1. Overview
Héldon Augusto Almeida Ramos (born 14 November 1988), known simply as Héldon and sometimes nicknamed Nhuck ([ɲuk]Portuguese), is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who primarily plays as an attacking midfielder. He spent the majority of his career in Portugal, most notably representing Marítimo, and later had spells with Sporting CP, Rio Ave, and Vitória de Guimarães. Héldon also played for clubs in the Middle East, specifically in Saudi Arabia with Al Taawoun FC and Al-Orobah FC, and in the United Arab Emirates with Shabab Al Ahli Club.
An established international for the Cape Verde national football team since 2008, Héldon participated in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, playing a pivotal role in Cape Verde's historic quarter-final appearance in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He also won a gold medal with the Cape Verde U-20 team at the 2009 Lusofonia Games. Throughout his career, he has achieved significant club honors including the Segunda Divisão title with C.D. Fátima, the King Cup with Al Taawoun, and multiple domestic cups with Shabab Al Ahli.
2. Early life
2.1. Birth and background
Héldon Augusto Almeida Ramos was born on 14 November 1988, in Sal, Cape Verde.
3. Club career
Héldon Ramos spent most of his professional club career in Portugal before moving to clubs in the Middle East.
3.1. Early years in Portugal
Héldon began his professional journey in Portugal, making his debut in the country's lower divisions before moving to a top-tier club.
3.1.1. C.F. Caniçal and C.D. Fátima
Héldon made his professional debut in 2007 with C.F. Caniçal, a team competing in the Portuguese third division. In his inaugural season, he made 21 appearances but did not score a goal. The following year, in 2008, he transferred to C.D. Fátima. During his tenure at Fátima until 2010, Héldon played in 55 matches and scored 15 goals. He also played a part in helping the team secure promotion to the second tier of Portuguese football.
3.1.2. C.S. Marítimo
In August 2010, Héldon signed with C.S. Marítimo, a prominent club in the Primeira Liga, Portugal's top football division. He enjoyed a successful period at Marítimo until 2014, accumulating 108 appearances and scoring 21 goals, marking his personal best records for both appearances and goals with a single club.
Among his notable contributions, on 26 November 2011, he scored his first league goal for Marítimo, converting a last-minute penalty in a 2-2 away draw against C.D. Nacional in a local derby, a match where his team played the entire second half with ten players. Later, on 8 December 2013, against the same opponent in a home fixture, Héldon scored twice, again contributing to a 2-2 result, with Nacional playing nearly 30 minutes with a man down. His performances significantly contributed to Marítimo achieving their best-ever 1st league result, finishing 5th in the 2011-12 season, and subsequently helping the team qualify for the 2012-13 UEFA Europa League group stage.
3.2. Sporting CP and loan spells
After his impactful time at Marítimo, Héldon made a significant move to a Portuguese giant, followed by several loan spells.
3.2.1. Sporting CP
On 31 January 2014, Héldon joined Sporting CP, another top-tier Portuguese club, in a transfer deal valued at 1.50 M EUR. He made his debut for Sporting on 11 February 2014, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 loss against S.L. Benfica in the Lisbon derby. His first goal for his new team came on 12 April 2014, when he entered as a substitute for Diego Capel with two minutes remaining and scored in a 2-0 victory over Gil Vicente F.C. at the Estádio José Alvalade. Despite the high-profile transfer, his time at Sporting CP was marked by limited appearances, as he only featured in 14 matches and scored 2 goals before being sent out on loan.
3.2.2. Loan spells
Héldon experienced multiple loan spells during his time contracted to Sporting CP, playing for clubs in both Spain and back in Portugal.
His first loan move was to Córdoba CF in Spain, joining the club on 28 January 2015, until the end of the 2014-15 season. He made his La Liga debut just three days later, starting and receiving a yellow card in a 1-0 away defeat against RC Celta de Vigo. Despite his appearances, Héldon failed to score any goals during his 14 matches with the Andalusian club, which ultimately faced relegation that season.
On 8 August 2015, Héldon was loaned to Rio Ave F.C. for the upcoming top-flight season in Portugal. He continued to play for Rio Ave for another season, being loaned again for the 2016-17 campaign. He achieved his first goals for the Vila do Conde-based side on 19 September 2015, scoring a first-half brace in a 3-0 victory away at F.C. Paços de Ferreira. Overall, across his two seasons with Rio Ave, he made 60 appearances and scored 7 goals.
Following his second loan at Rio Ave, Héldon spent the 2017-18 season on loan at Vitória de Guimarães. He scored his first goal for Vitória on 24 September 2017, netting in the final minutes of a 2-1 home win against his former club, Marítimo. During his tenure at Vitória de Guimarães, he played in 34 matches and scored 6 goals.
3.3. Career in the Middle East
After his extensive career in Portugal, Héldon moved to the Middle East, where he played for clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
3.3.1. Al Taawoun FC
On 2 July 2018, Héldon made his first move to an Asian club, joining Al Taawoun FC in the Saudi Professional League on a two-year contract. He quickly made an impact, scoring 11 competitive goals in his debut campaign during the 2018-19 season. His contributions were significant as Al Taawoun made history by winning the 2019 King Cup. Additionally, the team finished as runner-up in the Saudi Super Cup in the same year.
3.3.2. Shabab Al Ahli Club and Al-Orobah FC
On 26 September 2020, Héldon agreed to a one-year deal with Shabab Al Ahli Club in the UAE Pro League. During the 2020-21 season with Shabab Al Ahli, he experienced a successful period, with the club finishing 3rd in the league. He also played a role in the team winning both the UAE President's Cup and the UAE League Cup in that same season.
Following his time in the UAE, Héldon returned to Saudi Arabia on 12 July 2021, to join Al-Orobah FC in the First Division League on a two-year contract. He contributed to the team's efforts to remain in the second tier of Saudi football. However, his tenure at Al-Orobah was brief, as he departed the club on 1 February 2022 by mutual consent.
4. International career
Héldon Ramos has represented Cape Verde at both youth and senior international levels, participating in significant tournaments and contributing key goals.
4.1. Youth international career
Héldon was a gold medallist with the Cape Verde U-20 team at the 2009 Lusofonia Games held in Portugal. In this tournament, he showcased his scoring prowess by netting five goals, which included a remarkable hat-trick in a dominant 7-1 victory over India.
4.2. Senior international career
Héldon made his senior international debut for Cape Verde on 11 October 2008. He came on as a substitute during half-time of a 1-3 away loss against Tanzania in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. His first international goal came in his subsequent game, where he opened the scoring in a 2-0 friendly win against Malta on 4 September 2009.
He was a prominent figure in Cape Verde's 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, finishing as the country's top scorer. This included scoring two goals in a 4-2 victory over Liberia on 26 March 2011.
Héldon was part of the squad that participated in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. He played in every game as Cape Verde made a historic run to the quarter-finals. In their final group stage match against Angola, he came on as a 46th-minute substitute and scored a last-minute winning goal, securing a 2-1 victory that allowed his team to advance to the knockout stage for the first time.
He was also selected for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. In Cape Verde's opening game against Tunisia, Héldon won and converted a penalty to equalize, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Despite his efforts, Cape Verde was eliminated from the tournament after drawing all three of their group stage matches.
He continued to be a key player in various qualifiers, scoring a crucial goal in a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone in the 2014 World Cup qualification. In the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, he found the net against both Mozambique and Nigeria. His scoring contributions extended to the 2018 World Cup qualification, where he scored two goals against Kenya.
5. Honours
Héldon Ramos has achieved several team honors throughout his club and international career.
5.1. Club honours
- Fátima
- Segunda Divisão: 2008-09
- Al Taawoun
- King Cup: 2019
- Saudi Super Cup: Runner-up 2019
- Shabab Al Ahli
- UAE League Cup: 2020-21
- UAE President's Cup: 2020-21
- UAE Pro League: Third place 2020-21
5.2. International honours
- Cape Verde U-20
- Lusofonia Games: Gold medal 2009
6. Career statistics
Detailed statistical data for Héldon Ramos's club and international career are provided below.
6.1. Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Caniçal | 2007-08 | Segunda Divisão | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 21 | 0 | ||
| Fátima | 2008-09 | Segunda Divisão | 30 | 10 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 33 | 11 | ||
| 2009-10 | Liga de Honra | 17 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | 22 | 4 | ||
| Total | 47 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | 55 | 15 | |||
| Marítimo | 2010-11 | Primeira Liga | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| 2011-12 | Primeira Liga | 29 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 36 | 4 | ||
| 2012-13 | Primeira Liga | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 33 | 5 | |
| 2013-14 | Primeira Liga | 16 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 20 | 11 | ||
| Total | 82 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 108 | 21 | ||
| Marítimo B | 2010-11 | Segunda Divisão | 9 | 4 | - | - | - | 9 | 4 | |||
| Sporting CP | 2013-14 | Primeira Liga | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 10 | 1 | |
| 2014-15 | Primeira Liga | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | ||
| Córdoba (loan) | 2014-15 | La Liga | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 0 | ||
| Rio Ave (loan) | 2015-16 | Primeira Liga | 24 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 27 | 5 | |
| 2016-17 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| Total | 51 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 7 | ||
| Vitória Guimarães (loan) | 2017-18 | Primeira Liga | 26 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 34 | 6 |
| Career total | 262 | 40 | 17 | 8 | 18 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 314 | 54 | ||
6.2. International statistics
Scores and results list Cape Verde's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Héldon goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 September 2009 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta | Malta | 1-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 9 February 2011 | Municipal, Óbidos, Portugal | Burkina Faso | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 26 March 2011 | Estádio da Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde | Liberia | 1-0 | 4-2 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 3-1 | |||||
| 5 | 14 October 2012 | Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon | Cameroon | 1-0 | 1-2 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 27 January 2013 | Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Angola | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 7 | 15 June 2013 | Estádio da Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde | Sierra Leone | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2014 World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 14 August 2013 | Estádio do Real SC, Queluz, Portugal | Gabon | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 9 | 15 October 2014 | Estádio Nacional, Praia, Cape Verde | Mozambique | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 10 | 14 November 2014 | Estádio Nacional, Praia, Cape Verde | Niger | 2-1 | 3-1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 11 | 7 January 2015 | Estádio do Bravo, Seixal, Portugal | Equatorial Guinea | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 12 | 10 January 2015 | Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal | Congo | 2-2 | 3-2 | Friendly |
| 13 | 18 January 2015 | Estadio de Ebibeyin, Ebibeyin, Equatorial Guinea | Tunisia | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 14 | 17 November 2015 | Estádio Nacional, Praia, Cape Verde | Kenya | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2018 World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 2-0 |