PortuGOAL figure of the week: Vinícius Lopes firing sensational Santa Clara ever higher | OneFootball

Azores team on the up and up

The Estádio de São Miguel is becoming a fortress as surprise package Clube Desportivo Santa Clara build on their brilliant start to 2024/25.

Four successive wins, including victories over champions Sporting and a strong Vitória, have the Azorean outfit securely in fourth position, showing no signs of slowing down in their newly found pursuit of European football.

“We must keep up this spirit if we want to achieve greater things. We’re a well-oiled team and today’s goal was, once again, a well-worked team move that ended well.” So said Vinícius Lopes following their latest victory.

The Brazilian striker is the PortuGOAL Figure of the Week. Kevin Fernandes reports.

Vinícius decisive again

Santa Clara imposed their superiority over Rio Ave with another professional victory where Vinícius Lopes was the protagonist once again. Santa Clara’s top goalscorer was again the match-winner with another fine strike.

From peripheral figure to fundamental talisman

Lopes commenced his footballing journey at the Goiás youth academy in 2016, exactly 836 kilometres away from his hometown Monte do Carmo. It’s a good thing he’s familiar with travel, as Lisbon is 1446 kilometres away, and Porto is 1508 kilometres from the Azorean archipelago of nine volcanic islands – the standard away day trip.

After journeying through the Goiás academy structure, playing with regularity and demonstrating positive evolution, Vinícius Lopes deputised as a senior professional for the ‘Verdão da Serra’ in a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A clash against Chapecoense on 20 October 2019.

In the following seasons, Vinícius would contribute to 15 goals in 57 matches in all competitions across Brazil’s notoriously congested football calendar. In 2022, he moved to Botafogo, scoring twice in 20 appearances, before moving to RWD Molenbeek of the Belgian Second Division on loan. Despite not being considered an immediate, overwhelming success, Vinícius would contribute to a goal as Molenbeek were crowned champions, progressing to the Belgian Pro League.

In Europe, 2023 and 2024 would be the most successful years of his career. Following his experience in Belgium came the Azorean adventure. As a right-footed, typically right-sided forward, Vinícius was identified as an important utility forward as he is capable of operating through the middle with a tireless work-ethic.

Despite being irregular in terms of production, Vinícius is an intelligent attacking player who completes Santa Clara.

Two goal contributions away from equalling his record…in December

From three goals and one assist in 28 Segunda Liga matches to six goals and one assist in 13 Liga Portugal appearances, Vinícius Lopes has doubled his production in half the minutes, at the top level, fully justifying the decision to make that loan move from Botafogo permanent, penning a contract until 2028.

The Brazilian ‘tank’ (as he has been described by Portuguese media for his thunderous, reverberating attempts at goal and build, despite the diminutive stature for such a nickname) is on an incredible run of form, and in the best moment of his career.

Just ask João Pereira and Sporting Clube de Portugal. Last week some fluid, incisive transitional play highlighted the Brazilian’s intelligent movement and Santa’s Clara’s team cohesion, the move signed off with a signature Vinícius thunderbolt into the upper echelons of the net.

Santa Clara piled the misery onto Sporting, feeling the effects of an overwhelming Arsenal thrashing and the managerial transition from Ruben Amorim to João Pereira. It was the first ever win at the Estádio José Alvalade for the Azorean team. This historic goal also shook off an unwanted goal drought pursuing Vinícius, who hadn’t scored since facing Boavista in late September.

Vinícius isn’t a stranger to scoring against giants of Lisbon. He certainly rises to the occasion. Earlier in the season he threatened to ruin Bruno Lage’s return to Benfica with a goal after just 20 seconds of the match at the Estádio da Luz.

His underlying numbers paint the picture of the player he is (via FotMob):

While Gabriel Silva is known as the audacious creator with a knack for disequilibrating opposition defences, and Alisson Safira is recognised for his aerial prowess, Vinícius Lopes stands out for his contributions to overall team play, as the versatile utility man.

He demonstrates high levels of intelligence, with high percentages for all the numbers displayed above, showing he is a rounded player with great awareness, knowing his strengths and limitations and the best manner to contribute to his side as the worker of the attack.

Should Vinícius continue to shine, Santa Clara have every chance of maintaining their lofty position in the table. Qualification for European football is now a realistic possibility, where the Atlantic island team would be the westernmost club in UEFA competitions in 2025/26.