Nélson Augusto Tomar Marcos (born 10 June 1983 in Ilha do Sal, Cape Verde), simply Nélson, is a Portuguese footballer of Cape Verdean descent who currently plays for Real Betis, as a right defender.

[edit] Club career

Nélson started his professional career with Vilanovense FC. He began making a name in the Portuguese first division with Boavista FC, having joined from soon-to-be-extinct side of S.C. Salgueiros, also in Porto.

In May 2005, he was involved in a car crash along with fellow Portuguese footballer and former Boavista player José Bosingwa. Bosingwa, behind the wheel of his jeep at the time of the accident, was travelling too quickly and due to wet conditions he crashed the car into an embankment which was followed by the car bursting into flames. One passenger required his foot to be amputated; the other three were unharmed.

Nélson joined S.L. Benfica from Boavista for €1.5 million in 2005, on a five-year contract.^[1] He made the right-back spot his own upon his arrival, making twenty-five appearances during his first season. In the 2006–07 season he was equally impressive.

In the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, after having faced Manchester United in the same competition and stage the season before (Benfica won its home game, and the English finished bottom, eliminated from European competition as the encarnados reached the last eight), Nélson scored a fantastic goal with a long-range shot into Edwin van der Sar's top-right hand corner at Old Trafford; eventually the game was lost 3-1 and the Portuguese had to settle for the third UEFA Cup spot.^[2]

Nélson joined Real Betis for €6 million in late August 2008, on a five-year contract,^[3] where he quickly became an automatic first-choice, as the Andalusia outfit was eventually relegated.

[edit] International career

Nélson was granted Portuguese citizenship in December 2005, and played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.^[4]

Nélson received his first call-up to Portugal in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Kazakhstan, on November 15, 2006. He did not leave the bench.

On March 31, 2009, he finally made his full debut, appearing in a 2–0 friendly win against South Africa, in Lausanne, Switzerland.

[edit] References

1. ^ "Miguel makes switch to Mestalla". UEFA.com. 19 August 2005. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/intertotocup/news/kind=1/newsid=327738.html. 
2. ^ United heading into last 16; UEFA.com, 6 December 2006
3. ^ "Nélson a Betis player". Betis official website. 26 August 2008. http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/.  (Spanish)
4. ^ Nélson pride at Portugal call; UEFA.com, 23 February 2006

[edit] External links

• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• PortuGOAL profile
• UEFA.com stats

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