Afonso Taira
Personal information
Full name Afonso Miguel Castro Vilhena Taira[1]
Date of birth (1992-06-17) 17 June 1992[1]
Place of birth Cascais, Portugal[1]
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Al-Kholood
Number 27
Youth career
2002–2003 Internacional Almancil
2003–2006 Estoril
2006–2011 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Córdoba 2 (0)
2012–2014 → Atlético (loan) 67 (2)
2014–2017 Estoril 64 (1)
2017–2018 Ironi Kiryat Shmona 31 (0)
2018–2019 Beitar Jerusalem 17 (1)
2019–2020 Hermannstadt 10 (0)
2020–2021 B-SAD 32 (0)
2021–2023 Casa Pia 56 (0)
2023– Al-Kholood 0 (0)
International career
2007–2008 Portugal U16 5 (0)
2008–2009 Portugal U17 11 (0)
2010 Portugal U18 3 (0)
2011 Portugal U19 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:12, 27 June 2023 (UTC)

Afonso Miguel Castro Vilhena Taira (born 17 June 1992) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Kholood as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Born in Cascais, Lisbon, Taira joined Sporting CP's youth system in 2006 (aged 14) from neighbouring G.D. Estoril Praia.[2] He made his professional debut in 2011 with Córdoba CF in the Spanish Segunda División, signing a three-year contract[3] but making only three competitive appearances during his only season in Andalusia.[4]

In 2012–13, Taira returned to his country after being loaned to Atlético Clube de Portugal of the Segunda Liga.[5] The move was extended for the following campaign.[2]

Taira returned to his former youth club Estoril on 8 June 2014, after agreeing to a four-year deal.[6] He played 13 Primeira Liga matches in his first year, in an eventual 12th-place finish.

Taira scored his only Portuguese top-flight goal on 24 October 2015, in a 2–2 home draw against Rio Ave FC.[7] On 19 July 2017, he signed with Israeli Premier League team Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona FC,[8] and a year later Beitar Jerusalem F.C. in the same competition.[9]

After spending the 2019–20 season in the Romanian Liga I with FC Hermannstadt,[10] Taira joined top-tier B-SAD on a two-year contract.[11] On 31 August 2021, he moved to Casa Pia A.C. one league below,[12] totalling 28 games in his first season (24 in the league, one assist) to help to a return to the main division after 83 years away.[13][14]

In June 2023, Taira signed with Saudi First Division League club Al-Kholood Club.[15]

Personal life

Taira's father, José, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He appeared in more than 100 games in the Portuguese top tier, and also spent six years in Spain, representing mainly UD Salamanca.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Afonso Taira" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 Simões de Abreu, Alexandra (22 May 2021). ""Cheguei ao Sporting, deslumbrei-me um pouco e bloqueei. A auto-pressão foi enorme e o meu pai já não sabia o que fazer para me ajudar"" ["I arrived at Sporting, thought I had it made a little and I blocked. The self-pressure was enormous and my father did not know what else to do to help me"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  3. ↑ León, José Carlos (9 July 2011). "Taira llega para tres campañas" [Taira arrives for three seasons]. El Día de Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  4. ↑ Muñoz, Blas Jesús (10 July 2017). "¿Ha triunfado algún futbolista portugués en el Córdoba?" [Has any Portuguese ever made it big in Córdoba?]. La Voz de Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "El Córdoba cede a Taira al Atlético Clube de Portugal" [Córdoba loan Taira to Atlético Clube de Portugal]. Marca (in Spanish). 6 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Estoril agree terms with midfielder Taira". UEFA. 8 June 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Estoril scores late for 2–2 draw with Rio Ave in Portugal". Fox News. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  8. ↑ Elbaz, Shalon (19 July 2017). "אשטוריל הודיעה: טיירה עובר לעירוני קריית שמונה" [Estoril announced: Taira is moving to Kiryat Shmona] (in Hebrew). One. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "Buzaglo latest addition to new-look Beitar". The Jerusalem Post. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  10. ↑ "VIDEO Mattia Persano și Afonso Taira, prezentați oficial de Hermannstadt » Sibienii se întăresc serios pentru play-off" [VIDEO Mattia Persano and Afonso Taira, officially presented by Hermannstadt » Sibienii seriously play-off contenders]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Afonso Taira assina contrato com o Belenenses SAD" [Afonso Taira signs contract with Belenenses SAD]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 5 August 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  12. ↑ Maia, João (31 August 2021). "Deixa o Belenenses e assina pelo Casa Pia, da Liga SABSEG" [He leaves Belenenses and signs for Casa Pia, of SABSEG League]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  13. ↑ Nogueira, Carlos (15 May 2022). "Após 83 anos, Casa Pia volta à I Liga. Rio Ave é campeão e também regressa" [83 years later, Casa Pia return to I League. Rio Ave are champions and return as well]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Afonso Taira assina até 2023 pelo Casa Pia" [Afonso Taira signs until 2023 for Casa Pia]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 June 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Cravo, Pedro (23 June 2023). "Afonso Taira é reforço do Al Kholood Club" [Afonso Taira is Al Kholood Club addition]. A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Gouveia, Ricardo (9 July 2014). "Taira: from perseverance at the Restelo to glory in Salamanca" [Taira: from perseverance at the Restelo to glory in Salamanca] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
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