Cristian Ponde

Cristian Ponde
Personal information
Full name Cristian Ioan Ponde[1]
Date of birth (1995-01-26) 26 January 1995[1]
Place of birth Făurești, Romania
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Unirea Slobozia
Number 20
Youth career
2002–2005 Olhanense
2005–2014 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2018 Sporting CP B 88 (14)
2015 Sporting CP 0 (0)
2016–2017 → Covilhã (loan) 29 (6)
2018–2019 Karpaty Lviv 32 (7)
2020–2021 Grasshoppers 28 (5)
2021–2024 Farense 73 (15)
2024–2025 Marítimo 7 (0)
2025 → Feirense (loan) 12 (2)
2026– Unirea Slobozia 7 (0)
International career
2011–2012 Portugal U17 9 (1)
2012–2013 Portugal U18 10 (2)
2013–2014 Portugal U19 10 (8)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 March 2026

Cristian Ioan Ponde (born 26 January 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga I club Unirea Slobozia.

Club career

Born in Făurești, Maramureș County, Romania, Ponde emigrated to Portugal with his parents before his 10th birthday, and started playing football with S.C. Olhanense.[2][3][4] In 2005, he joined Sporting CP to complete his development.[5]

Ponde made his senior debut with the club's reserves on 24 February 2013, coming on as a substitute for fellow youth graduate Ricardo Esgaio for the final 14 minutes of a 5–1 home win against S.C. Freamunde in the Segunda Liga.[6] He scored his first goal as a professional on 30 March of that year, but in a 1–3 home loss to S.L. Benfica B.[7]

On 2 March 2014, during a second-tier game against S.C. Covilhã, Ponde contracted a serious injury to his right knee, going on to be sidelined for several months.[8] His only competitive appearance for the first team took place on 21 January 2015, when he played three minutes in a 3–2 defeat at C.F. Os Belenenses in the group stage of the Taça da Liga.[9]

For the 2016–17 season, Ponde was loaned to Covilhã.[10] He then took his game to the Ukrainian Premier League, where he represented FC Karpaty Lviv after signing a three-year contract.[11] He scored his first top-flight goal on 28 October 2018, contributing to the 5–0 away victory over FC Chornomorets Odesa.[12]

Ponde joined Grasshopper Club Zurich on 25 August 2020, on a one-year deal.[13] He returned to the Portuguese second division in summer 2021, agreeing to a one-year contract with the option of a further one at S.C. Farense.[14] He scored six goals in the 2022–23 campaign, adding six assists in a return to the Primeira Liga after a two-year absence.[15]

Ponde's first match in the top flight took place on 12 August 2023, replacing Elves Baldé at half-time of a 0–3 home loss against Casa Pia AC.[16] He scored his first league goal the following 18 May, but in a 1–3 home defeat to Portimonense S.C. in the Algarve derby.[17]

On 29 August 2024, Ponde signed with second-tier club C.S. Marítimo.[18] In the following transfer window, he was loaned to C.D. Feirense of the same league until the end of the season;[19] in July 2025, he left the former by mutual agreement.[20]

Aged 31, Ponde returned to his birth nation halfway through the 2025–26 campaign, on a contract at Liga I side AFC Unirea Slobozia.[21]

International career

Ponde represented Portugal at under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels.[22] He scored in his first appearance for the latter side, a 1–1 draw against Spain in a friendly tournament held in Hungary.[23]

Career statistics

As of 16 March 2026[24]
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting CP B 2012–13 Segunda Liga 5 1 — — — — 5 1
2013–14 21 1 — — — — 21 1
2014–15 11 2 — — — — 11 2
2015–16 LigaPro 33 6 — — — — 33 6
2016–17 18 4 — — — — 18 4
Total 88 14 — — — — 88 14
Sporting CP 2014–15 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Covilhã (loan) 2016–17 LigaPro 29 6 2 0 2 0 — — 33 6
Karpaty Lviv 2018–19 Ukrainian Premier League 21 6 3 1 — — 2[c] 1 26 8
2019–20 11 1 1 0 — — — 12 1
Total 32 7 4 1 — — 2 1 38 9
Grasshopper 2020–21 Swiss Challenge League 28 5 2 1 — — — 30 6
Farense 2021–22 Liga Portugal 2 29 6 2 1 0 0 — — 31 7
2022–23 30 8 2 0 3 0 — — 35 8
2023–24 Primeira Liga 14 1 1 0 3 0 — — 18 1
Total 73 15 5 1 6 0 — — 84 16
Marítimo 2024–25 Liga Portugal 2 7 0 1 0 0 0 — — 8 0
Feirense (loan) 2024–25 Liga Portugal 2 12 2 — — — — 12 2
Unirea Slobozia 2025–26 Liga I 7 0 — — — — 7 0
Career total 276 49 14 3 9 0 0 0 2 1 301 53
  1. ^ Includes Taça de Portugal, Ukrainian Cup, Swiss Cup
  2. ^ Includes Taça da Liga
  3. ^ Appearances in Ukrainian Premier League relegation play-offs

Honours

Grasshoppers

References

  1. ^ a b c "Cristian Ponde" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Puto encanta no Algarve" [Kid lights it up in Algarve]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 6 March 2005. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  3. ^ Gouveia, Ricardo (16 September 2019). "Made in: marca portuguesa estende-se a leste" [Made in: Portuguese brand expands East] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  4. ^ "Cristian Ponde, românul comparat cu Cristiano Ronaldo, s-a transferat la campioana istorică a Portugaliei! "Este un club mare"" [Cristian Ponde, the Romanian compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, has transferred to historic Portuguese champions! "It's a big club"] (in Romanian). Pro Arena. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Leões ambientam-se ao Goodison Park" [Lions getting accustomed to Goodison Park]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 February 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Sporting B-Freamunde, 5–1: Leões regressam aos triunfos" [Sporting B-Freamunde, 5–1: Lions return to winning ways]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 February 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Sporting B-Benfica B, 1–3: Dérbi marcado por expulsões" [Sporting B-Benfica B, 1–3: Derby marred by ejections]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 March 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Joelho deixa Ponde de fora durante 6 meses" [Knee leaves Ponde out for 6 months]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 March 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  9. ^ Barros, Carlos José (21 January 2015). "Azuis vencem "leões" ainda muito verdes" [Blues defeat quite green "lions"] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Sp. Covilhã apresenta ex-Benfica e recebe dois leões emprestados" [Sp. Covilhã present ex-Benfica and get two lions on loan] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Cristian Ponde rescinde com Sporting e ruma à Ucrânia" [Cristian Ponde cuts ties with Sporting and heads to the Ukraine]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  12. ^ ""Карпаты" на выезде поиздевались над "Черноморцем": видео голов" [Karpaty mocked Chernomorets on the road: video goals] (in Ukrainian). 24 TV. 28 October 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  13. ^ Schüpbach, Andrea (25 August 2020). "GC verpflichtet Ex-Sporting-Junior Cristian Ponde" [GC acquire former Sporting junior Cristian Ponde] (in German). Nau. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Farense anuncia contratação de Cristian Ponde" [Farense announce signing of Cristian Ponde]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 August 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Farense festeja subida à I Liga pelas ruas de Faro" [Farense take streets of Faro to celebrate promotion to I League] (in Portuguese). Algarve Primeiro. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Casa Pia vence Farense na estreia na I Liga 2023/24" [Casa Pia beat Farense in 2023/24 I League opener]. A Voz do Algarve (in Portuguese). 12 August 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  17. ^ Anjinho, Jorge (18 May 2024). "Farense-Portimonense, 1–3 Alegria portimonense congelou com o golo de Reisinho (crónica)" [Farense-Portimonense, 1–3 Joy from Portimão froze with Reisinho goal (report)]. A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Cristian Ponde deixa Farense e assina pelo Marítimo" [Cristian Ponde leaves Farense and signs for Marítimo]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  19. ^ Vasconcelos, Gonçalo (3 February 2025). "Marítimo empresta Ponde ao Feirense" [Marítimo loan Ponde to Feirense]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  20. ^ "Cristian Ponde rescinde com o Marítimo ao fim de uma época" [Cristian Ponde cuts ties with Marítimo at the end of one season]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 24 July 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  21. ^ Gafiuc, Justin; Șovei, Mihai (28 January 2026). "Două transferuri în Superliga » Era văzut „noul Ronaldo", dar acum ajunge în România" [Two transfers in the Superliga » He was dubbed the "new Ronaldo", but now arrives in Romania]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  22. ^ "Cristian Ponde: "Queremos o 1.º lugar do grupo"" [Cristian Ponde: "We want 1st place in the group"]. Record (in Portuguese). 18 November 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Sub-19 correram atrás do empate com Espanha (1–1)" [Under-19s chased draw with Spain (1–1)]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 October 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  24. ^ Cristian Ponde at Soccerway
  25. ^ "Saison 2020/21" [2020/21 Season] (in German). Swiss Football League. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.