João Alexandre Santos
Encyclopedia
João Alexandre Santos Vilacova, known as Alexandre (born 29 November 1973 in Porto
), is a retired Portuguese
footballer who played as a central defender.
-based outfit's longtime captain.
Mainly in the starting XI, he played three editions of the Portuguese first division with his only team (totalling 89 matches and going scoreless in the process), but spent the vast majority of his career in the second level
.
In 2009–10, after 26 years at the same club, Alexandre signed with A.D. Esposende in the Braga
regional leagues, helping the club return to the fourth division
in his first year.
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
), is a retired Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer who played as a central defender.
Football career
Brought through the ranks of Varzim SC, Alexandre only knew one club throughout his professional career, which spanned almost two decades, also being the Póvoa de VarzimPóvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in the Norte Region and sub-region of Greater Porto, with a 2011 estimated population of 63,364. According to the 2001 census, there were 63,470 inhabitants with 42,396 living in the city proper. The urban area expanded, southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there...
-based outfit's longtime captain.
Mainly in the starting XI, he played three editions of the Portuguese first division with his only team (totalling 89 matches and going scoreless in the process), but spent the vast majority of his career in the second level
Liga de Honra
The Liga de Honra , known for sponsorship reasons as the Liga Orangina, is the Portuguese second level football league. It was formerly called Segunda Divisão and Segunda Divisão de Honra . When the LPFP took control of the two nationwide levels, it was renamed Segunda Liga, before renaming it...
.
In 2009–10, after 26 years at the same club, Alexandre signed with A.D. Esposende in the Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
regional leagues, helping the club return to the fourth division
Portuguese Third Division
The Terceira Divisão Portuguesa is the fourth level of the Portuguese football league system. The Third Division was initially the third level of the Portuguese pyramid but with the creation of the Liga de Honra in 1990–91, it became the fourth level...
in his first year.