Emanuel Novo

Emanuel Rodrigues Novo (born 26 August 1992) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Saudi club Al-Taraji as a goalkeeper.

Emanuel Novo
Personal information
Full nameEmanuel Rodrigues Novo[1]
Date of birth (1992-08-26) 26 August 1992 (age 31)[1]
Place of birthVila do Conde, Portugal[1]
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s)Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Al-Taraji
Number23
Youth career
2002–2006Varzim
2006–2011Rio Ave
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2011–2012Oliveirense5(0)
2012–2013Melgacense1(0)
2013–2014Balasar
2014–2016Famalicão18(0)
2016–2018Chaves2(0)
2018–2019Varzim26(0)
2019–2020Hermannstadt6(0)
2020–2021Penafiel12(0)
2021Felgueiras 19320(0)
2021–2022Jeddah37(0)
2022–2023Al-Riyadh33(0)
2023–Al-Taraji0(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:11, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Vila do Conde, Novo played as a youth for local clubs Varzim S.C. and Rio Ave FC. His early senior career was however spent at a lower level – including A.D.C. Balasar of the Porto Football Association's third district league in 2013–14 – though he won a national title in beach soccer with S.C. Braga in 2014.[2]

After two years with F.C. Famalicão,[3] the latter in the Segunda Liga, Novo signed a deal of the same length with G.D. Chaves in the Primeira Liga.[4] Third choice to Ricardo Nunes and António Filipe, he made just one brief substitute appearance in each of his seasons with the team from Trás-os-Montes; the first was on 8 May 2017 in the final matchday (2–1 away loss against G.D. Estoril Praia), in which the latter was sent off with six minutes remaining and he was immediately beaten by a free kick from Mattheus.[5][6]

On 14 June 2018, Novo returned to Varzim on a two-year deal.[7] The following 1 July, he moved abroad for the first time, joining several compatriots at FC Hermannstadt in Romania.[8] He made his debut in Liga I 18 days later, a 0–2 home defeat to local rivals CS Gaz Metan Mediaș.[9]

Novo came back to his own country's second tier on 4 September 2020, on a one-year deal at F.C. Penafiel.[10] At the end of the campaign, he was on the books of F.C. Felgueiras 1932 for a few weeks before agreeing to a contract at Jeddah Club in the Saudi First Division League.[11][12]

Novo continued competing in the same country and league the following seasons, with Al-Riyadh SC[13][14] and Al-Taraji Club.[15]

References