Sidny Lopes Cabral
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 September 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Benfica | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2020 | FC Twente | ||
| 2021 | Helsingborg | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Rot-Weiß Erfurt | 49 | (3) |
| 2024–2025 | Viktoria Köln | 46 | (1) |
| 2025–2026 | Estrela da Amadora | 15 | (5) |
| 2026– | Benfica | 7 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Cape Verde | 6 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:34, 21 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:30, 8 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Sidny Lopes Cabral (born 18 September 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Primeira Liga club Benfica. Born in the Netherlands, he plays for the Cape Verde national team.
Early life
As a youth player, Cabral joined the youth academy of Swedish side Helsingborg. He was regarded as a bright prospect whilst playing for the club's youth team.[1]
Club career
In 2024, Cabral signed for German side Viktoria Köln. He was described as a key part of the club's newfound defensive stability.[2]
In the summer of 2025, Cabral moved to Portugal, signing a three-year contract through to 2028 with Primeira Liga club Estrela da Amadora. Cabral became an offensive weapon for his new club in his debut season, registering 5 goals and providing 2 assists in the league, the highlight being a hat-trick scored in a game away at Casa Pia. [3]
After impressing during the first half of the season with Estrela, on 30 December 2025, Cabral joined fellow Primeira Liga side Benfica, signing a contract until June 2030 for a reported fee of €6 million, which could rise to €8.5 million with add-ons.[4][5] He made his debut on 4 January 2026, coming on as a substitute during the second half and assisting Vangelis Pavlidis for his hat-trick goal in a 3–1 league victory over Estoril at the Estádio da Luz.[6] On 25 January, Cabral scored his first goal for Benfica, the third in a 4–0 league victory over his former club Estrela da Amadora.[7]
International career
Cabral is a Cape Verde international. He was first called up to the Cape Verde national team for a friendly against Comoros in 2023.[8]
Cabral scored his first international goal on 29 May 2025 in a friendly against Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium.[9]
Style of play
Cabral mainly operates as a defender. He can operate as a left-back or right-back.
Personal life
Cabral was born in 2003 in the Netherlands. He is the younger brother of Cape Verde international Rodny Lopes Cabral.[10]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 25 February 2026[11]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rot-Weiß Erfurt | 2021–22 | NOFV-Oberliga Süd | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Regionalliga Nordost | 23 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 23 | 1 | |||||
| 2023–24 | Regionalliga Nordost | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 49 | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 52 | 3 | |||||
| Viktoria Köln | 2023–24 | 3. Liga | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | 3. Liga | 29 | 1 | — | — | — | 3[b] | 2 | 32 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 50 | 3 | ||||
| Estrela da Amadora | 2025–26 | Primeira Liga | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 5 | |||
| Benfica | 2025–26 | Primeira Liga | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |
| Career total | 117 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 129 | 12 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Thuringian Cup
- ^ a b Appearances in Middle Rhine Cup
International
- As of match played 8 October 2025[12]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | |
| Total | 6 | 2 | |
- Scores and results list Cape Verde's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cabral goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 May 2025 | Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Malaysia | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 8 October 2025 | Tripoli Stadium, Tripoli, Libya | Libya | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
References
- ^ "De 15 största talangerna i HIF: Snart kommer flera starka årgångar". gasetten.se.
- ^ "Die neue Stabilität des FC Viktoria Köln". ksta.de.
- ^ "Sidny Cabral é reforço do Estrela da Amadora" [Sidny Cabral is a Estrela da Amadora reinforcement] (in European Portuguese). Estrela da Amadora. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Lopes Cabral é reforço do Benfica!" [Lopes Cabral is a Benfica reinforcement!] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 30 December 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ "Benfica: o valor da cláusula de rescisão de Sidny Cabral" [Benfica: Sidny Cabral's release clause value] (in Portuguese). A Bola. 30 December 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ "Sidny e a estreia no Benfica: «Nem sei que dizer!»" [Sidny and the debut for Benfica: «I don't even know what to say!»]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 3 January 2026. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ^ "Lopes Cabral fez primeiro golo pelo Benfica contra... o Estrela: «Foi um bocadinho estranho»" [Lopes Cabral scored first goal for Benfica against... Estrela: «It was a little bit weird»]. SAPO (in Portuguese). 25 January 2026. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ^ "Sidny Cabral vom FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt vor Debüt im Nationaltrikot". thueringer-allgemeine.de.
- ^ Sidny Lopes Cabral at National-Football-Teams.com
- ^ "Afvaller van FC Twente duikt op bij zesvoudig kampioen: 'Kippenvel'". voetbalzone.nl.
- ^ Sidny Lopes Cabral at Soccerway
- ^ "Sidny Lopes Cabral". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
External links
- Sidny Lopes Cabral at National-Football-Teams.com