Alverca just unveiled its provisional team for the 2025/26 season. They showed off 28 players to their fans this past Saturday. What’s striking is that 26 of them are brand new faces.
The event took place in the city’s municipal garden. Fans from the Ribatejo region gathered to meet the players. This team will be led by coach Custódio Castro. It was a chance for everyone to connect.
This Alverca squad, heading into the Portuguese First League, is almost entirely fresh. Only two players from the promotion-winning side remain. Midfielder Diogo Martins is one. Defender João Pedro Talisca is the other, stepping up from Alverca’s B team. This means a huge rebuild is underway.
Eight of the new players are joining on loan from other clubs. This brings in some serious talent. Goalkeepers Mateus from Palmeiras and André Gomes from Benfica are examples. Defenders Bastien Meupiyou (from Wolverhampton), Gonçalo Esteves (from Udinese), and Kaiky Naves (from Palmeiras) are also loans. Midfielder Tomás Mendes (from Alavés) adds to the mix. Forwards Chiquinho (from Wolverhampton) and Marko (Marezi) Milovanovic (from Almería) complete the loan group.
The club’s home ground is still undergoing upgrades. José Miguel Albuquerque, president of Alverca’s Football Company, spoke about the stadium. He said they are working very fast. The goal is to be ready to host Sporting Braga in the second league match. “This club needed a big change,” he explained. “You will find a completely different stadium.” He promised continued improvements. “We want to keep making our home better,” he said. “That is the way to professionalism.” He also cleared up rumors. “Contrary to what was said, our stadium will be licensed,” he stated, “so we can host Braga in our home for the second match.”
Custódio Castro, Alverca’s new coach, called for unity. He asked the city and the fans to support the club. “The fans are one of our strengths,” he said. “You can expect a lot of hard work and ambition from us.” He believes in teamwork. “There is only one way for us to win,” he stressed. “Together, with the club and the city, we will give everything for Alverca.”
Provisional Alverca Squad for 2025/26:
- Goalkeepers: Mateus (ex-Palmeiras, Brazil), André Gomes (ex-Benfica), André Paulo (ex-Oliveira Hospital).
- Defenders: Kaiky Naves (ex-Palmeiras, Brazil), Isaac James (ex-Lorient, France), Talisca, Steven Baseya (ex-Strasbourg, France), Gonçalo Esteves (ex-Udinese, Italy), Kauan Gomes (ex-Maia Lidador), Lamine Ndiaye (ex-Saint-Étienne, France), Bastien Meupiyou (ex-Wolverhampton, England), IkKer Julian (ex-Azuriz, Brazil).
- Midfielders: Sabit Abdulai (ex-Botafogo, Brazil), Davy Gui (ex-Dijon, France), Alex Amorim (ex-Fortaleza, Brazil), Tomás Mendes (ex-Alavés, Spain), Gian Franco Cabezas (ex-Deportivo Cali, Colombia), Abderrahmane Soumare (ex-Nouakchott, Mauritania), Diogo Martins.
- Forwards: Léo Chú (ex-FC Dallas, USA), Marko (Marezi) Milovanovic (ex-Almería, Spain), Chiquinho (ex-Wolverhampton, England), Cédric Nuozzi (ex-Genk, Belgium), Junior Mendes (ex-Guingamp, France), Tiago Leite (ex-Fafe), Stéphane Diarra (ex-Lorient, France), Felipe Lima (ex-Flamengo, Brazil), Sandro Lima (ex-Atlético Goianiense, Brazil).
- Coach: Custódio Castro.