Francisco Conceição
Conceição playing for Ajax in 2023
Personal information
Full name Francisco Fernandes da Conceição
Date of birth (2002-12-14) 14 December 2002
Place of birth Coimbra, Portugal
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Porto
(on loan from Ajax)
Number 10
Youth career
2011–2017 Sporting
2017–2018 Padroense
2018–2020 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Porto B 20 (4)
2021–2022 Porto 39 (2)
2022– Jong Ajax 7 (5)
2022– Ajax 19 (0)
2023– → Porto (loan) 10 (2)
International career‡
2018 Portugal U16 9 (1)
2018 Portugal U17 3 (1)
2019 Portugal U18 3 (1)
2021– Portugal U21 23 (6)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European U21 Championship
Runner-up2021
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:26, 14 January 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:24, 20 November 2023 (UTC)

Francisco Fernandes da Conceição (born 14 December 2002) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primeira Liga club Porto, on loan from Ajax, and the Portugal under-21 national team.

Club career

Early career

Francisco Conceição joined Sporting's academy at the age of eight, spending six seasons at the club.[1] He spent a season at Porto's feeder club Padroense[1][2] before joining Porto's youth setup in 2018.[1]

Porto

In August 2020, Conceição signed his first professional contract with the club,[3][4] and made his professional debut in a 1–0 loss against Varzim during the 2020–21 Liga Portugal 2 season.[5] He made his debut in the Portuguese top tier in a 2–2 draw against Boavista, on 13 February 2021;[1][6] four days later, he became the second youngest Porto player to feature in a UEFA Champions League match, coming on in the last minutes of a 2–1 win against Juventus in the round of 16 of the 2020–21 season.[7]

In 2021–22, Conceição played 33 total games as Porto won a league and cup double; only four were starts, including one in the league.[8] He contributed three goals, beginning with a penalty to conclude a 5–1 home win over Feirense in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal;[9] his first league goal on 8 January won the game 3–2 at Estoril two minutes after coming on for Fábio Cardoso.[10]

Ajax

On 21 July 2022, Conceição signed with Eredivisie club Ajax, on a five-year contract.[11] Nine days later, he was an unused substitute as they lost the 2022 Johan Cruyff Shield 5–3 to PSV Eindhoven.[12] He made his debut for the reserves on 8 August, equalising in a 1–1 Eerste Divisie draw at home to SC Telstar;[13] his first-team debut came on 3 September in a 4–0 home win over SC Cambuur, replacing double goalscorer Steven Bergwijn after 61 minutes.[14] On 1 November, two minutes after replacing Bergwijn, he scored his first goal to conclude a 3–1 win at Rangers in the UEFA Champions League group stage.[15] He played in the 2023 KNVB Cup final against PSV, coming on in the 75th minute for Steven Berghuis as the game ended 1–1 and Ajax lost on penalties.[16]

Porto (loan)

On 1 September 2023, FC Porto announced that Conceição would be returning to the club on a season-long loan from Ajax. He was handed the number 10 shirt, the same number he wore at the end of his previous spell with the Dragons.[17] The deal reportedly includes a €10 million option-to-buy, which becomes mandatory if Conceição plays at least 45 minutes in 25 matches.[18] On 11 November 2023, in a 2–1 league victory away at Vitória de Guimarães, he assisted the first goal and scored the second.[19] A month later, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal for Porto, in a 5–3 home victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, in the final match of the group stage.[20]

Style of play

Conceição's early promise and his small stature (1.70 m),[21] led to comparisons to Lionel Messi in the Portuguese press,[22] with him sometimes being nicknamed "Messi do Olival" (Olival's Messi) by fans and in media outlets.[23]

Personal life

Born in Coimbra, Conceição is the fourth son of former Portugal international footballer and current manager Sérgio Conceição; his older brothers Sérgio and Rodrigo are also professional footballers.[24][25]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 14 January 2024[26][27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Porto B 2020–21 Liga Portugal 2 204———204
Porto 2020–21 Primeira Liga 14010002[lower-alpha 3]0170
2021–22 Primeira Liga 25241103[lower-alpha 4]0333
Total 392511050503
Jong Ajax 2022–23 Eerste Divisie 7 5 — — — 7 5
Ajax 2022–23 Eredivisie 19050—4[lower-alpha 5]1281
Porto (loan) 2023–24 Primeira Liga 10 2 3 0 2 1 6[lower-alpha 3] 1 21 4
Career total 95131313115212617
  1. ↑ Includes Taça de Portugal, KNVB Cup
  2. ↑ Includes Taça da Liga
  3. 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  4. ↑ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  5. ↑ Three appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Porto

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Almeida, Isaura (14 February 2021). "Quem é Francisco Conceição (além de ser filho de Sérgio)?" [Who is Francisco Conceição (besides being Sérgio's son)?]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  2. ↑ Aresta, Luís (15 February 2021). "Francisco Conceição, o novo "'abre-latas" do FC Porto" [Francisco Conceição, FC Porto's new "can opener"]. Rádio Renascença (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Francisco Conceição assina contrato profissional com o FC Porto" [Francisco Conceição signs professional contract with FC Porto]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "Filhos de Sérgio Conceição reforçam equipa B do FC Porto" [Sérgio Conceição's sons sign with Porto's B team]. Sapo Desporto (in Portuguese). Lusa. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "Varzim vence FC Porto B com golo solitário de Yusuf" [Varzim wins against FC Porto B with solo Yusuf goal]. Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). Lusa. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  6. ↑ Fernandes, Mariana (13 February 2021). "Francisco, só ele, merecia que as lágrimas de alegria não tivessem sido em vão (a crónica do FC Porto-Boavista)" [Francisco, only him, deserved that the tears of joy wouldn't be for nothing (the chronicle of FC Porto-Boavista)]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Francisco Conceição é o segundo mais jovem de sempre a estrear-se na Champions pelo FC Porto" [Francisco Conceição is the second youngest ever to debut in the Champions League for FC Porto]. Rádio Renascença (in Portuguese). 18 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "Francisco Conceição nas redes sociais: "Sempre especial voltar às origens"" [Francisco Conceição on social networks: "It's always special to return to your roots"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 20 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "FC Porto goleia Feirense e filho de Conceição estreia-se a marcar" [FC Porto thrash Feirense and Conceição's son scores for the first time]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 20 November 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Coelho, Nuno (8 January 2022). "Super-Díaz conduz dragões e Conceições dão o xeque-mate" [Super-Díaz drives the Dragons and the Conceiçãos do the checkmate]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "Ajax sign Francisco Conceição". english.ajax.nl. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  12. ↑ "Supertaça para o PSV em partida de oito golos" [Super Cup for PSV in game of eight goals] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  13. ↑ Brood, Thomas (9 August 2022). "Met smaakmaker Conceição speelt Jong Ajax gelijk tegen Telstar" (in Dutch). NH Nieuws. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  14. ↑ Pus, Milton (4 September 2022). "Dubbelslag Bergwijn helpt Ajax in het zadel tegen Cambuur na onrustige week" (in Dutch). NH Nieuws. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  15. ↑ "Rangers' defeat by Ajax sets new low and seals Champions League misery". The Guardian. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "PSV-Ajax: Fábio Silva bate penálti e conquista Taça a Francisco Conceição" [PSV-Ajax: Fábio Silva scores penalty and wins Cup against Francisco Conceição] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "Francisco Conceição de volta a casa" [Francisco Conceição is back home] (in European Portuguese). FC Porto. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "Francisco Conceição no FC Porto: confira os detalhes do acordo de empréstimo" [Francisco Conceição to FC Porto: check the details of the loan deal] (in European Portuguese). O Jogo. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Onde um filho derrotou a mãe, Francisco deu a vitória ao pai. FC Porto ganha em Guimarães" [Where a son defeated his mother, Francisco gave his father the victory. FC Porto wins in Guimarães]. TSF Rádio Notícias (in European Portuguese). 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  20. ↑ "Champions só no Porto" [Champions only at Porto] (in European Portuguese). FC Porto. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Querido, Rodrigo (24 February 2021). "Há um 'Messi' a nascer no Olival e cada vez mais decisivo no FC Porto" [A "Messi" is born at Olival and he is increasingly decisive in FC Porto]. Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  22. ↑ Custódio, Miguel (14 February 2021). "Francisco: o filho de Conceição que "não tem nada a ver com o pai" e "faz lembrar Messi"" [Francisco: Conceição's son that is "nothing like his father" and "reminds of Messi"]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  23. ↑ Martins, Arnaldo (15 February 2021). ""Messi do Olival" cumpre sonho e dá a vida pelo pai" ["Olival's Messi" fulfills his dream and gives his life for his father]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  24. ↑ Roseiro, Bruno (8 June 2017). "O clã Conceição: o pai treina o FC Porto, um filho joga no Benfica, outro está no Sporting" [The Conceição family: the father manages FC Porto, a son plays in Benfica and another in Sporting]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  25. ↑ Soares da Silva, Eduardo (28 December 2019). "Filho de Sérgio Conceição estreia-se na II Liga" [Sérgio Conceição's son debuts in II Liga]. Rádio Renascença (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  26. ↑ Francisco Conceição at ForaDeJogo (archived)
  27. ↑ Francisco Conceição at Soccerway
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