Delfim Teixeira

Delfim José Fernandes Rola Teixeira (born 5 February 1977), known simply as Delfim, is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Delfim
Personal information
Full name Delfim José Fernandes Rola Teixeira
Date of birth (1977-02-05) 5 February 1977
Place of birth Amarante, Portugal
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1987–1992 Amarante
1992–1996 Boavista
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1998 Boavista 16 (1)
1996–1997 → Aves (loan) 29 (3)
1998–2001 Sporting CP 58 (7)
2001–2006 Marseille 33 (1)
2005 → Moreirense (loan) 7 (0)
2006 Young Boys 10 (0)
2007–2008 Naval 32 (1)
2008–2009 Trofense 20 (0)
Total 205 (13)
International career
1994 Portugal U17 3 (0)
1994 Portugal U18 1 (0)
1996–1998 Portugal U20 14 (4)
1997–1999 Portugal U21 15 (4)
2001 Portugal B 1 (0)
2000 Portugal 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

In a career marred by injury problems, he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 133 games and nine goals over as many seasons, in representation of five clubs. The owner of a powerful shot, he also competed professionally in France and Switzerland.[1]

Club career

Delfim was born in Amarante, Porto District. After making his Primeira Liga debut aged 19 with Boavista F.C. he signed for Sporting CP, being an essential midfield player alongside Aldo Duscher in the latter club's 1999–2000 league conquest, after an 18-year drought.[2][3]

In 2001, Delfim moved to Olympique de Marseille in France, but also began an excruciating battle with injuries, appearing very rarely for the Ligue 1 side and almost retiring from football.[4][5][2] In January 2002 he was reunited with former Sporting teammate Dimas[6] and, after an unassuming stint with BSC Young Boys,[7] eventually returned to Portugal.[2]

Delfim was able to revive his career in the 2007–08 season, being very important as Associação Naval 1º de Maio retained their status in the main division; on 27 April 2008, his long-distance shot was the only goal of the home fixture against his former employers Boavista.[8] For the following campaign he joined top-tier newcomers C.D. Trofense,[9][10] retiring at the age of 32 after his team suffered relegation.[2]

International career

Delfim earned his only full cap for Portugal on 15 November 2000, playing the entire 2–1 friendly win over Israel in Braga.[2]

Honours

Boavista

Sporting CP

Marseille

References
  1. A vida de Delfim dava um filme... com final feliz (Life of Delfim would make a movie... with a happy end); Rádio Renascença, 9 July 2015 (in Portuguese)
  2. Delfim: a glória em Alvalade e a lesão que quase lhe matou o sonho (Delfim: the glory at Alvalade and the injury that nearly killed his dream); Mais Futebol, 12 March 2014 (in Portuguese)
  3. Delfim: “Contra todas as perspetivas e dados estatísticos, depois de três anos parado, voltei a jogar. Com quatro parafusos nas costas” (Delfim: "Against all odds and statistical data, after three years out, I played again. With four screws in my back"); Expresso, 11 February 2018 (in Portuguese)
  4. La deuxième vie de Delfim (Delfim's second life); Maxi Foot, 23 November 2005 (in French)
  5. Delfim en accéléré (Delfim gains speed); Eurosport, 15 December 2005 (in French)
  6. França: Marselha de Dimas e Delfim volta a perder (Dimas and Delfim's Marseille lose again); Mais Futebol, 24 February 2002 (in Portuguese)
  7. Ein Portugiese für YB (A Portuguese for YB); Fussball.ch, 9 June 2006 (in German)
  8. Naval-Boavista, 1–0 (crónica) (Naval-Boavista, 1–0 (report)); Mais Futebol, 27 April 2008 (in Portuguese)
  9. Delfim reforça o meio-campo (Delfim bolsters midfield); Record, 26 June 2008 (in Portuguese)
  10. Trofense: Delfim foi operado ao joelho (Trofense: Delfim underwent knee surgery); Mais Futebol, 25 March 2009 (in Portuguese)
  11. "Marseille 5–1 Deportivo (Aggregate: 5–3)". UEFA. 23 August 2005. Archived from the original on 31 May 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
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