Football has a way of pulling players back. Sometimes, it’s a legend for one last hurrah. Other times, it’s a familiar face returning to the field after a long absence. This week, the news broke: Yazalde is back in the game. He’s signed with Anadia, a club that competes in Serie B of the Campeonato de Portugal.
Do you remember Yazalde? Not the famous Argentine striker who played for Sporting in the 1970s. We’re talking about the Portuguese forward who really made his name at Rio Ave last decade. He was a constant threat, playing 162 matches in Portugal’s top football league. Now, at 36 years old, he’s back, three full seasons after his last professional match.
His last run ended with CSC 1599 Selimbar, a second-division club in Romania, during the 2021/22 season. Yazalde’s journey through football has been quite a ride. He started at Varzim, his first club. From there, he joined Rio Ave, then moved to Sp. Braga, Olhanense, and Beira-Mar.
His career also took him beyond familiar borders. He played for Astra Giurgiu in Romania and Qabala in Azerbaijan. He returned to Portugal for spells with Gil Vicente and Belenenses. Then it was back to Romania for Gaz Metan and Hermannstadt. Finally, he played for Najran in Saudi Arabia before his break. It shows his deep love for the game, a love strong enough to bring him back into action.