Vasco Fernandes

Early career

Born in Olhão, Algarve of Guinea-Bissauan descent, Fernandes started his professional career with hometown's S.C. Olhanense, making his debut in the Segunda Liga. Before that, he was loaned to FC Girondins de Bordeaux from France, but never appeared officially for the Ligue 1 club. After moving to Spain, joining UD Salamanca where he teamed up with compatriot Zé Tó, Fernandes returned to Portugal after being bought by Leixões SC. He played roughly half of the games during the season, as the Matosinhos team overachieved for a final sixth place in the Primeira Liga. His debut in the competition took place on 24 August 2008, when he featured the full 90 minutes in a 1–3 home loss against C.D. Nacional.

Abroad

Fernandes was loaned again for the 2009–10 campaign, also in Spain and in its Segunda División, moving to RC Celta de Vigo. He was much more regularly used than in his previous stint in the country, with the Galicians constantly battling relegation even though they finished 12th. On 1 July 2010, Fernandes left Leixões permanently and joined Elche CF – still in Spain and its second tier. In the following years he rarely settled with a club, representing S.C. Beira-Mar and Olhanense in his country as well as Platanias FC (Super League) and Aris Thessaloniki FC (lower leagues) in Greece and CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu in the Romanian Liga I.

Vitória Setúbal

On 3 June 2016, aged 30, Fernandes signed a two-year contract with Vitória F.C. in…

All youth levels comprised, Fernandes won 22 caps for Portugal. He first appeared with the under-21 side on 21 August 2007, starting in a 3–0 friendly win over Malta held in Vila do Conde.

As of match played 9 December 2023

Fernandes' father, Herculano, was also a footballer and a defender. He too represented Olhanense and, in a 16-year senior career, appeared in one Portuguese top-division game with Académica de Coimbra; he coached his son in Olhanense's juniors, where he played as a forward.