Alberto Coelho

Sporting CP

Born in Santa Maria de Lamas, Aveiro District, Betinho signed for Sporting CP at the age of 11, from local C.F. União de Lamas. He then proceeded to play for every youth side at the club. On 14 December 2011, Betinho was called for a UEFA Europa League group stage game away against S.S. Lazio, alongside youth graduates Ricardo Esgaio, Tiago Ilori, João Carlos and João Mário, as the Lions had already secured the first place in their group. He remained an unused substitute in the 2–0 loss. Betinho started the 2012–13 season with Sporting's reserves, in the Segunda Liga. He made his debut as a professional on 18 August by playing three minutes in a 1–0 home win against Vitória S.C. B, and scored his first goal in the competition four days later in the 2–1 home victory over S.C. Covilhã. Late into the following month he made his first Primeira Liga appearance, replacing André Carrillo in the 74th minute of an eventual 2–2 home draw with G.D. Estoril Praia. Betinho was part of the under-19 side that finished third at the 2012–13 NextGen Series. During the first part of the 2013–14 campaign, he scored nine second-division goals for Sporting B. In January 2014, Betinho joined Vitória F.C. of the top flight on loan until June. He played just four minutes in his first match, a 1–0 defeat at Gil Vicente F.C. on 2 March. On 1 September 2014, Betinho moved to English Championship side Brentford on a season-long loan, to cover for the injured Scott Hogan; manager Mark…

Betinho represented Portugal from under-15 to under-21 level. He had a prolific spell with the under-19 side, scoring 14 goals in 20 games and topping the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification chart at ten. He scored twice in the finals, with the national team exiting in the group stage. Betinho was part of the squad that competed in the 2013 Toulon Tournament, helping the team to a fourth-place finish in spite of failing to score in three appearances. He made his debut for the under-21s on 5 September of that year, starting and netting in a 5–1 home rout of Norway in the 2015 European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.