Pany Varela
Personal information
Full name Anilton César Varela da Silva
Date of birth (1989-02-25) 25 February 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Tarrafal, Cape Verde
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Sporting CP
Number 18
Youth career
1999–2003 Os Patuscos
2003–2006 Forte da Casa
2006–2008 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2013 Benfica
2012 → Belenenses (loan)
2012–2013 → Olivais (loan) 6 (4)
2013–2016 Fundão 36 (26)
2016– Sporting CP 148 (52)
International career‡
2015– Portugal 64 (14)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:00, 5 November 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:00, 5 November 2021 (UTC)

Anilton César Varela da Silva (born 25 February 1989), also known as Pany Varela, is a futsal player who plays for Sporting CP as a winger. Born in Cape Verde, he represents Portugal internationally.

In 2021, he scored in the 2 most important finals of the sport, in terms of clubs and national teams, respectively: 1 goal[1] in the Champions League final against Barcelona and 2 goals[2] (the only ones in the match) in the final of the World Cup against Argentina, thus, aiding both his teams' victories in the competition.

Club career

Born in Tarrafal, Cape Verde, Varela moved to the ICeSa neighbourhood in Vialonga, Portugal in 1999 and started playing futsal for the local club Os Patuscos. [3][4] After three seasons at UDC Forte da Casa, he moved to the youth ranks of Benfica, staying just one year, earning a place in the main squad in 2008.[5] Over the three years he spent at Benfica, he won three league titles, four other cups, and was part of the squad that won the 2009–10 UEFA Futsal Cup.[6][7]

On 29 December 2011, Varela was loaned out to gain experience, joining Belenenses on a six-month deal.[8] He moved to Olivais on 19 August 2012, in an equal predicament, but for one season.[9][10]

On 16 June 2013, Varela moved to Fundão on a permanent deal,[11] In the first year there, he helped the club win their first title ever, the Taça de Portugal de Futsal, plus reach the playoff finals.[12][13] After three years with Fundão, Varela returned to Lisbon to play for Sporting CP, joining them on 19 July 2016.[14] He helped them reach two consecutive UEFA Futsal Cup finals in 2016–17 and 2017–18.[15][16]

International career

Varela made his debut for Portugal national team on 22 June 2015, and has represented them on the UEFA Futsal Euro 2016 and UEFA Futsal Euro 2018, winning the latter.[17]

Honours

[18]

Benfica
Fundão
Sporting
Portugal

Individual

References

  1. ^ UEFA.com (3 May 2021). "Sporting sagra-se bicampeão da UEFA Futsal Champions League". UEFA.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Pany fires Portugal to World Cup glory". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 6 October 2021.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Pany Varela: da formação no concelho de VFX até ao topo do mundo do futsal" [Pany Varela: from youth futsal in Vila Franca de Xira to the top of the futsal world]. O Mirante (in Portuguese). 4 October 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Anilton: "Estar no Benfica é o ponto mais alto"" [Anilton: "To be at Benfica, is my highest point"]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 23 December 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Anilton, ala cabo-verdiano, renova com o Benfica" [Anilton, Cape-verdian winger, renews contract with Benfica]. A Semana (in Portuguese). 17 April 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Máquina Encarnada" [Red machine]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 April 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Décimo-quarto titulo" [Fourteenth title]. Em Defesa do Benfica. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  8. ^ "Benfica cede Anilton ao Belenenses" [Benfica loans Anilton to Belenenses]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 December 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Benfica empresta Anilton" [Benfica loans Anilton]. Record (in Portuguese). 19 August 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Futsal: Anilton emprestado ao SL Olivais" [Anilton loaned to SL Olivais] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 19 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Anilton ruma ao Fundão" [Anilton heads off to Fundão]. Futsal Global (in Portuguese). 16 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Fundão vence Taça de Portugal frente ao Benfica" [Fundão wins Portuguese Cup against Benfica]. Diário de Noticias (in Portuguese). 4 May 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  13. ^ "Fundão elimina Benfica e está na final do campeonato de futsal" [Fundão eliminates Benfica and qualifies for the Playoff Final]. Público (in Portuguese). 31 May 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  14. ^ ""Estou muito feliz por assinar pelo Sporting CP"" ["I'm very happy to sign for Sporting CP"]. Sporting CP (in Portuguese). 19 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Sporting perde final da UEFA Futsal Cup" [Sporting loses UEFA Futsal Cup finaç]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Sporting perde final da UEFA Futsal Cup por 7-0" [Sporting loses UEFA Cup Final by 7-0]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 April 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  17. ^ "Pany National team data". Federação Portuguesa Futebol. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Pany Varela Titles". Finalball.com. Retrieved 23 June 2018.

External links

Sporting Clube de Portugal (futsal) – current squad
Portugal squad – UEFA Futsal Euro 2016
Portugal squad – UEFA Futsal Euro 2018 (1st title)
Portugal squad – 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup (1st title)
Portugal squad – UEFA Futsal Euro 2022 (2nd title)
Categories