Player profile: Fabio Faria
Full name: Fabio do Passo Faria
Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 24 April 1989
Birthplace: Vila do Conde, Portugal
After a spell at FC Porto in his early teens, Fabio Faria came through the ranks at his home town club Rio Ave, making his debut against Feirense in a second division match in the 2007/08 season. Faria’s progress would be gradual in the extreme, however, as he only made three appearances in his first two years in Vila do Conde.
The left-footed Faria would appear to have all the tools to become a top quality defender. Very fast, strong in air and highly competitive, things began looking up for Faria at the start of the 2009/10 campaign. He became a mainstay alongside veteran, Gaspar, at the heart of Rio Ave’s defence. His highly promising performances led U21 coach, Oceano Cruz, to call him up for Portugal’s Euro 2011 qualifiers.
Curiosity
Fabio Faria is the son of a successful Belenenses striker, Chico Faria, who played in the 1980s and 90s. Fabio was a highly regarded basketball player as a young child and only after sitting down to a long discussion with his father did Fabio opt for football.
Faria continued to impress as the season progressed, as he became Rio Ave’s most utilised player that season. Yet it was a big surprise when Portuguese giants Benfica paid €2 million to bring the defender to the Estadio da Luz for the start of the 2010/11 season, on a four-year contract.
The centre-back saw little first-team playing time in his initial months at his new surroundings, as he continued to learn his trade training on a daily basis alongside the likes of Brazilian internationals David Luiz and Luisao.
by Dan Miguel
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