Ivanildo Fernandes

Ivanildo Jorge Mendes Fernandes (born 26 March 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Emirati club Ittihad Kalba.

Born in Portugal, he plays for the Cape Verde national team.

Club career
Born in Amadora, Lisbon metropolitan area of Cape Verdean descent, Fernandes joined Sporting CP's academy at the age of 18. He spent his first three seasons as senior with the reserves in the Segunda Liga, his maiden appearance in the competition taking place on 20 September 2015 in a 2–1 away win against S.C. Freamunde where he played the 90 minutes.

Fernandes scored his first league goal on 24 August 2016, in a 1–1 away draw with F.C. Famalicão. He finished the campaign with a further goal from 35 appearances, helping to a 14th-place finish. In November 2017, due to injuries to the defensive sector of the first team, he was called for a Taça de Portugal match against Famalicão, but remained unused in the 2–0 victory.

On 27 July 2018, Fernandes was loaned to Moreirense FC. He made his debut in the Primeira Liga on 19 August, playing the entire 2–1 win at C.D. Nacional.

On 31 December 2020, after serving subsequent loans at Turkish clubs Trabzonspor and Çaykur Rizespor, Fernandes joined Spanish Segunda División side UD Almería on loan for the remainder of the season. In the ensuing summer, he signed a permanent three-year contract with F.C. Vizela who had just been promoted to the Portuguese top division.

Fernandes agreed to a deal at newly-promoted UAE Pro League side Ittihad Kalba FC on 5 August 2023.

Portugal
Fernandes won his only cap for the Portugal under-21 side on 11 October 2018, in a 9–0 demolition of Liechtenstein for the 2019 UEFA European Championship qualifiers at the Rheinpark Stadion.

Cape Verde
After switching his allegiance in March 2023, Fernandes debuted with the senior Cape Verde national team later that month in a 1–0 away win over Eswatini in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.

Honours
Trabzonspor
 * Turkish Cup: 2019–20