Nilton Fernandes


Nilton Rogério Cardoso Fernandes, known simply as Nilton, was a Cape Verdean former footballer who played as a midfielder.
He spent most of his career in Portugal, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 110 matches and one goal with four teams.

Career

Born in the island of Brava, Nilton played youth football with Portuguese club Boavista FC, who loaned him to Gondomar S.C. and AD Esposende to kickstart his senior career. Upon his return, he appeared in 12 Primeira Liga games in the 1999–2000 season, helping to a fourth-place finish.
In the following years, Nilton alternated between the top division and the Segunda Liga, representing C.D. Aves, Gil Vicente FC, F.C. Marco, S.C. Salgueiros and F.C. Penafiel. He left the country in the summer of 2006, scoring a career-best six goals for FC Koper and winning the Slovenian Football Cup.
From 2007 until his retirement five years later, aged 33, Nilton played for Ethnikos Achna FC, NK Maribor, PFC Chernomorets Burgas, Akritas Chlorakas and Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam FC.

Death

On 31 March 2024, Nilton Fernandes died from kidney cancer while in the United States.

Honours

Koper
Maribor