João Palhinha
João Maria Lobo Alves Palhinha Gonçalves is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Sporting CP as a defensive midfielder or a Centre back.Club career
Born in Lisbon, Palhinha joined local Sporting CP's youth system in 2012, aged 17. He played his first game as a professional with the B-team, coming on as a late substitute for fellow youth graduate Iuri Medeiros in a 3−2 home win against Portimonense S.C. for the Segunda Liga championship, on 3 February 2014; it was one of only two appearances during the season.
Still in the second level, Palhinha scored his first senior goal on 4 April 2015, his header contributing to a 3−1 home success over Leixões SC. From July 2015 to January 2017 he was loaned to Primeira Liga clubs Moreirense F.C. and C.F. Os Belenenses, respectively, making his debut in the competition whilst with the former in a 0−2 home loss to F.C. Arouca where he played 22 minutes from the bench, and netting for the first time while at the service of the latter against Vitória de Guimarães.
Subsequently, returned to the Estádio José Alvalade, Palhinha made his competitive debut with the first team on 21 January 2017, starting in a 2−2 draw at C.S. Marítimo. He scored his first goals for them on 12 October of the same year, netting twice in a 4–2 away win over ARC Oleiros for the Taça de Portugal.
Palhinha spent the following two seasons on loan to S.C. Braga.Honours
Braga
