# Beto (footballer, born 1998)

Norberto Bercique Gomes Betuncal (born 31 January 1998), known as Beto, is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Everton. Born in Portugal, he represents Guinea-Bissau at international level.

## Club career
### Early years

Born in Lisbon of Bissau-Guinean descent, Beto started his senior career with amateurs União de Tires in the Lisbon Football Association, while working at KFC. In 2018 he signed with Olímpico do Montijo of the third division, finishing second in the scoring charts in his only season with 21 goals.

### Portimonense

Beto moved straight to the Primeira Liga on 3 June 2019, joining Portimonense on a four-year contract. He made his debut in the competition on 9 August, coming on as an 87th-minute substitute in a 0–0 home draw against B-SAD. He finished the campaign with a further ten league appearances, all from the bench.
Beto scored his first goal in the Portuguese top division on 8 November 2020, but in a 3–1 away loss to Porto. He added ten more during the season, best in the squad.

### Udinese

On the last day of the 2021 summer transfer window, Beto was transferred to Italian club Udinese on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy. He scored four times in his first ten Serie A appearances, helping his team earn six points in the process.
Beto netted a hat-trick in a 5–1 home win over Cagliari on 3 April 2022.

### Everton

On 29 August 2023, Beto joined Premier League club Everton on a four-year deal for a reported fee of around £25.8 million (€30 million). The following day, he made his debut and scored his first goal for the Toffees in a 2–1 victory at Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the EFL Cup. His league bow took place on 2 September, when he featured the entire 2–2 draw away to Sheffield United.
Beto scored his first goal in the league on 7 December 2023, closing the 3–0 win over Newcastle United at Goodison Park after playing the last minutes in place of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Twelve days later, he equalised 1–1 against Fulham in the League Cup quarter-finals and later converted his penalty shootout attempt, but the opposition advanced with a 7–6 victory.
As Calvert-Lewin was sidelined with a thigh injury, Beto enjoyed a run in the team as starter and made the most of it. On 12 February 2025, he put Everton ahead 1–0 in the 11th minute of the Merseyside derby against Liverpool, in an eventual 2–2 home draw.

## International career

In October 2022, Beto was named in a preliminary Portugal 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Two years later, he accepted an offer from Guinea-Bissau manager Luís Boa Morte to represent their national team. He won his first cap on 11 October, in a 1–0 away loss to Mali for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He scored his first goal on 19 November, equalising an eventual 2–1 home defeat against Mozambique in the same stage.

## Personal life

Beto idolised Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o as a child, and signed his name as "Beto'o". He named Beethoven's Ninth as his music to listen to before training.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Olímpico Montijo | 2018–19 | Campeonato de Portugal | 34 | 21 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 21 |
| Portimonense | 2019–20 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Portimonense | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 30 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 11 |
| Portimonense | 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Portimonense | Total | Total | 44 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 13 |
| Udinese (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 28 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 11 |
| Udinese | 2022–23 | Serie A | 33 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 10 |
| Udinese | 2023–24 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| Udinese | Total | Total | 62 | 21 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 65 | 22 |
| Everton | 2023–24 | Premier League | 30 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 37 | 5 |
| Everton | 2024–25 | Premier League | 21 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 8 |
| Everton | Total | Total | 51 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 62 | 13 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 191 | 64 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 210 | 69 |
* ↑ Includes Taça de Portugal, Coppa Italia and FA Cup
* ↑ Includes Taça da Liga and EFL Cup

### International

    As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2024 | 4 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 4 | 1 |
Scores and results list Guinea-Bissau's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Beto :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 19 November 2024 | Estádio 24 de Setembro, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | Mozambique | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |

## Honours

Individual
* Primeira Liga Goal of the Season: 2020–21