Cristiano (footballer, born 1990)

Cristiano Pereira Figueiredo (born 29 November 1990), known simply as Cristiano, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Slovak First Football League club FC Košice.

He played 80 Primeira Liga games for Braga, Académica, Belenenses and Vitória de Setúbal, while also representing three teams in Romania and having brief spells in Spain, Greece and Bulgaria.

Club career
Born in Munich, Germany to Portuguese parents, Cristiano started playing youth football with Académico de Viseu FC, finishing his development with S.C. Braga. He spent his first two years as a senior as the latter's third choice, also being loaned to F.C. Vizela who acted as the farm team.

Cristiano was signed by Valencia CF from Spain on 24 July 2011, being assigned to the B side in the Segunda División B. He appeared in just five games during his only season.

In summer 2012, Cristiano returned to Portugal and Braga, being again third string with the main squad and competing with the re-created reserves in the Segunda Liga. He made his debut as a professional on 11 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 away draw against S.L. Benfica B.

For the 2014–15 campaign, Cristiano went on loan to Académica de Coimbra of the Primeira Liga. He appeared in 28 games in all competitions, helping his team narrowly avoid relegation.

On 5 January 2016, having been deemed surplus to requirements by manager Paulo Fonseca as several other Portuguese players, Cristiano signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Greek club Panetolikos FC. He returned to his country one year later, going on to represent C.F. Os Belenenses and Vitória de Setúbal in the top tier.

Cristiano joined FC Hermannstadt on 4 July 2019. Two years later, he agreed to a three-year deal at CFR Cluj also from the Romanian Liga I. However, in January 2022 the free agent signed with FC Dinamo București still in that country and league. A year later, he moved to FC Spartak Varna of the First Professional Football League (Bulgaria).

On 11 January 2024, Cristiano joined FC Košice of the Slovak First Football League on a one-and-a-half-year contract.

International career
Cristiano won his first cap for the Portugal under-21 side on 9 February 2011, playing the second half of a 3–1 friendly win over Sweden in Cartaxo.

Personal life
Cristiano's younger brother, Tobias, is also a footballer. A defender, he played youth football at Sporting CP.