| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yannick dos Santos Djaló | ||
| Date of birth | 5 May 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sporting CP | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1997 | Estação | ||
| 1997–2005 | Sporting CP | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2005–2011 | Sporting CP | 98 | (23) |
| 2005–2006 | → Casa Pia (loan) | 26 | (16) |
| 2011- | Aston Villa (currently only trial) | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005 | Portugal U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2010– | Portugal | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 August 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Yannick dos Santos Djaló (born 5 May 1986) is a Guinea-Bissauan-born Portuguese footballer who plays mainly as a forward, but can also operate as a winger. He is currently a free agent.
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Born in Bissau, Djaló was brought up through Sporting Clube de Portugal's prolific youth system, and made his first division debut on 16 September 2006, playing the second half of a 0–1 home loss against F.C. Paços de Ferreira. He proved himself a quality player, often coming off the bench, and also appeared in Sporting's UEFA Champions League campaign, renewing during the season his contract with Sporting until 2013.
On 6 April 2008, after a four-month absence due to injury, Djaló scored both goals in a 2–0 home win over Sporting de Braga, having also scored the previous week, off the bench, in a 4–1 away success over Associação Naval 1º de Maio. He finished 2007–08 in good form, netting the only goal in a win at Paços de Ferreira, which proved crucial in helping the side to retain its second place in the league. In the season's Portuguese Cup, he netted twice in a thrilling 5–3 semi-final win against city-rivals S.L. Benfica.
On 16 August 2008, Djaló scored both goals in Sporting's win against defending league champions F.C. Porto to claim the Portuguese Supercup for the second year in a row.[1] During the 2009–10 season, Djaló was an everpresent offensive figure, up front or in the wings. On April 2, 2010, he scored his first career hat-trick, at home against Rio Ave FC (5–0).
On 26 August 2010, Djaló scored in the 90th minute to help the Lions defeat Brøndby IF 3–0 after losing 0–2 at home, thus qualifying for the UEFA Europa League's group stage.[2]
On 31 August 2011, the very last day of the summer transfer window, Djaló left Sporting, signing for OGC Nice in the French Ligue 1 for €4.5 millions.[3] On 7 September, FIFA ruled that his transfer would be voided due to the move being completed following the closure of the transfer window.[4] Nice officials announced that the club would appeal the ruling.[5]
After FIFA failed to take any action regarding the club's appeal,[6] on 28 September, Nice executive Julien Fournier announced that the club would take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).[7] Two weeks later, Nice's appeal was rejected, which meant Djaló would not be eligible to represent Nice until January 2012. On the following day after the CAS ruling, Fournier confirmed to Portuguese radio station Rádio Renascença that the player would be returning to Sporting.[8]
Djalo agreed a trial with Aston Villa in December 2011, with a view to joining them in January 2012 on a free transfer.[9]
Djaló chose to represent Portugal internationally, appearing in various youth levels. Twelve days after his 2008 Supercup exploits, he was called-up to the senior team by manager Carlos Queiroz, but did not make his debut.[10]
In late August 2010, Djaló was called for two UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers, after Porto's Silvestre Varela - his former Sporting teammate - suffered an injury; on 3 September, he finally made his debut, playing the last six minutes of the 4–4 home draw against minnows Cyprus, replacing Hugo Almeida.
Born in Guinea-Bissau, Djaló lived most of his life in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.
In May 2010, he married singer and TV-personality Luciana Abreu, subsequently taking his wife's surname, and signing as "Yannick Abreu Djaló".[11] The couple welcomed their first child, Lyonce Viktórya, early in the following year, having the player already fathered Christian Martim (born 2008) in a previous relationship.[12] Djaló is best friends with Nani and Miguel Veloso (Christian's godfather), who played with him in Sporting for several years.
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