Orlando Sá

Orlando Carlos Braga de Sá (born 26 May 1988) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Belgian club Standard Liège as a striker.
After spending his early career with Braga and Porto, appearing sparingly for both, he travelled abroad in 2011, going on to represent clubs in England, Cyprus, Poland, Israel and Belgium and win the Ekstraklasa and the Polish Cup with Legia Warsaw.

Braga

Sá was born in Barcelos. He started his career in the youth ranks of S.C. Braga, and was promoted to the first team for the 2007–08 season only to be loaned immediately to lowly SC Maria da Fonte (third division).

Sá returned to Braga in 2008, making his Primeira Liga debut on 5 January 2009 by playing one minute in a 2–0 home win against C.F. Os Belenenses. On 7 March he scored his first goal in the competition, as a late substitute in a 2–2 draw at C.F. Estrela da Amadora.

During his period in Braga, Sá gained attention from English club Chelsea, but nothing ever materialized.

Porto

On 1 June 2009, Sá moved to league champions FC Porto for an estimated fee of €3 million. Braga retained 20% economic rights on any future transfer fee, with an additional 20% being held by unknown parties. Having arrived still injured from his previous club, he only made his competitive debut on 2 January 2010, starting in a 2–0 success at U.D. Oliveirense for the campaign's Taça de Portugal.

Sá spent 2010–11 on loan to C.D. Nacional, appearing sparingly due to injury and technical decisions. His highlight was scoring the winner in a 2–1 home win over S.L. Benfica on 21 August 2010, and he finished the season with six official goals, plus one for the Portuguese under-23.

Fulham

At the end of the 2011 transfer window, Sá joined Premier League club Fulham on a free transfer, with Porto retaining 25% of his economic rights. He made his official debut for his new team in a Football League Cup tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 21 September (penalty shootout loss), and first appeared in the Premier League against West Bromwich Albion three days later, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 away draw.

Sá scored his first and only goal for Fulham on 31 December 2011, putting the visitors ahead in the seventh minute of the tie against Norwich City, in an eventual 1–1 draw. Early into the season, he struggled with the pace of the English game, but went on to adapt physically after a few months in the country, also stating he was improving his ability in the English language.

Before the 2012–13 campaign started, Sá said he was going to improve at Fulham and told the club's official website: "I feel that this is a really important pre-season for me, I want to be really prepared ahead of the new campaign because I want this year to be my year. I hope that I can score more goals like the one I got against Norwich. That was a good moment for me and I hope I will have many more moments like the one I experienced at Carrow Road". On 30 June 2012, however, his contract was terminated by mutual agreement.

AEL Limassol

On 30 July 2012, Sá signed a three-year contract with AEL Limassol. He scored his first goal in European competition on 6 December, helping to a 3–0 home win against Olympique de Marseille for the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.

Sá kickstarted the 2013–14 campaign by netting five times in only three Cypriot First Division matches. Coincidentally, the three opponents that suffered his accuracy in the first round of matches, Ethnikos Achna FC, APOEL FC and Enosis Neon Paralimni FC, met the same fate in the second.

Legia Warsaw

Sá in action for Legia in October 2014

On 14 February 2014, Sá moved to Poland by joining Legia Warsaw on a three-and-a-half-year contract. He had arrived in Warsaw to undergo a medical the previous day.

Sá made his Ekstraklasa debut on 22 February 2014, in a 3–0 win over Górnik Zabrze. He scored his first goal on the last day of the regular season and contributed to a 3–1 success at Zagłębie Lubin, as the Legionaires eventually won their tenth national championship.

Reading

On 29 June 2015, Sá signed for Reading on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the club on 8 August in the season opener away to Birmingham City, having an added-time penalty saved by Tomasz Kuszczak in a 1–2 Championship defeat.

Sá scored his first goal on 29 August, heading home in a 3–1 away win against Brentford. In the following match, he hit a hat-trick in a 5–1 victory over Ipswich Town at the Madejski Stadium. He totalled five goals from 21 appearances across all competitions, with his presence eventually limited by new manager Brian McDermott.

Maccabi / Standard

On 26 January 2016, Sá signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. for an undisclosed fee. On 31 August, however, he joined Standard Liège for four seasons.

On 18 November 2008, in one of his first caps for the Portuguese under-21 team, Sá scored a hat-trick against Spain in a 4–1 friendly home win. Only three months later, he was surprisingly called up to the senior squad by coach Carlos Queiroz for a friendly with Finland, and replaced Hugo Almeida at the hour mark in an eventual 1–0 home win.

Sá married pop singer Teresa Villa-Lobos.

As of 14 July 2016

Porto

• Taça de Portugal: 2009–10

Legia Warsaw

• Ekstraklasa: 2013–14
• Polish Cup: 2014–15

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