| João Gamboa | |
| Fullname: | João Pedro da Costa Gamboa[1] |
| Birth Date: | 31 August 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal |
| Height: | 1.87 m |
| Position: | Defensive midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Pogoń Szczecin |
| Clubnumber: | 21 |
| Youthyears1: | 2007–2010 |
| Youthclubs1: | Rio Ave |
| Youthyears2: | 2010–2012 |
| Youthclubs2: | Varzim |
| Youthyears3: | 2012–2013 |
| Youthclubs3: | Benfica |
| Youthyears4: | 2013–2014 |
| Youthclubs4: | Varzim |
| Youthyears5: | 2014–2015 |
| Youthclubs5: | Braga |
| Years1: | 2014 |
| Clubs1: | Varzim B |
| Caps1: | 4 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2014 |
| Caps2: | 1 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2015–2017 |
| Caps3: | 60 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2015–2017 |
| Caps4: | 8 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2017–2020 |
| Caps5: | 35 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Years6: | 2018–2019 |
| Caps6: | 4 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2019–2020 |
| Clubs7: | → Chaves (loan) |
| Caps7: | 18 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years8: | 2020–2022 |
| Caps8: | 63 |
| Goals8: | 6 |
| Years9: | 2022–2023 |
| Caps9: | 4 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Years10: | 2023 |
| Clubs10: | → Estoril (loan) |
| Caps10: | 17 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Years11: | 2023– |
| Caps11: | 29 |
| Goals11: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2011–2012 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2012 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2015–2016 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2017 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 15:06, 5 June 2024 (UTC) |
João Pedro da Costa Gamboa (born 31 August 1996) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Ekstraklasa club Pogoń Szczecin.
Born in Póvoa de Varzim, Gamboa was on the books of local clubs Rio Ave F.C. and Varzim S.C. as a youth, also having a year with S.L. Benfica. In 2014 he made his senior debut with Varzim's reserve team in the Porto Football Association's first division, and a sole first-team appearance in the third tier on 23 March in a 0–1 home loss against F.C. Tirsense.[2]
Later in 2014, Gamboa signed for S.C. Braga, still as a junior. He made his professional debut for the reserves in the Segunda Liga on 19 April 2015 as an 80th-minute substitute for Nuno Valente, in a 1–0 away victory over S.C. Olhanense.[3] On 23 May, in the last Primeira Liga round of the season, he played his first competitive match for the main squad as they won 5–0 at home to Vitória de Setúbal; he featured the last 15 minutes in place of Eder.[4]
Gamboa was a regular for Braga's reserves the following campaign, scoring his first goal on 17 February 2016 to win 2–1 at home to S.C. Farense.[5] On 29 June that year, he signed a five-year contract at fellow top-flight club C.S. Marítimo with teammate Rodrigo Pinho also making the move; several other players had already transferred in the opposite direction.[6]
On 21 October 2017, Gamboa scored his first goal in the top tier to give Marítimo the lead at Setúbal, who came back to win 3–1.[7] He was also sent off twice that season in away fixtures against Big Three teams: a second yellow card in the 39th minute of a 3–1 defeat at Porto,[8] and a straight red card the following 3 March in a 5–0 loss to Benfica.[9]
Gamboa spent 2019–20 on loan at G.D. Chaves in division two.[10] At its conclusion, he signed for two years at G.D. Estoril Praia in the same competition.[11] He scored six goals from 32 games in his first season for the champions, with the subsequent promotion.[12] [13]
Gamboa moved abroad for the first time aged 25, joining Oud-Heverlee Leuven of the Belgian Pro League on a three-year contract.[14] In the 2023 January transfer window, he returned to his previous club on loan.[15]
Gamboa represented Portugal at under-20 level, appearing in the 2016 Toulon Tournament.[16] [17] [18] He won his only cap for the under-21 team on 10 October 2017, in a 3–1 away loss against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2019 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.[19]
Gamboa's father Jorge was also a professional footballer who played as a winger. He too represented Braga.[20] [4]
Estoril