João Pedro (footballer, born December 1987)


João Pedro Azevedo Silva, known as João Pedro, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Leixões S.C. as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Trofa, Porto District, João Pedro began his formation at hometown club C.D. Trofense and finished it at FC Porto, where he made his senior debut with the reserves in the third division. He was also called up twice to the first team for Primeira Liga matches in which he was an unused substitute, including the 1–1 draw at city rivals Boavista F.C. on the final day of the season; he was subsequently sent out on a string of loans, including spending the 2008–09 campaign at AF Gloria Bistrița in Romania's Liga I.
In 2010, João Pedro left the Estádio do Dragão to sign for C.D. Aves in the Segunda Liga, and on 29 June 2012 he joined top level club G.D. Estoril Praia. He made his debut in the latter competition on 17 August in the opening game of the season, but added only four more appearances over the campaign and just one substitute cameo in the next.
João Pedro's 2014–15 season was spent between top flight teams F.C. Penafiel and Moreirense FC, totalling just 14 games in all. On 31 August 2014, in just his second appearance for the former, he was sent off in a 0–1 home loss to F.C. Paços de Ferreira.
Subsequently, João Pedro returned to the second tier with F.C. Famalicão. He continued to play there in the following seasons, with Aves, C.D. Santa Clara, Estoril and Leixões SC.

International career

All youth levels comprised, João Pedro won 62 caps for Portugal and scored nine goals. His first and only appearance with the under-21 side occurred on 12 October 2007, in a 0–1 defeat in Bulgaria for the 2009 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.