Deroy d'Encarnação Duarte ( ; born 4 July 1999) is a professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Bulgarian First League club Ludogorets Razgrad. Born in the Netherlands, he represents the Cape Verde national team.
Club career Sparta Rotterdam Duarte played youth football for Sparta Rotterdam. As the Tweede Divisie was reintroduced, he began playing regularly for Jong Sparta Rotterdam who had joined the Dutch football league system. In the 2016–17 season, he was on Sparta's first-team bench for a few games without making an appearance.
He made his professional debut for Sparta in the 2017–18 season, replacing Stijn Spierings in the 81st minute of a 3–0 away loss to VVV-Venlo. Sparta was relegated to the Eerste Divisie that season. However, he was part of the team that finished second and returned to the Eredivisie after winning the promotion play-off against TOP Oss and De Graafschap.
In the following 2019–20 season, he was mainly a substitute, with his brother Laros Duarte among the players ahead of him in the pecking order. However, he established himself as a regular starter in his fifth and final season at Sparta, during the 2020–21 season. His contract with Sparta expired in June 2021, with Duarte having scored a total of 13 goals in 115 appearances for the club.
Fortuna Sittard On 12 August 2021, Duarte signed a three-year contract with Fortuna Sittard, who acquired him on a free transfer from Sparta. Two days later, he made his debut in the season opener against Twente, which was won 2–1. On 26 February 2022, he scored his first goal for the club against Cambuur.
Ludogorets Razgrad In June 2024, he moved to Bulgaria, joining Ludogorets Razgrad.
International career Born in the Netherlands, Duarte is of Cape Verdean descent. He has represented the Netherlands 9 times at Under-19 level, but later was called up to represent the Cape Verde national team for a set of friendlies in March 2022. He debuted with Cape Verde in a 2–0 friendly win over Guadeloupe.
On 18 May 2026, he was called up by Cape Verde's head coach Bubista for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/articles/cabo-verde-squad-announcement-world-cup-bubistahttps://www.beinsports.com/en-us/soccer/fifa-world-cup-2026/articles/bubista-s-official-cabo-verde-squad-for-the-2026-fifa-world-cup-2026-05-19
On 3 July 2026, Duarte scored in the 59th minute of the Round of 32 match against Argentina, the reigning champions of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, equalizing the match at 1–1; it was his first international goal for Cape Verde, although, despite getting another goal afterward from Sidny Lopes Cabral, Cape Verde would lose to Argentina, 3–2, in extra time.
Personal life He is the younger brother of the footballer Laros Duarte.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsJong Sparta2016–17Tweede Divisie2912———29122017–18Tweede Divisie20———202020–21Tweede Divisie10———10Total3212———3212Sparta Rotterdam2017–18Eredivisie25310—413042018–19Eerste Divisie34500—403852019–20Eredivisie14020——1602020–21Eredivisie29410—10314Total1021240—9111513Fortuna Sittard2021–22Eredivisie33110——3412022–23Eredivisie26100——2612023–24Eredivisie28230——312Total87440——924Ludogorets Razgrad2024–25Bulgarian First League29140130104712025–26Bulgarian First League34250161105732026–27Bulgarian First League7000000070Total70390291301124Career total2853017029112134330
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsCape Verde20224020237020241102025602026101Total381
Scores and results list Cape Verde's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Duarte goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Deroy DuarteNo.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States371–12–3 2026 FIFA World Cup
Honours Ludogorets Razgrad Bulgarian First League: 2024–25 Bulgarian Cup: 2024–25 Bulgarian Supercup: (2) 2024, 2025
Cape Verde FIFA Series: 2024
References
External links