Chico Faria

Francisco Delfim Dias Faria, commonly known as Chico Faria, was a Portuguese footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Born in Matosinhos, Faria spent his first 15 seasons as a professional in the Primeira Liga, making his debut in the competition with hometown club Leixões S.C. at only 17. In the 1968 summer, he signed for Sporting [Clube de Portugal], where he went on to win two national championships and three Taça de Portugal trophies.
Faria subsequently represented S.C. Braga, equalling a career-best ten goals in the 1979–80 campaign to help his team to the ninth position. From 1982 to 1985, he competed in the Segunda Liga, retiring the following year after a spell in amateur football.

Faria gained four caps for Portugal in five years. He first arrived on 10 May 1972 in a 1–0 away win against Cyprus for the 1974 [FIFA World Cup] 1974 [FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|qualifiers], and he scored the only goal in the match played in Nicosia.

Faria died on 10 June 2004 at the age of 54, a victim of prolonged pulmonary disease.