Hélio Vaz

Hélio Vaz
Personal information
Full name Hélio José Vaz[1]
Date of birth (1990-12-19) 19 December 1990 (age 34)[1]
Place of birth Montijo, Portugal[1]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Olímpico Montijo
Youth career
2002–2007 Montijo
2007–2008 Olímpico Montijo
2008–2009 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 Benfica 0 (0)
2009 → Mafra (loan) 4 (0)
2010 → Tondela (loan) 1 (0)
2011 → Casa Pia (loan) 14 (4)
2011–2012 → Atlético (loan) 14 (0)
2012–2013 União Leiria 28 (10)
2013 Doxa 0 (0)
2013–2016 União Leiria 54 (12)
2016 Peniche 17 (4)
2016–2019 Torreense 86 (18)
2019–2020 Loures 22 (2)
2020–2021 Lusitano Évora 16 (4)
2021–2022 Cova Piedade 18 (0)
2022– Olímpico Montijo 18 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:52, 25 March 2023 (UTC)

Hélio José Vaz (born 19 December 1990) is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Clube Olímpico do Montijo as a forward.

Club career

Born in Montijo, Setúbal District, Vaz started playing with hometown club C.D. Montijo, whose academy he joined at the age of 12. In 2008, for his last year as a junior, he signed with S.L. Benfica.[2] Upon his arrival, he said that representing the latter was always a dream of his, and that he hoped it would also open the doors of the under-18 national team.[2]

At the end of his youth career, and as Vaz was one of highest goalscorers throughout the season only behind Nélson Oliveira, Benfica decided to offer him a professional contract and loan him.[3] He started out at C.D. Mafra, whom he represented in the opening stages of 2009–10.[4][3] Due to the lack of playing time, he moved to fellow third division team C.D. Tondela for the remainder of the season.[5]

Vaz was a regular fixture in the early training sessions of Benfica's main squad the following campaign,[6][7] but in January 2011 he was loaned to Casa Pia A.C. of the third tier.[8] For 2011–12, in also on loan, he joined Segunda Liga's Atlético Clube de Portugal,[3] making his professional debut on 7 August 2011 by coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute in a 1–1 away draw against Portimonense S.C. in the first round of the Taça da Liga.[9]

Subsequently, Vaz opted to terminate his contract with Benfica and join division three club U.D. Leiria,[3] scoring ten goals in his debut season to help to a seventh-place finish.[10] His performances attracted interest abroad, and he signed with Doxa Katokopias FC in the Cypriot First Division on a two-year deal,[11] only to return to his previous team three months later.[12]

Vaz moved to G.D. Peniche still in the third division at the beginning of the 2016 winter transfer window.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Hélio Vaz" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Hélio Vaz assina contrato com o Benfica" [Hélio Vaz signs contract with Benfica]. Açoriano Oriental (in Portuguese). 11 April 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "Hélio Vaz, 22 anos, natural do Montijo e formado no Olímpico: 'No plantel com Aimar, Cardozo, Luisão e outros'" [Hélio Vaz, aged 22, born in Montijo and developed in Olímpico: ‘In the squad with Aimar, Cardozo, Luisão and others’]. Diário da Região (in Portuguese). 7 June 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Mafra-União da Madeira: Mafra ganha nos penáltis" [Mafra-União da Madeira: Mafra win on penalties]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 November 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Abel Pereira (emprestado pelo Benfica) titular na vitória do Tondela; Hélio Vaz não jogou" [Abel Pereira (loaned by Benfica) starts in Tondela win; Hélio Vaz did not play] (in Portuguese). Ser Benfiquista. 25 February 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Portas fechadas no regresso ao trabalho" [Closed doors in return to work]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 August 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Enchente no treino das águias" [Sell-out in eagles training]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 October 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Madalena empata no campo do Casa Pia" [Madalena draw at Casa Pia] (in Portuguese). Rádio Pico. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Portimonense e Atlético empatam" [Portimonense and Atlético draw]. Record (in Portuguese). 7 August 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  10. ^ "União de Leiria: Hélio Vaz poderá estar a caminho" [União de Leiria: Hélio Vaz could be on his way] (in Portuguese). Agente Desportivo. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Chipre: Hélio Vaz no Doxa por duas temporadas" [Cyprus: Hélio Vaz in Doxa for two seasons]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 June 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  12. ^ "União de Leiria: Emiliano Té e Hélio Vaz são reforços confirmados" [União de Leiria: Emiliano Té and Hélio Vaz are confirmed additions] (in Portuguese). Agente Desportivo. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  13. ^ Ramos, Cid (1 January 2016). "Hélio Vaz reforça Peniche" [Hélio Vaz strengthens Peniche] (in Portuguese). O Derbie. Retrieved 31 March 2016.