for the Portugal national football team over three years.

Club Career Highlights

Starting His Journey

Nélson was born in Sal, Cape Verde. He began his professional football career with Vilanovense FC. He then started to make a name for himself in Portugal's top league, the Primeira Liga, with Boavista FC. Before that, he played for S.C. Salgueiros.

In May 2005, Nélson was involved in a car accident. He was with another football player, José Bosingwa. Luckily, Nélson was unharmed.

Playing for Benfica

In the summer of 2005, Nélson signed a five-year contract with S.L. Benfica. He quickly became the main right-back for the team. He played 25 games in his first season (2005–06). He was also a regular starter in the 2006–07 season.

In the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, Nélson scored a goal against Manchester United. He shot from far away, and the ball went into the top corner of the goal. Benfica lost that game 3–1. His team finished third in their group. This meant they moved to the UEFA Cup instead of continuing in the Champions League.

Time with Betis

Nélson with Betis in 2009.

In August 2008, Nélson moved to Spain to join Real Betis. He signed a five-year contract. He quickly became a starter for the team. However, Betis was moved down to a lower league that season.

On August 30, 2010, Nélson was loaned to CA Osasuna. He played regularly for them. On December 20, he scored a goal in a 4–0 away win against Hércules CF. This was his first goal in over four years.

On May 11, 2011, Nélson had an injury during a game against Sevilla FC. He fractured his left ankle. Luckily, the injury was not as bad as first thought.

Nélson spent the first part of the 2011–12 season recovering. Betis was back in the top league. On December 4, 2011, he made one of his first appearances from the bench. On February 11, 2012, Nélson played his first full match back for Betis. He scored a goal from a long distance in the last minute. This helped his team win 2–1 against Athletic Bilbao.

Moving to Palermo

On January 28, 2013, Nélson moved to Italy. He joined US Città di Palermo. He signed a contract until June 2015. He even played with his former Benfica teammate, Fabrizio Miccoli, again. He scored in his first game in Italy's top league, Serie A. However, his team still lost 1–2 to Atalanta BC.

Nélson returned to Spain on August 2, 2013. He signed a one-season loan deal with UD Almería. After that, he went back to Palermo. But the club decided they didn't need him. His contract was ended by agreement in August 2014.

Later Career Teams

In September 2014, Nélson joined C.F. Os Belenenses in Portugal. He played his first game for them on September 13. He played as a right midfielder for 78 minutes in a 1–1 draw against Sporting CP.

Nélson went back to Spain on July 29, 2015. He signed a one-year deal with AD Alcorcón. He retired from football at the age of 35. His last club was AEK Larnaca FC in Cyprus.

International Career

Nélson became a Portuguese citizen in December 2005. He played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship for Portugal's Under-21 team. He was first called up to the senior national team on November 15, 2006. This was for a game against Kazakhstan, but he did not play.

Nélson finally made his full debut for Portugal on March 31, 2009. He played in a friendly game against South Africa in Switzerland. Portugal won that game 2–0.

Career Statistics

Honours and Achievements

AEK Larnaca

• Cypriot Cup: 2017–18

See also

In Spanish: Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos para niños