Francisco António Lucas Vital (born 27 June 1954) is a Portuguese former football forward and manager.

Francisco Vital
Personal information
Full name Francisco António Lucas Vital
Date of birth (1954-06-27) 27 June 1954 (age 70)
Place of birth Braga, Portugal
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1969–1970 Caldas
1970–1972 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1972–1973 Famalicão
1973–1974 Marinhense
1974–1977 Riopele
1977–1980 Porto 42 (11)
1980 Betis 13 (0)
1980–1981 Benfica 15 (1)
1981–1982 Boavista 21 (2)
1982–1983 Farense
1983–1984 Belenenses
1984–1985 Tirsense
1985–1987 Vizela 57 (17)
Total 148 (31)
International career
1971 Portugal U18 2 (0)
1975–1979 Portugal U21 6 (2)
1977 Portugal 1 (1)
Managerial career
1987–1989 Vizela
1990–1991 Joane
1991–1992 Marco
1992–1994 Caldas
1994–1995 Famalicão
1996–1997 Famalicão
1997 Sporting CP (assistant)
1997 Sporting CP
1998–1999 Penafiel
1999–2000 Naval
2000 Chaves
2000–2001 Fafe
2001–2002 Famalicão
2002–2003 Ribeirão
2004 Dong A Bank
2004–2005 Estarreja
2008–2009 Binh Duong
2012–2013 Dong Tam Long An
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Born in Braga, Vital spent all of his early career in the second division, mainly with G.D. Riopele. In 1977 he signed with FC Porto, going on to be irregularly played by the Primeira Liga club during his two-and-a-half-season spell and winning two national championships, contributing with a career-best 21 games and five goals in the 1978–79 edition.[1]

In January 1980, Vital moved to La Liga with Real Betis – his only abroad experience – returning to his country in the summer to join S.L. Benfica, with whom he won another league as well as one Portuguese Cup and one domestic Supercup. After spending the 1981–82 campaign with Boavista F.C. he returned to the second level, where he remained until his retirement at the age of 33, mostly with F.C. Vizela.

As a Porto player, Vital appeared once for Portugal, featuring 45 minutes in a 4–0 home win against Cyprus for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and scoring the third.[2]

Francisco Vital: International goals
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 November 1977 Estádio de São Luís, Faro, Portugal   Cyprus 3–0 4–0 1978 World Cup qualification

Coaching career

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Vital worked almost exclusively in the Portuguese lower leagues, his first stint being precisely with his last club Vizela.[3] In 1997–98, his only season in the top tier, he was one of four managers for Sporting CP – having started as an assistant with the team – winning one match, drawing two and losing one as the Lions went on to finish in fourth position.[4]

In the second part of the 2000s, Vital coached mainly in Vietnam, helping Đồng Tâm Long An F.C. return to the V-League in 2012.[5]

References

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