With news that exciting full-back Sidny Lopes Cabral has joined Benfica, the PortuGOAL Figure of the Week series returns with another Cape Verdean named Cabral who plies his trade for Estrela da Amadora.
Jovane Cabral pounced on two loose balls, slotting them away with class and composure as Estrela escaped from Famalicão with three points in a five-goal thriller.
Estrela now sit 10th in Liga Portugal, only losing to the top two, FC Porto and Sporting CP, since November.
Encouraging signs, although club president Paulo Lopo has confirmed that star player Sidny Lopes Cabral will represent Benfica from January.
The latest PortuGOAL Figure of the Week is already stepping up awaiting his counterpart’s departure from the ‘Tricolores’. Kevin Fernandes reports.
From Santiago to Sporting
Jovane Eduardo Borges Cabral was born on 14 June 1998 in Assomada, the Sotavento island of Santiago pertaining to Cape Verde.
He commenced his footballing career aged 9 at local side Grémio Nhagar, where his raw technical abilities and physical flooring impressed from day one.
In 2015, Sporting Clube de Portugal would bring Jovane to Portugal in relatively controversial fashion, not uncommon throughout Bruno de Carvalho’s turbulent reign as president of the Lions. Carvalho revealed to Record that their protocol with Batuque FC facilitated the move, later reportedly disproven by the same newspaper.
Regardless, Jovane’s quality was undeniable. Joining in the latter stages of the U17 season, Cabral scored more goals than games before being promoted months later to the Under-19 squad.
In the 2016-17 season, Jovane featured primarily for Sporting B in Liga Portugal 2, rejoining the U19s to secure the national championship at that level. One year later, he would make his first-team debut, and from 2018 onwards, Cabral never looked back.
Until mid-2021, Jovane was recognised as a promising super-sub, contributing to more goals than Luís Figo, Simão Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma and Nani in his first period in green and white.
He burst onto the scene as an athletic demon.
A powerful, irreverent dribbler. An exceptional, explosive ball-striker capable of surprising with his weaker left-foot.
A direct set-piece master.
While Benfica had João Félix to excite, Sportinguistas desperately wanted to believe in talents like Jovane post-Alcochete.
When Sporting won their first league title in more than a decade, Jovane contributed to 9 goals in 699 minutes, with intermittent waves of productivity due to constant injury woes.
The effects started to hit following domestic success at Alvalade. Injury was followed by unsuccessful loans to Salernitana, Olympiakos and Lazio, where Maurizio Sarri admitted that ‘he knew very little’ about Cabral upon his unsanctioned arrival.
Couple this with unsuccessful moves to Burnley and Valladolid, and Jovane’s career lost steam.
Rebirth at Estrela
In 2024, Cabral joined Estrela. After initial niggling injuries, lacking confidence, and switching between wide attacking and midfield roles while looking towards the 2026 World Cup where Cape Verde will feature for the first time, Jovane seems to be getting his career back on track.
Described as a ‘gym fanatic’, Jovane looks stronger, shaper and more engaged than ever in duels, while more responsible and mature, often carrying the weight of the captain’s armband for a beloved Portuguese football staple.
The redemption arc of Jovane Cabral is truly underway. PortuGOAL’s latest Figure of the Week is one to watch once again.
