Nilton Fernandes

Nilton
Personal information
Full name	Nilton Rogério Cardoso Fernandes
Date of birth	7 March 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Brava, Cape Verde
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1993–1997	Boavista
Senior career*
Years	Team
1997–2000	Boavista
1997–1998	→ Gondomar (loan)
1998–1999	→ Esposende (loan)
2000–2001	Aves
2001–2002	Gil Vicente
2002–2003	Marco
2003–2004	Salgueiros
2004–2006	Penafiel
2006–2007	Koper
2007–2008	Ethnikos Achna
2008–2009	Maribor
2009–2010	Chernomorets Burgas
2010–2011	Akritas Chlorakas
2012	Ironi Bat Yam
Total
International career
?–?	Cape Verde
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nilton Rogério Cardoso Fernandes (born 7 March 1979), known simply as Nilton, is a Cape Verdean former footballer who played as a midfielder.

He spent most of his career in Portugal, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 110 games and one goal with four teams.

Club career

Born in the island of Brava, Nilton played youth football with Portuguese club Boavista FC, who loaned him to Gondomar S.C. and AD Esposende to kickstart his senior career. Upon his return, he appeared in 12 Primeira Liga games in the 1999–2000 season, helping to a fourth-place finish.

In the following years, Nilton alternated between the top division and the Segunda Liga, representing C.D. Aves (where he scored his first goal, contributing to a 3–2 home win against C.F. Estrela da Amadora on 13 May 2001 as his team was eventually relegated), Gil Vicente FC, F.C. Marco, S.C. Salgueiros and F.C. Penafiel. He left the country in the 2006 summer, scoring a career-best six goals for FC Koper and winning the Slovenian Football Cup.