Carlos Carneiro (footballer)


Carlos Paulo Martins Carneiro is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a striker, and director of football of F.C. Paços de Ferreira.
He played mostly for Paços de Ferreira during his 16-year senior career, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 172 matches and 24 goals over eight seasons and also representing in competition Vitória de Guimarães and Gil Vicente.

Playing career

During his early career, Paços de Ferreira-born Carneiro played for F.C. Paços de Ferreira and S.C. Covilhã, the latter in the third division. In summer 2003, after his second spell at Paços, he signed with Vitória de Guimarães, moving in January 2005 to fellow Primeira Liga team Gil Vicente FC.
Carneiro spent the 2006–07 season in Greece with Panionios FC, and began the following in England at Football League Championship's Walsall, signing on 17 July 2007 subject to international clearance. However, he left the latter side after having his contract terminated on 5 November, rejoining his first professional club in January 2008.
After an additional one and a half years at Paços, being irregularly used and almost always as a late substitute, the 33-year-old Carneiro left for F.C. Vizela in the third level. In January 2010, he joined F.C. Penafiel of the second tier.

Management career

In May 2010, after helping his last team easily retain their status, Carneiro retired from football and rejoined main club Paços Ferreira, as its director of football. Six years later, in the same capacity, he signed with C.D. Tondela.
On 20 May 2019, Carneiro returned to Paços de Ferreira still as a sporting director.