Gerso Fernandes
|
Gerso with Jeju United in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gerso Fernandes[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 February 1991[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau[1] | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Incheon United | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2009 | União Coimbra | ||
| 2009–2010 | Académica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2011 | Académica | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | → Tourizense (loan) | 25 | (3) |
| 2011–2016 | Estoril | 93 | (3) |
| 2014–2015 | → Moreirense (loan) | 25 | (5) |
| 2016–2017 | Belenenses | 14 | (1) |
| 2017–2020 | Sporting Kansas City | 107 | (18) |
| 2021–2022 | Jeju United | 69 | (13) |
| 2023– | Incheon United | 98 | (26) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:41, 24 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Gerso Fernandes (born 23 February 1991) is a Bissau-Guinean professional footballer who plays as a left winger for K League 1 club Incheon United.
Club career
Portugal
Born in Bissau, Gerso moved to Portugal in his early teens, joining União de Coimbra's youth system in 2004 at age 13. As a junior, he signed with neighbouring Académica de Coimbra where he went on to complete his development;[2] he did not play football for two years during his formative spell, after a priest from the charity facility where he was living advised him against the dangers of turning professional.[3]
Gerso made his debut as a senior with Tourizense in the third division, who acted as Académica's farm team.[4] Released in summer 2011, he moved to Estoril of Segunda Liga, contributing 20 scoreless appearances in his first season as the club returned to the Primeira Liga after seven years.[5]
Gerso made his debut in Portugal's top flight on 17 August 2012, playing 30 minutes in a 2–1 away loss against Olhanense.[6] He continued to be played almost exclusively as a substitute in the following campaigns by manager Marco Silva.[7][8]
For 2014–15, Gerso was loaned to Moreirense of the same league.[9] Ahead of the 2016–17 season, he agreed to a contract a fellow top-tier side Belenenses.[10]
Sporting Kansas City
On 4 January 2017, Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer announced the signing of Gerso from Belenenses on a three-year designated player contract, with an option for a fourth year.[11] On 17 May, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Seattle Sounders FC at Children's Mercy Park.[12]
Gerso helped the club to win the 2017 U.S. Open Cup.[13] He rejected an offer for a new deal at the end of the 2020 campaign, and was released.[14]
South Korea
On 16 February 2021, Gerso joined K League 1 club Jeju United.[15] In 2022, he earned a ₩1.7 billion salary, becoming the highest-paid player in the competition.[16]
Subsequently, Gerso signed for Incheon United in the same league on a free transfer.[17] During the 2023 season, he displayed top-class speed[18] while scoring ten goals and providing nine assists in all competitions to be his team's only player to be included in the K League Best XI.[19]
Gerso suffered relegation at the end of 2024, also dealing with injury problems.[20] Incheon were however crowned champions of the League 2 in the following campaign, and he was named Most Valuable Player in the process.[21]
Career statistics
- As of match played 23 November 2025[22]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Estoril | 2011–12 | Liga de Honra | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Primeira Liga | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | Primeira Liga | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5[c] | 0 | — | 26 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Primeira Liga | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 2 | |||
| Total | 93 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 112 | 4 | |||
| Moreirense (loan) | 2014–15 | Primeira Liga | 25 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 31 | 6 | ||
| Belenenses | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||
| Sporting Kansas City | 2017 | Major League Soccer | 32 | 8 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 38 | 10 | ||
| 2018 | Major League Soccer | 31 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 2[d] | 1 | 36 | 6 | |||
| 2019 | Major League Soccer | 25 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 6[e] | 4 | — | 32 | 7 | |||
| 2020 | Major League Soccer | 19[f] | 3 | — | — | — | 4[g] | 0 | 23 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 107 | 18 | 9 | 3 | — | 6 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 129 | 26 | |||
| Jeju United | 2021 | K League 1 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 5 | |||
| 2022 | K League 1 | 37 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 39 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 69 | 13 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 72 | 13 | |||||
| Incheon United | 2023 | K League 1 | 34 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 5[h] | 2 | — | 41 | 10 | ||
| 2024 | K League 1 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 7 | ||||
| 2025 | K League 2 | 37 | 12 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 37 | 12 | ||||
| Total | 98 | 26 | 2 | 1 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 105 | 29 | ||||
| Career total | 396 | 64 | 23 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 452 | 79 | ||
- ^ Includes Taça de Portugal, U.S. Open Cup, Korea Cup
- ^ Includes Taça da Liga
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ a b Appearances in MLS Cup playoffs
- ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
- ^ Includes three appearances in MLS is Back Tournament group stage
- ^ Two appearances in MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage, two appearances in MLS Cup playoffs
- ^ Appearances in AFC Champions League
Honours
Estoril
Sporting Kansas City
Incheon United
Individual
References
- ^ a b c d "Gerso" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "Juniores: Maiores com a ajuda dos grandes" [Juniors: Getting bigger with help from big clubs]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 November 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ Amaro, Miguel (21 January 2012). "Gerso: "Padre proibiu-me de jogar futebol"" [Gerso: "Priest forbid me from playing football"]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ "Atlético supera Tourizense nos penáltis" [Atlético overcome Tourizense on penalties]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 November 2010. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Estoril ganha e antecipa festa de subida à I Liga" [Estoril win and celebrate promoting to I League sooner than expected] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Olhanense entra a ganhar" [Olhanense have winning debut]. Jornal do Algarve (in Portuguese). 18 August 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Gerso será opção a Licá" [Gerso will be alternative to Licá]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ Chi, Vítor (10 September 2013). "Gerso: "Marco Silva tem um plano para mim"" [Gerso: "Marco Silva has a plan for me"]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ "Moreirense: Gerso chega por empréstimo do Estoril" [Moreirense: Gerso arrives on loan from Estoril] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ "Gerso mostra-se feliz com transferência para o Belenenses" [Gerso is happy with transfer to Belenenses] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Kovzan, Sam (4 January 2017). "Sporting KC signs winger Gerso Fernandes as a Designated Player". Sporting Kansas City. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ "Gerso Fernandes records hat trick in Sporting Kansas City's 3–0 victory over Sounders". The Seattle Times. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ a b Kovzan, Sam (21 September 2017). "Recap: Sporting KC crowned Open Cup champions with 2–1 win over New York Red Bulls". Sporting Kansas City. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ Bogert, Tom (20 January 2021). "Sporting KC's Peter Vermes gives updates on futures of Felipe Gutierrez, Gerso". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ 美 MLS 스타 제르소 영입...막강 측면 완성 [U.S. MLS star Gerso recruited] (in Korean). Jeju United FC. 16 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Kim, Sungjin (30 December 2022). '17억' 제르소, K리그 전체 '연봉킹'… 국내 1위는 김진수 [Gerso, who earned 1.7 billion won, is the K-League's highest-paid player... Kim Jin-su is the top earner in Korea] (in Korean). Football Asian. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ 인천유나이티드, '리그 최고의 크랙' 공격수 제르소 전격 영입! (in Korean). Incheon United. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ Ui-jin, Lee (12 October 2023). 9월 K리그1서 고재현이 최다 스프린트…최고 속력은 완델손 [Ko Jae-hyun had the most sprints in K League 1 in September, but Wanderson had the fastest speed] (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ Ji-won, Park (4 December 2023). 5년 만에 나온 '인천 베스트11'…제르소, 치열한 경합 끝에 주인공으로 [Incheon return to the Best 11 five years later, featuring Gerso as the main character after a fierce competition] (in Korean). Nate. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ Gwi-bin, Park (12 November 2024). 인천Utd의 추락… 매년 꼴찌권 허덕 [인천UTD, 2부 리그 강등①] [Incheon United's fall... Struggling to finish last year [Incheon United, relegation to the second division ①]] (in Korean). Kyeonggi. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ a b c "2025 K League 2 Awards: Incheon United sweep the major awards". OneFootball. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ Gerso Fernandes at Soccerway
- ^ "Five takeaways from Incheon United's title-winning season". OneFootball. 30 October 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ Ji-hwan, Paik (5 December 2023). "Ulsan's Kim Young-gwon wins K League 1 MVP". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
External links
- Gerso Fernandes at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- Gerso Fernandes at Major League Soccer
- Gerso Fernandes – K League stats at kleague.com (in Korean and English)