Liedson's farewell.
171 goals later...
This isn't strictly a Portuguese NT post, but Sporting's game against Naval today (20:15 GMT/WET; 9:15am EST) will probably be Liedson's last game in the Portuguese Liga, in anticipation of his return to Corinthians in his native land of Brazil. It will also likely be the end of his short, but important spell at the NT. Regardless of what (if any) Portuguese club you root for, there's no denying that this man is a legend and has positively influenced the sport:
The bald figures are as follows:
Liédson has scored 171 goals in 312 games for Sporting, which equates to a strike rate of approximately 0.5 goals per game.
He was Sporting's top goal scorer for all seven of his full seasons, from 2003-2009.
At 63kg (138 pounds), he was the top scorer in the league in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007.
He scored two crucial goals in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, including one that saved the NT from the brink of elimination against Denmark.
He sits 6th on the club's list of all-time goal scorers, with only two players from the modern era (Manuel Fernandes and Rui Jordão) ahead of him.
Following the departure of João Moutinho in the summer of 2010, Liédson stood alone as a symbol of Sporting, at a time of upheaval. His slender frame meant that those long-rumoured offers from Europe's elite never materialised, yet in Portugal, he stands amongst the modern greats. And after Friday's home game with Naval, he'll be gone. He will be acutely missed.
Click to viewThis isn't strictly a Portuguese NT post, but Sporting's game against Naval today (20:15 GMT/WET; 9:15am EST) will probably be Liedson's last game in the Portuguese Liga, in anticipation of his return to Corinthians in his native land of Brazil. It will also likely be the end of his short, but important spell at the NT. Regardless of what (if any) Portuguese club you root for, there's no denying that this man is a legend and has positively influenced the sport:
The bald figures are as follows:
Liédson has scored 171 goals in 312 games for Sporting, which equates to a strike rate of approximately 0.5 goals per game.
He was Sporting's top goal scorer for all seven of his full seasons, from 2003-2009.
At 63kg (138 pounds), he was the top scorer in the league in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007.
He scored two crucial goals in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, including one that saved the NT from the brink of elimination against Denmark.
He sits 6th on the club's list of all-time goal scorers, with only two players from the modern era (Manuel Fernandes and Rui Jordão) ahead of him.
Following the departure of João Moutinho in the summer of 2010, Liédson stood alone as a symbol of Sporting, at a time of upheaval. His slender frame meant that those long-rumoured offers from Europe's elite never materialised, yet in Portugal, he stands amongst the modern greats. And after Friday's home game with Naval, he'll be gone. He will be acutely missed.