Zequinha (footballer, born 1987)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is dos Santos and the second or paternal family name is Branco.
Zequinha
Personal information
Full name José Egas dos Santos Branco[1]
Date of birth (1987-01-07) 7 January 1987 (age 38)[1]
Place of birth Setúbal, Portugal[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward, winger
Team information
Current team
 Comércio Indústria
Youth career
1994–2004 Vitória Setúbal
2004–2005 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2009 Porto B 3 (0)
2006–2007 → Tourizense (loan) 18 (5)
2007 → Penafiel (loan) 3 (0)
2008 → Gondomar (loan) 12 (3)
2008–2009 → Gil Vicente (loan) 26 (4)
2009–2011 Olhanense 17 (1)
2011 → Fátima (loan) 11 (1)
2011–2013 AEL 48 (10)
2013–2014 Panthrakikos 15 (2)
2014–2015 Vitória Setúbal 42 (6)
2015–2017 Arouca 32 (2)
2017 Nacional 12 (1)
2017–2018 ATK 13 (2)
2018–2024 Vitória Setúbal 135 (44)
2024 Belenenses 12 (1)
2024– Comércio Indústria 2 (1)
International career
2002–2003 Portugal U16 10 (2)
2003–2004 Portugal U17 2 (0)
2004 Portugal U18 2 (0)
2005–2006 Portugal U19 6 (0)
2006–2007 Portugal U20 13 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 01:34, 3 September 2024 (UTC)

José Egas dos Santos Branco (born 7 January 1987), known as Zequinha, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for União Futebol Comércio e Indústria.

Club career

Born in Setúbal, Zequinha was an unsuccessful youth graduate at FC Porto.[2][3] He went on to serve consecutive loans in the following three years after having appeared for their reserves – and only three times – in both the country's second and third divisions (G.D. Tourizense, F.C. Penafiel, Gondomar S.C. and Gil Vicente FC).[4]

In the summer of 2009, Zequinha was released and joined Primeira Liga newcomers S.C. Olhanense on a free transfer, penning a three-year contract.[5] He made his debut in the competition on 16 August, playing 72 minutes in a 0–0 away draw against Associação Naval 1º de Maio.[6]

Zequinha moved abroad in July 2011, signing for two years with Athlitiki Enosi Larissa F.C. in Greece. After two seasons in division two he signed with Panthrakikos F.C. in the Super League[7] where he stayed until 7 January 2014,[8] signing with his boyhood club Vitória F.C. three days later and renewing his contract for three years in December 2014.[9]

On 11 August 2017, Zequinha joined Indian Super League franchise ATK from C.D. Nacional.[10] He returned to Portugal and its top flight in July 2018, on a two-year deal at Vitória de Setúbal.[11] In the 2022–23 season he scored 15 goals, but his team was relegated to the fourth tier;[12] they had already met that fate in 2019–20 – from the main division – due to financial irregularities.[13]

Zequinha totalled 154 appearances and 46 goals in all competitions during his second spell at the Estádio do Bonfim. On 22 January 2024, the 37-year-old free agent returned to division two by signing a one-year contract with C.F. Os Belenenses.[14][15]

International career

Zequinha represented Portugal at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, playing and starting all four matches for the team, albeit without scoring. In the round-of-16 defeat against Chile (1–0), he stripped referee Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh of his red card as the official was going to send his teammate Mano off; subsequently he received his marching orders as well,[16][17] and both players were suspended from international football, Zequinha for one year.[18]

Career statistics

As of match played on 3 April 2018
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Porto B 2004–05[19] Segunda Divisão 1 0 — — 1 0
2005–06[19] Segunda Divisão 2 0 — — 2 0
Total 3 0 — — 3 0
Tourizense (loan) 2006–07[19] Segunda Divisão 18 5 1 0 — 19 5
Penafiel (loan) 2007–08[19] Segunda Liga 3 0 3 0 — 6 0
Gondomar (loan) 2007–08[19] Segunda Liga 12 2 0 0 — 12 2
Gil Vicente (loan) 2008–09[19] Segunda Liga 26 4 5 1 — 31 5
Olhanense 2009–10[19] Primeira Liga 17 1 2 0 — 19 1
Fátima (loan) 2010–11[19] Segunda Liga 11 1 0 0 — 11 1
AEL 2011–12[20] Football League 19 6 1 0 — 20 6
2012–13[20] Football League 29 4 2 0 — 31 4
Total 48 10 3 0 — 51 10
Panthrakikos 2013–14[20] Super League Greece 15 2 1 0 — 16 2
Vitória Setúbal 2013–14[19] Primeira Liga 10 2 1 0 — 11 2
2014–15[19] Primeira Liga 31 4 6 0 — 37 4
2015–16[19] Primeira Liga 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Total 42 6 7 0 — 49 6
Arouca 2015–16[19] Primeira Liga 25 1 6 0 — 31 1
2016–17[19] Primeira Liga 7 1 3 0 3[a] 0 13 1
Total 32 2 9 0 3 0 44 2
Nacional 2016–17[19] Primeira Liga 12 1 0 0 — 12 1
ATK 2017–18[20][21] Indian Super League 13 2 1 0 — 14 2
Career total 250 35 32 1 3 0 285 36
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Zequinha" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  2. ^ Zequinha é o novo reforço júnior (Zequinha is new junior signing); Record, 31 May 2004 (in Portuguese)
  3. ^ Zequinha: «Empate foi positivo» (Zequinha: "Draw was positive"); Record, 8 November 2009 (in Portuguese)
  4. ^ Zequinha para cantar de galo (Zequinha the new rooster); Record, 12 July 2008 (in Portuguese)
  5. ^ Zequinha assina por 3 anos (Zequinha signs for 3 years); Record, 9 July 2009 (in Portuguese)
  6. ^ Olhanense estreia-se com um empate 0–0 diante da Naval (Olhanense make debut with 0–0 draw against Naval); SAPO, 16 August 2009 (in Portuguese)
  7. ^ Δελτίο τύπου της 01.07.2013 (Press release of 01.07.2013)[usurped]; Panthrakikos FC, 1 July 2013 (in Greek)
  8. ^ Δελτίο τύπου της 07.01.2014 (Press release of 07.01.2014)[usurped]; Panthrakikos FC, 7 January 2014 (in Greek)
  9. ^ Vitória de Setúbal renovou com Zequinha por três anos (Vitória de Setúbal renewed with Zequinha for three years); Diário de Notícias, 4 December 2014
  10. ^ "ATK sign Portuguese forward Jose Egas for upcoming ISL". The Indian Express. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Zequinha volta ao Vitória de Setúbal e assina até 2020" [Zequinha returns to Vitória de Setúbal and signs until 2020] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  12. ^ Lopes Pereira, Ricardo (10 May 2023). "Capitão Zequinha não exclui final da carreira nem a saída do Vitória" [Captain Zequinha does not rule out ending career nor leaving Vitória] (in Portuguese). O Setubalense. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Vitória de Setúbal desce mesmo de divisão. Tribunal Arbitral do Desporto rejeita providência cautelar" [Vitória de Setúbal are finally relegated. Court of Arbitration for Sport rejects precautionary measure] (in Portuguese). Observador. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Zequinha é reforço para o Belenenses" [Zequinha is reinforcement for Belenenses] (in Portuguese). C.F. Os Belenenses. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  15. ^ Pedrosa Marques, Eduardo (22 January 2024). "Mercado: Zequinha deixa o Vitória de Setúbal e reforça Belenenses" [Market: Zequinha leaves Vitória de Setúbal and reinforces Belenenses] (in Portuguese). A Bola. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  16. ^ Vidal off after sinking Portugal[dead link‍]; FIFA, 12 July 2007
  17. ^ Referee loses his red card Archived 8 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine; Soccer Blog, 13 July 2007
  18. ^ Zequinha suspended for one year; Mano for three months; World Cup Blog, 28 July 2007
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Zequinha at ForaDeJogo (archived) Edit this at Wikidata
  20. ^ a b c d "Zequinha". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  21. ^ "Zequinha". Flash Score. Retrieved 29 April 2018.