Quick Facts
Biography
João Daniel Mendes Real (born 13 May 1983) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Académica de Coimbra as a central defender.
Football career
Born in Covilhã, Real started playing amateur football with locals of A.D. Estação. In 2003, at the age of 20, he switched to city giants Sporting Clube, twice helping them promote to the second division.
In the summer of 2008, after a solid season – his second promotion – which brought him six goals in 25 matches, Real moved to the Primeira Liga, with Associação Naval 1º de Maio. His first year was quite unassuming, as he had to wait until 15 February 2009 to make his league debut, playing eight minutes in a 2–2 away draw against C.D. Trofense.
In the 2009–10 campaign, with Naval again retaining its top level status, Real appeared more, but remained a fringe player nonetheless. On 17 April 2010, he found the net in the club's 3–1 win at F.C. Paços de Ferreira, but also scored an own goal.
Real featured regularly for Naval in 2010–11, but the Figueira da Foz side was relegated after a six-year stay. In June 2011, he signed for Académica de Coimbra on a free transfer.