João Rangel

João Rangel
Personal information
Full name João António Soares Rangel[1]
Date of birth (2001-07-17) 17 July 2001[1]
Place of birth Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Leiston
Youth career
2009–2017 Norwich City
2017–2019 Barnsley
2018–2019Mansfield Town (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Académica B
2020–2021 A.D. Nogueirense
2021 Gainsborough Trinity
2021–2022 Pontefract Collieries 19 (1)
2022–2023 Kings Lynn Town
2022Wisbech Town (loan)
2022Barton Town (loan)
2023 Gorleston
2023–2024 Wroxham 3 (1)
2024–2025 Lowestoft Town 37 (7)
2025– Leiston 27 (7)
International career
2025– Timor-Leste 2 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14:00, 12 February 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 14:00, 12 February 2026 (UTC)

João António Soares Rangel (born 17 July 2001) is an Timorese semi-professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Southern League Premier Division Central club Leiston and the Timor-Leste national football team.

Career

Non League

Rangel signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity on 10 August 2021.[2] Rangel played for Northern Premier League Division One East side Pontefract Collieries during the 2021–22 season.[3] João signed for Kings Lynn Town on 28 September 2022.[4] Rangel signed for Barton Town on loan on 22 November 2022.[5] João signed for Gorleston for the remainder of the season on 6 March 2023, following the termination of his Kings Lynn Town contract.[6] Rangel signed for Lowestoft Town on 2 September 2024. [7][8] Rangel signed for Southern League Premier Division Central side Leiston on 25 June 2025.[9] João made his debut for Leiston on 9 August 2025, in the opening day of the 2025–26 Southern League Premier Division Central season, scoring and assisting in 2-2 draw.[10]

International career

Timor-Leste

Rangel made his debut for Timor-Leste on in a 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification fixture at home to the Philippines on 9 October 2025, João came on as a 60th minute substitute for Mouzinho, Philippines ran out 4-1 winners.[11][12] Rangel scored his first goal for Timor-Leste during his second match, the reverse fixture against the Philippines on 14 October 2025, João scored what turned out to be a consolation for Timor-Leste in the added on time in the first half, it actually gave Timor-Leste the lead in the match, but they eventually went on to lose 3-1, with Rangel later been substituted for João Pedro on the 82nd minute.[13][14]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 February 2026
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Pontefract Collieries 2021–22[3] Northern Premier League Division One East 19 1 0 0 2[a][b] 0 21 1
Wroxham 2024–25[8] Isthmian League North Division 3 1 3 1 0 0 6 2
Lowestoft Town 2024–25[8] Southern League Premier Central 37 7 0 0 2[c][d] 0 39 7
Leiston 2025–26[8] 27 7 3 0 2[e][f] 0 31 6
Career total 143 34 9 2 0 0 11 3 163 39
  1. ^ One Appearance in FA Trophy
  2. ^ One Appearance in West Riding County Cup
  3. ^ One Appearance in FA Trophy
  4. ^ One Appearance in Suffolk Premier Cup
  5. ^ One Appearance in Suffolk Premier Cup
  6. ^ One Appearance in FA Trophy

References

  1. ^ a b c "J. Rangel". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Joao Antonio Soares Rangel is Blue". www.gainsboroughtrinity.com. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Pontefract Collieries – Appearances – Joao Rangel – 2021-2022". www.footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Under 23s – New Signings". www.kltown.co.uk. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Swans sign João Rangel on loan". bartontownfc.co.uk. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Rangel Joins The Greens". gorlestonfc.com. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  7. ^ "New signings strengthen The Trawlerboys". www.lowestofttownfc.co.uk. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "João Rangel". aylesburyunitedarchive.com. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  9. ^ "New man Joao looking to make things happen". www.leistonfc.co.uk. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Leiston 2-2 Halesowen Town". www.leistonfc.co.uk. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  11. ^ "Qualifiers - Group A: Timor-Leste 1-4 Philippines". www.the-afc.com. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Timor-Leste 1-4 Philippines". www.national-football-teams.com. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Qualifiers - Group A: Philippines 3-1 Timor-Leste". www.the-afc.com. 14 October 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  14. ^ "Philippines 3-1 Timor-Leste". www.national-football-teams.com. 14 October 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2025.