 Rolando playing for Portugal (2011) | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rolando Jorge Pires Fonseca | ||
| Date of birth | 31 August 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | São Vicente, Cape Verde | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Internazionale (on loan from Porto) | ||
| Number | 35 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2003 | Campomaiorense | ||
| 2003–2004 | Belenenses | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2004–2008 | Belenenses | 97 | (7) |
| 2008– | Porto | 110 | (7) |
| 2013 | → Napoli (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Internazionale (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2008 | Portugal U21 | 7 | (0) |
| 2009– | Portugal | 18 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 October 2013.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 August 2013 | |||
Rolando Jorge Pires da Fonseca (born 31 August 1985 in São Vicente, Cape Verde), simply known as Rolando, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Internazionale on loan from F.C. Porto, as a central defender.
Club career
Belenenses
After beginning his career in the youth ranks of lowly S.C. Campomaiorense, Rolando finished his football formation with Lisbon's C.F. Os Belenenses, which he joined at nearly 18. In his first divisiondebut, on 28 August 2004, he played 90 minutes and scored a goal in a 3–0 home win against C.S. Marítimo.
Rolando went on to become an essential defensive figure onwards, appearing in all 30 games in the2007–08 season as the club finished in eighth place.
Porto[
On 15 April 2008, F.C. Porto confirmed that Rolando had agreed to part ways with Belenenses and join them on a four-year contract.[1][2] In his first season he quickly beat competition from veteran Pedro Emanuel, partnering Bruno Alves in the centre and netting three times in 28 matches as thenortherners won the league and the domestic cup.
In 2010–11 Rolando rarely missed a game for Porto, who won another national championship. On 17 February 2011 he opened the score at Sevilla FC through a header, in an eventual 2–1 win for the season's UEFA Europa League,[3] which ended in conquest.
Rolando started the 2011–12 campaign in scoring fashion, netting both Porto goals in the season'sPortuguese Supercup, a 2–1 win against Vitória de Guimarães in Aveiro.[4] On 30 January 2013, completely ostracized by manager Vítor Pereira as practically all Portuguese players, he was transferred to S.S.C. Napoli in the Serie A, being loaned until June.[5]
On 10 August 2013 Internazionale confirmed the signing of Rolando, in a season-long loan with the option to make the move permanent afterwards.[6] He scored his first goal for the club on 27 October, contributing to a 4–2 home win over Hellas Verona FC.[7]
International career
Although born in Cape Verde, Rolando moved to Portugal at age of 14 and became a naturalized citizen in 2006, immediately starting playing for the nation's U-21s, for whom he appeared at the 2007 UEFA European Football Championship.
On 11 February 2009 Rolando was first called up to the full side but did not make his debut, in afriendly match with Finland in Faro (1–0 win). He was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but did not leave the bench.
