Carlos Manuel dos Santos Fortes (born 9 November 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Indian Super League club SC Delhi. Born in Portugal, he represented the Cape Verde national team.
Club career Braga Born in Charneca, Lisbon metropolitan area, Fortes started his senior career in Spain with Racing de Santander's reserves in the Tercera División. He then returned to Portugal after signing with Braga, being assigned to their B team and spending two full seasons in the Segunda Liga with them, scoring 11 goals in 2015–16.
Fortes played his only competitive match with the first team on 13 March 2016, featuring 90 minutes in the 3–0 away loss against Belenenses in the Primeira Liga. He split the 2016–17 campaign on loan, with Şanlıurfaspor (Turkish TFF First League) and Vizela (Portuguese second division); a permanent move was later agreed with the latter club.
Romania In the following years, Fortes plied his trade in Romania, appearing for Gaz Metan Mediaș and Universitatea Craiova. He scored his first goal in the Liga I and top-flight football on 23 July 2018, helping hosts Gaz Metan to defeat Concordia Chiajna 2−1.
Indonesia Fortes returned to Portugal and its second tier on 10 July 2020, joining Vilafranquense on a two-year contract. On 12 July 2021, however, he went back abroad and agreed to a one-year deal at Arema of the Liga 1 (Indonesia). He made his league debut on 5 September, starting in a 1–1 draw against PSM Makassar. He scored his first goal later that month, the game's only at Persipura Jayapura, totalling 20 over the season to help his team finish fourth in the table.
On 1 April 2022, Fortes moved to PSIS Semarang of the same country and league. He left the club through a letter addressed to the management in January 2024, citing the desire to be closer to his family as well as offers from the Middle East as the main reasons.
Later career On 2 February 2024, Fortes signed a short-term deal with Al Dhafra in the UAE First Division League. In June, he agreed to a one-and-a-half-year contract at China League One club Foshan Nanshi; he completed the 2025 season with Suzhou Dongwu in the same competition.
International career Fortes appeared with the Portugal under-20 team in the 2014 Toulon Tournament. On 25 March 2024, the 29-year-old was called up to the Cape Verde senior side to replace the injured Bebé in their 2024 FIFA Series squad. He won his first cap the following day, starting the 1–0 win over Equatorial Guinea.
Personal life Fortes' older brother, Fábio, was also a footballer and a forward.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsRacing Santander B2013–14Tercera División2310———2310Braga B2014–15Segunda Liga263———2632015–16LigaPro3611———3611Total6214———6214Braga2015–16Primeira Liga1000000010Şanlıurfaspor (loan)2016–171. Lig8141——122Vizela (loan)2016–17LigaPro124———124Vizela2017–18Campeonato de Portugal261020——2810Gaz Metan Mediaș2018–19Liga I19510——205Universitatea Craiova2018–19Liga I11030——1402019–20810061—142Total1913061—282IR Tanger (loan)2019–20Botola70———70Vilafranquense2020–21Liga Portugal 225210——262Arema2021–22Liga 13120———3120PSIS Semarang2022–23Liga 1173———1732023–242010———2010Total3713———3713Al Dhafra2023–24UAE First Division League141———141Foshan Nanshi2024China League One14800——148202511200——112Total251000——2510Career total30991111610032793
Honours Individual Liga 1 Goal of the Month: October 2021, February 2022 Liga 1 Best Goal: 2021–22
References
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