Ivan Cavaleiro

Benfica

Born in Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon District, Cavaleiro played youth football for five clubs, notably representing S.L. Benfica from ages 13–18, a loan spell notwithstanding. He made his senior debut in the 2012–13 season, playing his first Segunda Liga match with the reserves on 11 August 2012 against S.C. Braga B. The following weekend he scored his first goal(s) as a professional, grabbing a brace in a 4–2 away win over C.D. Feirense, and added another two before the end of the month in a 6–0 home rout of C.F. Os Belenenses; he finished his first year with 38 appearances and 12 goals, helping his team to the seventh position. Cavaleiro started his second season with Benfica B in fashion, netting seven times in ten matches and earning the Second Division Player of the Month award for August/September. He made his official debut for the main squad on 19 October 2013, playing the full 90 minutes against CD Cinfães in the third round of the Taça de Portugal and assisting Ola John for the game's only goal. He appeared in his maiden match in the UEFA Champions League four days later, playing the second half of a 1–1 home draw with Olympiacos F.C. in the group stage. On 15 January 2014, Cavaleiro scored his first competitive goal for Benfica, the last in a 2–0 win against Leixões S.C. in that campaign's Taça da Liga. On 7 August, he was loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña of the Spanish La Liga for one year, making his debut on the first matchday and opening the…

Youth

Cavaleiro was named in the Portugal under-19 squad at the 2012 UEFA European Championship, playing the last match of the group stage against Greece. A year later, he represented the under-20 team at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup; he appeared in four games as a substitute in Turkey, in an eventual round-of-16 exit. Cavaleiro made his debut for the under-21s on 14 August 2013, netting a hat-trick in a 5–2 friendly win against Switzerland. On 27 June 2015, he scored Portugal's third goal in a 5–0 rout of Germany in the semi-finals of the European Championship in Czech Republic; he was named in the Team of the Tournament, in an eventual runner-up finish.

Senior

On 28 February 2014, Cavaleiro received his first callup to the Portugal senior side, for a friendly with Cameroon on 5 March. He started and played 70 minutes in the 5–1 victory in Leiria. Cavaleiro was selected by Angola manager Pedro Gonçalves for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Egypt and Libya on 2 and 7 September 2021, respectively. He was not included in the final squad, however.

Club

As of match played 12 May 2025

International

Cavaleiro's father, Lindo, was crowned Angolan youth champion for Atlético Petróleos de Luanda, whilst his uncle Monhé excelled as a midfielder for Progresso Associação do Sambizanga.