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António Xavier
Personal information
Full name	António Manuel Pereira Xavier
Date of birth	6 July 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Guimarães, Portugal
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Tondela
Number	7
Youth career
2002–2011	Vitória Guimarães
Senior career*
Years	Team
2011–2012	Tourizense
2012−2014	Braga B
2013−2014	→ Feirense (loan)
2014	→ Leixões (loan)
2014−2015	Marítimo B
2014–2017	Marítimo
2017–2018	Paços Ferreira
2018–2020	Tondela
2020–2023	Panathinaikos
2021–2022	→ Estoril (loan)
2023	→ Levadiakos (loan)
2023–	Tondela
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 December 2024

António Manuel Pereira Xavier (born 6 July 1992) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger for C.D. Tondela.

He achieved Primeira Liga totals of 177 games and eight goals for Marítimo, Paços de Ferreira, Tondela and Estoril.

Club career

Born in Guimarães, Xavier spent his youth at hometown club Vitória S.C. before making his senior debut in the third division with G.D. Tourizense. After spells in the second with S.C. Braga B, C.D. Feirense and Leixões SC, he signed a four-year contract with C.S. Marítimo in July 2014.^[2]

On 27 August 2014, Xavier scored his first professional goal as Marítimo's reserves drew 1–1 at home to G.D. Chaves.^[3] In December, manager Leonel Pontes called him up for his first Primeira Liga match at home to G.D. Estoril Praia,^[4] and he played the full 90 minutes of the goalless draw.^[5] A week later, he was sent off in a 1–0 away loss against F.C. Arouca, with both of his yellow cards being for simulation.^[6]

Xavier scored his first top-flight goal on 15 February 2015, a penalty in a 4–3 comeback win at F.C. Penafiel.^[7] He remained a first-team player more often than not during his time in Madeira, until joining F.C. Paços de Ferreira in June 2017 on a three-year deal with his previous employer keeping some economic rights.^[8]

On 30 July 2017, Xavier scored on his debut as the Castores won 2–1 at Arouca in the second round of the Taça da Liga.^[9] It was his only goal during his year in the Furniture Capital, and following their relegation he moved to C.D. Tondela on a two-year contract in June 2018.^[10] On 23 September, he scored both goals of a home defeat of Moreirense FC,^[11] and two months later he netted a hat-trick in a 7–0 win over F.C. Vale Formoso in the last 32 of the Taça de Portugal.^[12]

Xavier moved abroad for the first time on 30 July 2020, joining Super League Greece side Panathinaikos F.C. on a free transfer for three years.^[13] Having played rarely in Athens, he returned home on 31 August the following year on loan to Estoril.^[14] Unused since his return, he was lent out again on 31 January 2023 to Levadiakos F.C. in the same league.^[15]

On 13 July 2023, Xavier returned to Tondela, signing a two-year contract with the club.^[16]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "António Xavier" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
^ Resendes, Manuel (2 July 2014). "Mercado: Extremo António Xavier é reforço Marítimo" [Transfer market: Winger António Xavier is Marítimo addition] (in Portuguese). Futebol 365. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "Marítimo B-Chaves, 1–1: Flavienses empatam nos descontos" [Marítimo B-Chaves, 1–1: Flavienses draw in added time]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 August 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "Leonel Pontes chama jogador da equipa B" [Leonel Pontes calls up B-team player]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 13 December 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "Marítimo-Estoril, 0–0: Nem com mais um encontram o caminho" [Marítimo-Estoril, 0–0: Not even with one more do they get on track]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 December 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "Arouca-Marítimo, 1–0: Não é para quem tem é para quem quer" [Arouca-Marítimo, 1–0: It's not for he who has it but for he who wants it]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 December 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "Penafiel-Marítimo, 3–4: Calma presidente que o Marega está cá" [Penafiel-Marítimo, 3–4: Be calm president because Marega is here]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 February 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ Santos, José (25 June 2017). "Xavier já assinou" [Xavier has already signed]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "COMENTÁRIO: Paços vence em Arouca e segue em frente na Taça da Liga" [COMMENTARY: Paços win in Arouca and advance in the League Cup]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 30 July 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "OFICIAL: António Xavier é reforço do Tondela" [OFFICIAL: António Xavier is Tondela addition] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ Chambel, Ricardo (23 September 2018). "A crónica do Tondela-Moreirense, 2–0: Estreia a ganhar com magia de Xavier" [Report on Tondela-Moreirense, 2–0: First win with magic from Xavier]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ Antunes Pereira, André (25 November 2018). "Taça: Tondela-Vale Formoso, 7–0 (crónica)" [Cup: Tondela-Vale Formoso, 7–0 (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "Oficial: António Xavier deixa Tondela e muda-se para a Grécia" [Official: António Xavier leaves Tondela and moves to Greece] (in Portuguese). Notícias ao Minuto. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ Soares da Silva, Eduardo (31 August 2021). "António Xavier regressa a Portugal para reforçar o Estoril" [António Xavier returns to Portugal to bolster Estoril] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
^ "Τέταρτη μεταγραφή σε ένα 24ωρο ο Λεβαδειακός, ανακοίνωσε τον Antonio Xavier" [Fourth transfer in 24 hours, Levadiakos announced António Xavier] (in Greek). Sports Up. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
^ "Xavier de volta a casa" [Xavier returns home] (in Portuguese). C.D. Tondela. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.