João Diogo Fonseca Ferreira

João Ferreira is a Portuguese defender born in Póvoa de Varzim on 22 March 2001. He began developing at Rio Ave before joining Benfica’s academy in 2014, progressing through the Lisbon club’s youth system. Ferreira made his professional debut for Benfica B in 2019 and later reached Benfica’s first team in January 2021. He then gained senior experience on loan at Vitória de Guimarães and Rio Ave during the following two seasons. In January 2023, João Ferreira moved to Watford, before continuing his development with Udinese in Serie A and SC Braga in Portugal. At 1.85 metres, Ferreira can operate as a modern defensive player, combining physical presence with a willingness to tackle and distribute the ball forward. He is now part of Saint-Étienne’s squad, adding experience from several European football environments to the French club’s defence.