# Luís Neto

Luís Carlos Novo Neto (Portuguese pronunciation:; born 26 May 1988) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

## Club career

Born in Póvoa de Varzim, Neto joined his hometown club Varzim SC's youth ranks at the age of 10. He appeared for them in the second division, being a backup or third choice in four of his five seasons. His competitive debut came on 10 February 2007 in a 2–1 home win against S.L. Benfica in the sixth round of the Taça de Portugal, when he played two minutes.
In July 2011, Neto moved to Primeira Liga side C.D. Nacional on a free transfer. He immediately made an impact for his new team, and attracted interest from the likes of FC Porto and Arsenal during the following off-season. Italy's A.C. Siena eventually signed him, for €1.7 million.
Neto was a starter during the first half of the campaign, scoring his first goal in Serie A in a 1–3 home defeat against AS Roma. On 1 February 2013 he moved again, joining compatriots Bruno Alves and Danny at FC Zenit Saint Petersburg. He scored his first goal for the Russian club on 19 May, his team's first in a 3–1 home victory over FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod.
On 31 August 2017, Neto signed for Fenerbahçe SK in a season-long move. On 11 March 2019, Sporting CP announced that he would join them on a permanent three-year contract on 1 July. He made 22 appearances in his second season (28 in all competitions), as the latter won the national championship for the first time in 19 years.
Neto scored his first goal for Sporting on 26 November 2023, opening an eventual 8–0 home rout of Campeonato de Portugal side Dumiense CJPII Futebol SAD in the fourth round of the domestic cup; this was also his first career one in ten years. He contributed seven games during the league campaign to win another title.
After retiring in 2024 aged 36, Neto remained at the club as assistant manager to newly appointed João Pereira.

## International career

Neto appeared with the Portugal under-21 team at the 2009 Lusofonia Games. He played all four matches during the tournament, as they won the silver medal.
On 4 October 2012, Neto was called up for the first time to the full side, for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Russia and Northern Ireland. He made his debut on 6 February of the following year, partnering Zenit teammate Alves in a 2–3 friendly loss to Ecuador in Guimarães.
On 19 May 2014, Neto was named in the final 23-man squad for the tournament in Brazil, but played no games in an eventual group-stage exit. He was also selected for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup by manager Fernando Santos. On 2 July, in his only appearance in the latter competition, he scored an own goal against Mexico in the third place play-off (a 2–1 win in Moscow).
Neto was included in a preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 World Cup, but he did not make the final cut.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Varzim | 2006–07 | Liga de Honra | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Varzim | 2007–08 | Liga de Honra | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Varzim | 2008–09 | Liga de Honra | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Varzim | 2009–10 | Liga de Honra | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Varzim | 2010–11 | Liga de Honra | 28 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 2 |
| Varzim | Total | Total | 53 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 65 | 2 |
| Nacional | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 25 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 |
| Siena | 2012–13 | Serie A | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 1 |
| Zenit | 2012–13 | Russian Premier League | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Zenit | 2013–14 | Russian Premier League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 |
| Zenit | 2014–15 | Russian Premier League | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 |
| Zenit | 2015–16 | Russian Premier League | 22 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Zenit | 2016–17 | Russian Premier League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Zenit | 2017–18 | Russian Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 |
| Zenit | 2018–19 | Russian Premier League | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 |
| Zenit | Total | Total | 118 | 1 | 15 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 175 | 1 |
| Fenerbahçe (loan) | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2019–20 | Primeira Liga | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| Sporting CP | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Sporting CP | Total | Total | 68 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 107 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 297 | 4 | 45 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 418 | 6 |
* ↑ Includes Taça de Portugal, Coppa Italia, Russian Cup, Turkish Cup
* ↑ Includes Taça da Liga
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
* 1 2 Appearance in Russian Super Cup
* ↑ Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

## Honours

Zenit St. Petersburg
* Russian Premier League: 2014–15, 2018–19
* Russian Cup: 2015–16
* Russian Super Cup: 2015, 2016
Sporting CP
* Primeira Liga: 2020–21 2023–24
* Taça da Liga: 2020–21, 2021–22
* Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2021
Portugal
* FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2017
Individual
* Segunda Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2010–11