12

João Virgínia

Player Stats

Appearances
6
Clean Sheets
2
Saves
13
Penalty saves
0

Portuguese goalkeeper Joao Virginia signed for Everton from Arsenal in August 2018 and was a double winner with the Club's Under-23s in his debut campaign.


Indeed, Virginia's influence was etched through the Under-23s' twin successes. He recorded nine clean sheets in 12 Premier League 2 matches and was unbeaten in Everton's Premier League Cup semi-final and final victories over Swansea City and Newcastle United respectively.


Born in Faro, the keeper came through Benfica’s academy before leaving the Lisbon giants for Arsenal in 2015.


Virginia made a combined 22 appearances for the London club's Under-18 and Under-23 teams in 2017/18.


He was part of the Portugal side that beat Italy in the Under-19 European Championship final in Finland in July 2018.


Virginia has represented his country at every level from Under-16 to Under-21 and was in the Portugal squad which competed at the Rio Olympics in 2016.


The player joined Reading on loan for the first half of the 2019/20 season and made three appearances for the Championship club before returning to Everton in January 2020.


Virginia enjoyed a memorable month in September 2020 when he made his First-Team debut, starting Everton's 3-0 victory over Salford City in the Carabao Cup second round. And, days later, the Portuguese keeper penned a new four-year contract with the Club until the end of June 2024.


His advance into the senior picture gained pace when Virginia replaced the injured Jordan Pickford during the opening half of a Premier League game against Burnley on 13 March 2021.


Virginia was handed a second start seven days later, performing impeccably in a Goodison Park FA Cup quarter-final tie with a Manchester City team poised for its third Premier League title in four seasons.

In August 2021, Virginia returned to his homeland to join Sporting Lisbon on loan for the season. He recorded clean sheets in exactly half of his eight appearances and was on the winning side in seven of those matches, the sole defeat coming on Virginia's Champions League debut, in a group stage fixture away against Ajax.

In July 2022, Virginia completed a loan move to SC Cambuur to spend 2022/23 with the Dutch Eredivisie club.

Ahead of the 2023/24 season, Virginia signed a new two-year deal with the Club in July 2023.

Contracted until: June 2025