The player signed his contract for the 20/21 season at the Club’s offices this Thursday.
Beginnings in Portugal
Orlando Carlos Braga de Sá (Barcelos, Portugal, 1988), a striker of 1’88 metres tall, began his footballing career with Portuguese outfits AD Esposende (1999-04) and SC Braga (2004-07). In the 07/08 season, on loan to SC Maria da Fonte of Portugal’s II Divisao, he scored six goals in 26 matches.
Subsequently he returned to Braga where he formed part of the team that won the Intertoto Cup in 08/09, then the following year he signed to FC Porto, winning the Taça de Portugal 09/10. The prestigious Porto club loaned him out to CD Nacional de Funchal, in 10/11, where he ended his journey in the Primeira Liga.
Extensive experience in various countries
Sá signed to Fulham FC in the English Premier League in 11/12. Between 2012 and 2015 he played for Cypriot side, AEL Limassol (18 goals in 39 games) and Legia Warsaw, winning the League with the Polish club in 13/14 and the Cup in 14/15, during which he scored 13 goals that season in the league competition.
He retuned to the UK in 15/16, playing in the Championship with Reading FC (19 league games, five goals). In the second half of that season he signed to Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, ending as runner-up in the Israeli league.
From the 16/17 season until 19/20, with the exception of a brief spell in Chinese football (in 2018) with Henan Jianye FC, Orlando Sá settled in Belgium with historic Jupiler League outfit, Standard Liège. In the league he gave his best performances in 16/17 and 17/18, scored 24 goals in 45 matches.
International
Sá was a regular fixture in Portugal’s youth teams in the U-19, U-20, U-21 and U-23 categories. In addition, he reached the Portugal national football team, debuting in a friendly between Portugal and Finland (1-0, Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot) held in 2009.
