Heriberto Tavares

Heriberto Moreno Borges Tavares is a professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Netanya. Born in Portugal, he plays for the Cape Verde national team.

Club career

Born in Amadora, Lisbon metropolitan area of Cape Verdean descent, Tavares played youth football with three clubs in the country's capital, including Sporting CP from ages 10 to 18. He made his senior debut with S.L. Benfica's reserves on 6 August 2016, featuring 71 minutes in the 1–1 LigaPro home draw against C.D. Cova da Piedade.
Tavares scored a career-best 14 goals in the 2017–18 season, but the B team could only finish in 13th position. Highlights included braces in home victories over Varzim SC, Real Massamá and C.F. União.
On 25 July 2018, Tavares was loaned to Moreirense FC. He played his first match in the Primeira Liga on 12 August, scoring in a 1–3 home loss to Sporting and also committing a penalty which resulted in the opposition's second goal. He repeated the feat the following round, helping to a 2–1 away defeat of C.D. Nacional.
For the 2019–20 campaign, Tavares signed with Boavista F.C. also on loan.

Tavares moved to the French Ligue 1 on 2 August 2020, signing a four-year contract with Stade Brestois 29 on a free transfer. He made his league debut 21 days later, playing 22 minutes in the 4–0 loss at Nîmes Olympique.

On 11 January 2021, Tavares was loaned to F.C. Famalicão until 30 June. He was bought outright in July, fracturing his left foot in December and being sidelined for three months.
On 31 August 2022, Tavares was loaned to Spanish side SD Ponferradina for one year.

Tavares returned to Portugal and its top division in July 2023, on a three-year deal at G.D. Estoril Praia. He totalled 41 games and four goals in his only season, his first in the league coming on 10 December to close the 4–0 home win over G.D. Chaves.

Across all youth levels, Tavares won 20 caps for Portugal and scored seven goals. He made his under-21 debut on 14 November 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute for Diogo Jota in a 2–1 home win against Switzerland for the 2019 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. The following 11 October, in the same stage, he netted four times in the 9–0 demolition of Liechtenstein.

Tavares was called up to the Cape Verde national team for a set of friendlies on 20 May 2025. He made his debut nine days later, in a 1–1 draw with Malaysia. On 3 June, against the same opposition and also in Kuala Lumpur, he closed the 3–0 win.