Joaõ Baldé

Joaõ Baldé
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-05-21) 21 May 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 East Kilbride
Youth career
–2012 Atlético Clube do Cacém
2012–2013 RD Algueirão
2015–2016 The Spartans
2016–2019 Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Rangers 0 (0)
2019–2020 → Berwick Rangers (loan)
2020–2021 Livingston 0 (0)
2020–2021 → Bonnyrigg Rose (loan)
2021–2022 Civil Service Strollers
2022–2023 Hibernian 0 (0)
2022 → Civil Service Strollers (loan)
2022 → East Fife (loan) 15 (2)
2023–2024 Arbroath 28 (1)
2023 → East Kilbride (loan)
2024– East Kilbride
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:00, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

Joaõ Baldé (born 21 May 2001) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for East Kilbride.

Club career

Baldé started his career in youth academies of Atlético Clube do Cacém and RD Algueirão in his native Portugal. In 2015, he moved to Scotland and joined the Spartans youth academy. He earned a move to Rangers youth academy in 2016. The midfielder had his first taste of senior football when he joined Berwick Rangers on loan in 2019

A short spell with Livingston followed, where he spent the duration of his stay on loan at Bonnyrigg Rose After a brief spell with Civil Service Strollers, Baldé signed for Hibernian. He was immediately loaned back to Civil Service Strollers for the remainder of the 2021–2022 season.[1]

In August 2022, he signed for East Fife on a season long loan deal.[2] He made his league debut on 6 August 2022 in a 3–0 home defeat to former club Bonnyrigg Rose.[3]

Baldé signed for Arbroath on a permanent deal on 2 January 2023, making his debut that day in a 4–2 win at home to Dundee.[4][5][6]

The midfielder signed for East Kilbride on loan in November 2023.[7] He signed permanently for the club in February 2024.

International career

Baldé was called up to the Portugal national under-18 football team in March 2019, but did not make an appearance.[8]

Personal life

He was banned from driving for a year and fined £450 after being found drunk in his parked car in November 2023.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Joao Balde: Civil Service Strollers have 'fantastic' on-loan Hibs forward back in action after injury". Edinburgh Evening News. 11 February 2022.
  2. ^ "A plan at Hibs and a plan at East Fife: How João Baldé is rejuvenating his performances". Edinburgh Evening News. 17 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Bonnyrigg Rose 3-0 East Fife". ESPN. 6 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Arbroath 4-2 Dundee". ESPN. 2 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Joao Balde in Hibs transfer exit as Lee Johnson continues clearout". Football Scotland. 2 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Joao Balde: We want to reward dedicated Arbroath fans by staying in Championship". The Courier. 23 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Portuguese star is East Kilbride signing No.25 of the season". Daily Record. 4 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Rangers kid Joao Balde called up to Portugal Under 18 squad". Rangers News. 7 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Scots footballer found drunk in his car after taking home trophy at swanky awards dinner". Daily Record. 30 November 2023.
  1. Joaõ Baldé on Soccerbase