Stélvio Rosa da Cruz (born 24 January 1989), known simply as Stélvio, is an Angolan professional footballer who plays for Luxembourg club Jeunesse Esch as a defensive midfielder.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Stélvio Rosa da Cruz[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1989-01-24) 24 January 1989 (age 33)[1] | ||
Place of birth | Luanda, Angola[1] | ||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Jeunesse Esch | ||
Number | 34 | ||
Youth career | |||
2000–2007 | Braga | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2007–2011 | Braga | 19 | (0) |
2009–2010 | → União Leiria (loan) | 2 | (0) |
2010 | → 1º Agosto (loan) | ||
2011 | → Libolo (loan) | ||
2012 | Caála | ||
2012–2013 | Alki Larnaca | 11 | (0) |
2013–2019 | Dudelange | 104 | (13) |
2019–2020 | Virton | 24 | (7) |
2020 | RWDM | 2 | (0) |
2021– | Jeunesse Esch | 39 | (2) |
National team‡ | |||
2007–2009 | Portugal U21 | 11 | (0) |
2009– | Angola | 11 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:12, 3 May 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 June 2019 |
Stélvio was born in Luanda. A product of S.C. Braga's youth academy, he made his Portuguese Primeira Liga debut on 11 November 2007, coming on as a 60th-minute substitute in a 3–0 home win against Sporting CP.[2]
On 4 July 2009, after two seasons in the first team with intermittent use, Stélvio was loaned to U.D. Leiria (recently returned to the top division) in a season-long loan. However, in late January 2010, he moved to his homeland and signed for C.D. Primeiro de Agosto, also on loan.[3]
Stélvio was released by Braga on 31 August 2011.[4] He then joined C.R. Caála, returning to the Angolan Girabola.[5]
In July 2019, after six years in the Luxembourg National Division at the service of F91 Dudelange where he won several team honours,[6][7] the 30-year-old Stélvio moved to Belgium with R.E. Virton on a one-year contract.[8]
Stélvio represented Portugal at under-21 level.[9] He switched allegiance to his native Angola in 2009, being part of the squad that appeared in the following year's Africa Cup of Nations.[10]
In October 2018, after an absence of eight years, Stélvio was recalled to the national team ahead of a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritania.[11] He was selected for the squad that reached the finals in Egypt by manager Srđan Vasiljević.[12]
Angola squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations | ||
---|---|---|
| ![]() |
Angola squad – 2019 Africa Cup of Nations | ||
---|---|---|
![]() |