Nélson Marcos

Nélson

Personal information
Full name	Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos
Date of birth	10 June 1983 (1983-06-10) (age 28)
Place of birth	Ilha do Sal, Cape Verde
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Right back
Club information
Current club	Betis
Number	22
Youth career
2000–2002	Batuque
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2003	Vilanovense	32	(0)
2003–2004	Salgueiros	27	(2)
2004–2005	Boavista	23	(1)
2005–2008	Benfica	72	(0)
2008–	Betis	57	(0)
2010–2011	→ Osasuna (loan)	29	(1)
National team‡
2006	Portugal U21	3	(0)
2009–	Portugal	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2011

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. 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.^[1] 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.^[2]

Betis

Nélson signed for Real Betis in La Liga for €6 million in late August 2008, on a five-year contract.^[3] 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,^[4] 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.^[5][6]

International career

Nélson was granted Portuguese citizenship in December 2005, and played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.^[7] He received his first call-up to the senior side in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Kazakhstan, on November 15, 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. ^ "Miguel makes switch to Mestalla". UEFA.com. 19 August 2005. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/intertotocup/news/kind=1/newsid=327738.html. 
2. ^ United heading into last 16; UEFA.com, 6 December 2006
3. ^ "Nélson a Betis player" (in Spanish). Betis official website. 26 August 2008. http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/. 
4. ^ "Giant performance shocks Hercules". ESPN Soccernet. 20 March 2011. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/301898?cc=5739. Retrieved 30 March 2011. 
5. ^ Osasuna hit back for stunning win; ESPN Soccernet, 11 May 2011
6. ^ Grave lesión de tobillo del osasunista Nelson (Serious ankle injury for Osasuna's Nelson); Marca, 11 May 2011 (Spanish)
7. ^ 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

Persondata
Name	Nélson Marcos
Alternative names	Nélson
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	10 June 1983
Place of birth	Ilha do Sal, Cape Verde
Date of death
Place of death