Claude Gonçalves

Claude Gonçalves
Gonçalves in 2021 with Ludogorets Razgrad
Personal information
Full name Joaquim Claude Gonçalves Araújo[1]
Date of birth (1994-04-09) 9 April 1994[1]
Place of birth Propriano, France
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Maribor
Youth career
2007–2012 Ajaccio
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 Ajaccio B 28 (1)
2013–2016 Ajaccio 75 (0)
2016–2018 Tondela 53 (0)
2018–2019 Troyes 15 (0)
2019–2021 Gil Vicente 57 (3)
2021−2024 Ludogorets Razgrad 74 (2)
2022 Ludogorets Razgrad II 3 (0)
2024−2026 Legia Warsaw 27 (1)
2026− Maribor 0 (0)
International career
2014 Portugal U20 5 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:56, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

Joaquim Claude Gonçalves Araújo (born 9 April 1994), known as Gonçalves, is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Maribor.

Born in France, he represented Portugal at youth international level.

Club career

Ajaccio

Born in Propriano, Corsica of Portuguese descent,[2] Gonçalves came through local AC Ajaccio's youth system. He made his Ligue 1 debut on 21 September 2013, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi in a 2–0 away loss against Stade Rennais FC.[3]

Gonçalves contributed 23 games – 14 starts – in his first season, but the club returned to Ligue 2 after finishing in 20th and last position.[4]

Tondela

On 20 June 2016, Gonçalves signed a two-year contract with C.D. Tondela of the Portuguese Primeira Liga.[5] He first appeared in the competition on 13 August, playing 34 minutes in a 0–2 home defeat to S.L. Benfica.[6]

Gonçalves appeared in 58 competitive matches during his spell at the Estádio João Cardoso.[7]

Troyes

On 30 August 2018, Gonçalves joined French second-tier side Troyes AC on a two-year deal.[8] His maiden league appearance took place on 26 October, when he replaced Yoann Salmier midway through the second half of the 2–0 away victory over Grenoble Foot 38.[9]

Gil Vicente

Gonçalves returned to the Portuguese top flight in summer 2019, agreeing to a contract at Gil Vicente FC.[10] He scored his first goal for the club on 19 October, closing the 2–0 defeat of F.C. Penafiel in the third round of the Taça de Portugal.[11] His first in the league came two months later, at home with Vitória de Guimarães (2–2).[12]

Ludogorets

In May 2021, Gonçalves joined PFC Ludogorets Razgrad of the First Professional Football League, with the deal being made effective on 1 July.[13] He won the Bulgarian Supercup on 17 July after beating PFC CSKA Sofia 4–0,[14] and at the end of his debut campaign was also crowned national champion.[15]

Gonçalves won a further two domestic leagues until the end of his tenure,[16] totalling 121 appearances and nine assists.[17]

Legia Warsaw

On 15 June 2024, Gonçalves signed a three-year contract with Polish Ekstraklasa club Legia Warsaw.[18] He scored his first goal on 25 July, closing a 6–0 home win over Caernarfon Town in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League in injury time.[19]

Gonçalves featured 60 minutes of the 4–3 victory against Pogoń Szczecin in the final of the Polish Cup.[20]

Maribor

On 6 July 2026, Gonçalves moved to NK Maribor on a two-year deal.[21]

International career

Gonçalves won the second of his five caps for the Portugal under-20 team[2] during the 2014 Toulon Tournament, featuring the full 90 minutes in the 2–0 group stage win over Mexico.[22]

Career statistics

As of match played 18 December 2025[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ajaccio B 2012–13 Championnat National 3 210————210
2013–14 Championnat National 3 20————20
2015–16 Championnat National 3 51————51
Total 281————281
Ajaccio 2013–14 Ligue 1 2301000——240
2014–15 Ligue 2 2702030——320
2015–16 Ligue 2 2502020——290
Total 7505050——850
Tondela 2016–17 Primeira Liga 2801010——300
2017–18 Primeira Liga 2500010——260
Total 5301020——560
Troyes 2018–19 Ligue 2 1500010——160
Gil Vicente 2019–20 Primeira Liga 2411020——271
2020–21 Primeira Liga 3324100——373
Total 5735120——644
Ludogorets Razgrad 2021–22 First Professional League 27020—14[c]01[d]0440
2022–23 First Professional League 19150—4[e]000281
2023–24 First Professional League 28150—16[f]000491
Total 742120—340101212
Ludogorets Razgrad II 2022–23 Second Professional League 30————30
Legia Warsaw 2024–25 Ekstraklasa 20110—11[g]1—322
2025–26 Ekstraklasa 7010—5[h]000130
Total 27120—16100452
Career total 3327251100501104189
  1. ↑ Includes Coupe de France, Taça de Portugal, Bulgarian Cup, Polish Cup
  2. ↑ Includes Coupe de la Ligue, Taça da Liga
  3. ↑ Eight appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ↑ Appearance in Bulgarian Super Cup
  5. ↑ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League, two appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  6. ↑ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League, eight appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  7. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
  8. ↑ Three appearances in UEFA Europa League, two appearances in UEFA Conference League

Honours

Ludogorets Razgrad

Legia Warsaw

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Claude Gonçalves" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 Vilas, Nicolas (13 September 2015). "Avant Portugal-France: ces Bleus qui ont la Seleçao dans le coeur" [Before Portugal-France: these Blues that have the Seleçao in their heart] (in French). Eurosport. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Rennes-ACA: 2–0" (in French). AC Ajaccio. 21 September 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  4. ↑ Erignacci, Perfettu (18 August 2014). "L'Aiacciu Académie livre le bilan de l'AC Ajaccio saison 2013/2014" [Ajaccio Academy makes summary of AC Ajaccio's 2013/2014 season] (in French). Hors Jeu. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "Claude Gonçalves é reforço do CD Tondela" [Claude Gonçalves is a CD Tondela addition] (in Portuguese). C.D. Tondela. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ↑ Salvador, Rui (13 August 2016). "Campeão nacional sai de Tondela com os três pontos" [National champions leave Tondela with three points]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Gil Vicente reforça-se com Claude Gonçalves" [Gil Vicente bolster with Claude Gonçalves]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 27 June 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "Claude Gonçalves signe deux ans à Troyes" [Claude Gonçalves signs with Troyes for two years]. L'Équipe (in French). 30 August 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Les Troyens s'imposent à Grenoble (0–2) grâce à Touzghar et Martins Pereira" [Troyens down Grenoble (0–2) thanks to Touzghar and Martins Pereira]. L'Est-Éclair (in French). 26 October 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  10. ↑ Mendes, António (27 June 2019). "Claude Gonçalves é reforço do Gil Vicente" [Claude Gonçalves is a Gil Vicente addition]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "Penafiel-Gil Vicente, 0–2: Minhotos seguem em frente" [Penafiel-Gil Vicente, 0–2: Men from Minho go through]. Record (in Portuguese). 19 October 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Gil Vicente FC e Vitória SC protagonizam jogo com quatro golos (2–2)" [Gil Vicente FC and Vitória SC star in match with four goals (2–2)] (in Portuguese). Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. 15 December 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "В Португалия: Лудогорец взе Клод Гонсалвеш" [In Portugal: Ludogorets sign Claude Gonçalves] (in Bulgarian). Gong.bg. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  14. 1 2 "Лудогорец хвърли як пердах на ЦСКА и взе Суперкупата ВИДЕО" [Ludogorets threw a big fart at CSKA and took the Supercup VIDEO] (in Bulgarian). Blitz. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  15. 1 2 Pombo, Nuno (19 April 2022). "Claude Gonçalves; "A primeira vez nunca se esquece"" [Claude Gonçalves; "One never forgets the first time"]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  16. ↑ Simões de Abreu, Alexandra (2 June 2024). ""Só o prémio de assinatura na Bulgária era mais do que recebi em dois anos no Gil Vicente. Pensei na minha filha. Mas vou voltar a Barcelos"" ["The signing bonus in Bulgaria alone was more than what I made in two years at Gil Vicente. I thought of my daughter. But I will return to Barcelos"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "Бонусите в Лудогорец са колкото заплатите за години в много отбори" [Bonuses in Ludogorets are as much as salaries for years in many teams] (in Bulgarian). Sport Live. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  18. ↑ "Claude Gonçalves zawodnikiem Legii" [Claude Gonçalves a Legia player] (in Polish). Legia Warsaw. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  19. ↑ Williams, Aled (25 July 2024). "Caernarfon hit for six by Legia Warsaw in Europe". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  20. 1 2 Papuga, Wojciech (2 May 2025). "Legia Warszawa zdobywcą Pucharu Polski! W finale wygrała z Pogonią Szczecin [WIDEO]" [Legia Warsaw won Polish Cup! They beat Pogoń Szczecin in final [VIDEO]] (in Polish). TVP Sport. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  21. ↑ Galiński, Tomasz (6 July 2026). "Oficjalnie: Legia pozbyła się niechcianego piłkarza. Ma już nowy klub" [Official: Legia got rid of an unwanted player. He already has a new club] (in Polish). Sportowe Fakty. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Torneio de Toulon: Portugal-México, 2–0" [Toulon Tournament: Portugal-Mexico, 2–0]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 May 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  23. ↑ Claude Gonçalves at Soccerway
  24. ↑ "Bulgária: Claude Gonçalves sagra-se campeão com o Ludogorets" [Bulgaria: Claude Gonçalves crowned champion with Ludogorets] (in Portuguese). CNN Portugal. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "Ludogorets é campeão pela 13.ª vez consecutiva e mantém maior série da Europa" [Ludogorets are champions for the 13th time in a row and continue to hold biggest European run] (in Portuguese). CNN Portugal. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  26. ↑ "Claude Gonçalves ganha a taça da Bulgária pelo Ludogorets" [Claude Gonçalves wins Bulgarian Cup for Ludogorets]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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