Fábio Espinho

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Espinho

| image = Fábio Espinho.jpg

| caption = Espinho with Ludogorets in 2014

| full_name = Fábio Ricardo Gomes Fonseca{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/jogador/fabio-espinho/38587|title=Fábio Espinho|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|access-date=21 September 2021}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|8|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Espinho, Portugal

| height = 1.71 m

| position = Central midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1993–2004 | youthclubs1 = Porto

| years1 = 2004–2006 | clubs1 = Porto B | caps1 = 36 | goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2006–2009 | clubs2 = Espinho | caps2 = 79 | goals2 = 12

| years3 = 2009–2011 | clubs3 = Leixões | caps3 = 40 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2011–2013 | clubs4 = Moreirense | caps4 = 51 | goals4 = 11

| years5 = 2013–2015 | clubs5 = Ludogorets | caps5 = 52 | goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2015–2016 | clubs6 = Málaga | caps6 = 2 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2016 | clubs7 = → Moreirense (loan) | caps7 = 15 | goals7 = 2

| years8 = 2016–2019 | clubs8 = Boavista | caps8 = 86 | goals8 = 10

| years9 = 2019–2023 | clubs9 = Feirense | caps9 = 95 | goals9 = 10

| totalcaps = 456 | totalgoals = 51

}}

Fábio Ricardo Gomes Fonseca (born 18 August 1985), commonly known as Espinho, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

Career

Espinho was born in Espinho. A product of FC Porto's youth system, he never appeared officially for its first team, spending two years with the reserves in the third division. In 2006, he signed with local S.C. Espinho in the same level.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/made-in/28-06-2015/entrevista-a-fabio-espinho-sair-do-fc-porto-foi-uma-facada|title=Entrevista a Fábio Espinho: «Sair do FC Porto foi uma facada»|trans-title=Interview to Fábio Espinho: "Leaving FC Porto was a stab"|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro Jorge|last=Cunha|language=pt|date=28 June 2015|access-date=26 February 2025}}

On 8 June 2011, after two seasons in the Segunda Liga with Leixões SC, Espinho joined Moreirense FC.{{cite web|url=http://www.gmrtv.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6454:moreirense-contrata-medio-fabio-espinho-e-avancado-njock&catid=48:desporto&Itemid=41|title=Moreirense contrata médio Fábio Espinho e avançado N'Jock|trans-title=Moreirense sign midfielder Fábio Espinho and forward N'Jock|publisher=Guimarães TV|language=pt|date=8 June 2011|access-date=10 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026110953/http://www.gmrtv.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6454:moreirense-contrata-medio-fabio-espinho-e-avancado-njock&catid=48:desporto&Itemid=41|archive-date=26 October 2017}} He scored nine goals in his first year to help the club return to the Primeira Liga after a seven-year absence, and, on 19 August 2012, celebrated his debut in the competition by netting his team's goal in a 1–1 away draw against F.C. Paços de Ferreira.{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/p-ferreira-moreirense-1-1-resultado-final|title=P. Ferreira-Moreirense, 1–1 (resultado final)|trans-title=P. Ferreira-Moreirense, 1–1 (final score)|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=19 August 2012|access-date=25 October 2017}}

On 11 June 2013, Espinho signed a one-year contract with PFC Ludogorets Razgrad of the Bulgarian A Football Group, moving abroad for the first time at the age of 28.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=431558|title=Лудогорец представи първото си ново попълнение|trans-title=Ludogorets introduced their first new addition|publisher=Sportal|language=bg|date=11 June 2013|access-date=11 June 2013}} He appeared in 95 competitive games during his spell (seven goals), helping to back-to-back national championships.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/internacional/made-in/ludogorets-de-fabio-espinho-e-vitinha-tetracampeao-da-bulgaria|title=Ludogorets de Fábio Espinho e Vitinha tetracampeão da Bulgária|trans-title=Fábio Espinho and Vitinha's Ludogorets Bulgarian champions for the fourth consecutive time|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=15 May 2015|access-date=21 September 2021}}

Espinho left Ludogorets in June 2015, and agreed to a deal at Málaga CF as a free agent.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=550687|title=В Испания: Ешпиньо се разбра с Малага|trans-title=In Spain: Espinho commits to Málaga|publisher=Sportal|language=bg|date=4 June 2015|access-date=25 April 2016}} He played only three matches for the Spaniards before returning to Moreirense on loan the following January,{{cite web|url=http://www.malagacf.com/noticia/el-malaga-y-el-moreirense-alcanzan-un-acuerdo-para-la-cesion-de-espinho|title=El Málaga y el Moreirense alcanzan un acuerdo para la cesión de Espinho|trans-title=Málaga and Moreirense reach an agreement for the loan of Espinho|publisher=Málaga CF|language=es|date=14 January 2016|access-date=25 November 2016}} then joined Boavista F.C. in the same league on a one-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/1a-liga/boavista/noticias/interior/fabio-espinho-no-boavista-5294647.html|title=Fábio Espinho no Boavista|trans-title=Fábio Espinho at Boavista|newspaper=O Jogo|language=pt|date=19 July 2016|access-date=25 November 2016}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Porto B \|2004–05{{ForaDeJogo}} \|rowspan="2"\|Segunda Divisão \|14	2	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	14	2
2005–06 \|22	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	22	0
colspan="2"\|Total !36	2	0	0	0	0	36	2
rowspan="4"\|Espinho \|2006–07 \|rowspan="3"\|Segunda Divisão \|24	1	3	1	colspan="2"\|—	27	2
2007–08 \|29	2	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	31	2
2008–09 \|26	9	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	27	9
colspan="2"\|Total !79	12	6	1	0	0	85	13
rowspan="3"\|Leixões \|2009–10 \|Primeira Liga \|13	0	5	1	colspan="2"\|—	18	1
2010–11 \|Segunda Liga \|27	0	5	2	colspan="2"\|—	32	2
colspan="2"\|Total !40	0	10	3	0	0	50	3
rowspan="3"\|Moreirense \|2011–12 \|Segunda Liga \|28	9	10	2	colspan="2"\|—	38	11
2012–13 \|Primeira Liga \|23	2	7	0	colspan="2"\|—	30	2
colspan="2"\|Total !51	11	17	2	0	0	68	13
rowspan="3"\|Ludogorets Razgrad \|2013–14{{cite web\|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/fabio-ricardo-gomes-fonseca/90377/\|title=Fábio Espinho\|website=Soccerway\|access-date=7 April 2015}} \|rowspan="2"\|A Group \|29	2	10	0	15{{efn\|Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League\|name=UECL}}	0	54	2
2014–15 \|23	2	6	2	12{{efn\|Appearances in UEFA Champions League\|name=UCL}}	1	41	5
colspan="2"\|Total !52	4	16	2	27	1	95	7
colspan="3"\|Career total !258	29	49	8	27	1	334	38