| Marco Paixão | |
| Fullname: | Marco Filipe Lopes Paixão[1] |
| Birth Date: | 19 September 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Sesimbra, Portugal |
| Height: | 1.85 m |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | Bandırmaspor |
| Clubnumber: | 29 |
| Youthyears1: | 1994–1995 |
| Youthclubs1: | Alfarim |
| Youthyears2: | 1995–2003 |
| Youthclubs2: | Sesimbra |
| Years1: | 2003–2005 |
| Years2: | 2005–2006 |
| Caps2: | 9 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2006–2007 |
| Caps3: | 37 |
| Goals3: | 9 |
| Years4: | 2007–2008 |
| Caps4: | 38 |
| Goals4: | 9 |
| Years5: | 2008–2009 |
| Caps5: | 33 |
| Goals5: | 13 |
| Years6: | 2009–2011 |
| Caps6: | 51 |
| Goals6: | 6 |
| Years7: | 2012 |
| Caps7: | 16 |
| Goals7: | 3 |
| Years8: | 2012–2013 |
| Caps8: | 31 |
| Goals8: | 15 |
| Years9: | 2013–2015 |
| Caps9: | 57 |
| Goals9: | 27 |
| Years10: | 2015 |
| Caps10: | 3 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Years11: | 2016–2018 |
| Caps11: | 66 |
| Goals11: | 34 |
| Years12: | 2018–2023 |
| Caps12: | 174 |
| Goals12: | 104 |
| Years13: | 2024 |
| Caps13: | 17 |
| Goals13: | 10 |
| Years14: | 2024– |
| Caps14: | 9 |
| Goals14: | 3 |
| Club-Update: | 11:52, 24 October 2024 (UTC) |
Marco Filipe Lopes Paixão (born 19 September 1984) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Turkish club Bandırmaspor.
Born in Sesimbra, Setúbal District, Paixão spent his early career in Portugal and Spain, playing with lowly teams in both countries – his hometown's G.D. Sesimbra, FC Porto B,[2] CD Guijuelo, Logroñés CF and Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa.
In 2007–08, he suffered relegation from Segunda División B with Logroñés, and in the following season scored 13 goals for Leonesa.[3]
Paixão's first taste of professional football came in 2009 as he signed for Scottish Premier League club Hamilton Academical on 6 August, alongside twin brother Flávio.[4] He made his league debut late in the month, against Aberdeen.[5]
On 11 April 2011, it was announced that Paixão would leave at the end of the campaign.[6] However, just three days later, he was released from his contract with immediate effect, alongside his sibling.[7] He appeared in 56 official matches for the Accies, scoring six goals.
On 5 January 2012, Paixão joined his brother in Iran after signing with Naft Tehran F.C. until the end of the season.[8] He made his debut in a 3–1 home loss against Foolad F.C. five days later,[9] scoring his first goal in a 1–0 win over Malavan F.C. on 8 February.[10]
In the summer of 2012, Paixão joined Cypriot side Ethnikos Achna FC. He netted his first goal for his new club on 3 November, in a 1–1 draw at AEL Limassol.[11]
In June 2013, Paixão signed a two-year contract with Śląsk Wrocław in Poland.[12] He scored a career-best 21 goals in 2013–14, but his team could only qualify for the relegation play-offs.[13]
In June 2015, Paixão put pen to paper to a two-year deal at AC Sparta Prague.[14] The following January, after being barely used by the Czech club, he returned to the Ekstraklasa with Lechia Gdańsk after agreeing to a two-and-a-half-year contract;[15] his twin joined him a month later.[16]
Paixão concluded the 2016–17 season with hat-tricks in 4–0 home wins over Jagiellonia Białystok and Pogoń Szczecin. This brought his final tally to 18, joint with Lech Poznań's Marcin Robak as the top scorer.[17]
In March 2018, Paixão was removed from the first team when manager Piotr Stokowiec accused him of feigning an injury,[18] and when his contract expired in June, he moved to Altay S.K. in the TFF First League.[19] He was top scorer in his first season with the İzmir-based team, netting 29 times in 33 games.[20]
In December 2023 Paixão signed for Şanlıurfaspor also of the Turkish second tier, with effect from January 2024.[21] [22]
During their spell in Poland, both Paixão and his sibling were repeatedly poised to be called up to the Portugal national team, but nothing came of it.[23]
Paixão's twin brother Flávio was also a footballer, Marco being the older by five minutes.[24]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Hamilton Academical | 2009–10 | Scottish Premier League | 33 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 51 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 7 | |||
| Naft Tehran | 2011–12 | Persian Gulf Cup | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 3 | |||
| Ethnikos Achna | 2012–13 | Cypriot First Division | 31 | 15 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 15 | |||
| Śląsk Wrocław | 2013–14 | Ekstraklasa | 37 | 21 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 5 | 44 | 26 | ||
| 2014–15 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 7 | |||||
| Total | 57 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 66 | 33 | |||
| Sparta Prague | 2015–16 | Czech First League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Lechia Gdańsk | 2015–16 | Ekstraklasa | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2016–17 | 35 | 18 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 18 | |||||
| 2017–18 | 27 | 16 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 16 | |||||
| Total | 65 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 34 | |||
| Altay | 2018–19 | TFF First League | 33 | 29 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 35 | 30 | |||
| 2019–20 | 27 | 17 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 17 | |||||
| Total | 60 | 46 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 47 | |||
| Career total | 233 | 113 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 253 | 121 | |||
Individual