Dinis Almeida

Dinis Almeida
Personal information
Full name Dinis Costa Lima Almeida
Date of birth (1995-06-28) 28 June 1995 (age 31)
Place of birth Esposende, Portugal
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 CSKA Sofia
Number 4
Youth career
2005–2011 Marinhas
2011–2013 Varzim
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Joane 32 (7)
2014–2016 Reus 33 (3)
2016–2019 Monaco 0 (0)
2016–2017 → Belenenses (loan) 6 (1)
2017–2018 → Braga B (loan) 24 (2)
2018–2019 → Xanthi (loan) 21 (2)
2019–2021 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 53 (7)
2021–2023 Antwerp 32 (0)
2023–2026 Ludogorets Razgrad 61 (5)
2026– CSKA Sofia 2 (0)
International career
2014 Portugal U19 1 (0)
2014–2015 Portugal U20 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:58, 20 September 2026 (UTC)

Dinis Costa Lima Almeida (born 28 June 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a central defender for First Professional Football League club CSKA Sofia.

Club career

Born in Esposende, Braga District, Almeida finished his development at Varzim SC. His senior debut occurred in 2013–14, as he scored a career-best seven goals to help G.D. Joane finish fifth in the regular season third division but eventually being relegated.

Almeida then spent two years in the Spanish Segunda División B, with CF Reus Deportiu. In the summer of 2016 he signed with AS Monaco FC, being immediately loaned to C.F. Os Belenenses of Portugal's Primeira Liga. He made his debut in the competition on 27 August, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute in a 1–0 away win against C.D. Tondela. His only goal arrived in his fourth appearance, helping the visitors to a 3–1 away defeat of Sporting CP.

On 31 August 2017, still owned by Monaco, Almeida was loaned to S.C. Braga, being assigned to their reserves in the Segunda Liga. He joined Xanthi F.C. on loan for the following campaign, scoring his first goal for the Greek club on 17 February 2019 in a 1–1 draw away to Athlitiki Enosi Larissa FC.

Almeida spent the following seasons also abroad, with PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv (winning the Bulgarian Cup in 2019–20 after a penalty shootout defeat of PFC CSKA Sofia, where he converted his attempt) and Royal Antwerp FC (Belgian Pro League). He returned to Bulgaria in January 2023, agreeing to a contract at PFC Ludogorets Razgrad; shortly after arriving, he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, being sidelined for several months.

Almeida scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League on 6 August 2024, opening a 2–1 away win over Qarabağ FK in the third qualifying round through a 56th-minute header. He also featured in the second leg, a 7–2 extra time loss.

Ahead of the 2026–27 season, Almeida remained in the First Professional Football League on a two-year contract at CSKA Sofia.

Career statistics

As of match played 16 October 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Joane 2013–14 Campeonato de Portugal 32700———327
Reus 2014–15 Segunda División B 14100———141
2015–16 19210———202
Total 33310———343
Belenenses (loan) 2016–17 Primeira Liga 610011——72
Braga B (loan) 2017–18 Liga Portugal 2 242————242
Xanthi (loan) 2018–19 Super League Greece 21240———252
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2019–20 First Professional Football League 23361———294
2020–21 30410—1010334
Total 53771—1010628
Antwerp 2021–22 Belgian Pro League 24000—60—300
2022–23 8010—42—132
Total 32010—102—432
Ludogorets Razgrad 2023–24 First Professional Football League 11141—2000172
2024–25 27340—16411488
2025–26 23150—130—411
Total 615131—3141110611
CSKA Sofia 2026–27 First Professional Football League 2000—101040
Career total 26427262114363133737
  1. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. 1 2 3 Appearance in Bulgarian Super Cup
  3. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  4. 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

Ludogorets Razgrad

CSKA Sofia

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dinis Almeida" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ↑ Simões de Abreu, Alexandra (29 June 2024). ""Em Espanha, os comentadores chamavam-me Beckenbauer. Não era algo que eu quisesse. Ele é uma lenda do futebol, eu sou um simples jogador"" ["In Spain, commentators called me Beckenbauer. It wasn't something I wanted. He's a football legend, I’m just a player"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "Uma luz inflamada ao fundo do túnel" [Inflamed light at the end of the tunnel]. Record (in Portuguese). 19 June 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  4. ↑ Gallofré, Josep (8 December 2016). "Resultats dispars de l'aventura portuguesa del CF Reus" [Different outcomes for Portuguese adventure at CF Reus] (in Catalan). Reus Digital. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Dinis Almeida (Monaco) prêté à Belenenses" [Dinis Almeida (Monaco) loaned to Belenenses]. L'Équipe (in French). 26 August 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "A felicidade que só alguns tiveram" [Happiness only came the way of some] (in Portuguese). C.D. Tondela. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  7. ↑ "Belenenses vence Sporting por 3–1" [Belenenses beat Sporting 3–1] (in Portuguese). TSF. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  8. ↑ "Siga aqui as movimentações do último dia de mercado" [Follow the moves of the market's last day here] (in Portuguese). Bancada. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Dinis Almeida officially joins Xanthi FC". SDNA. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Λάρισα – Ξάνθη 1–1: Έ-Χ-ασαν και οι δυο (photos)" (in Greek). Onsports. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "Dinis Almeida marca na estreia pelo Lokomotiv Plovdiv" [Dinis Almeida scores in debut for Lokomotiv Plovdiv] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Covid-19 ignorada e mensagens racistas. Também houve futebol na final da Taça da Bulgária" [Covid-19 ignored and racist messages. Also some football in Bulgarian Cup final] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Antwerp legt Portugese verdediger Almeida vast voor drie seizoenen" [Antwerp sign Portuguese defender Almeida for three seasons]. Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch). 9 July 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "Официално: Лудогорец представи Диниш Алмейда" [Official: Ludogorets presented Dinis Almeida] (in Bulgarian). Sportal. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Нов сериозен удар по Лудогорец, още един футболист аут до края на сезона" [Another tough blow for Ludogorets, another player sidelined until the end of the season] (in Bulgarian). Sportal. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  16. ↑ "Dinis Almeida marca golo importante na Liga dos Campeões" [Dinis Almeida scores important goal in the Champions League]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 6 August 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  17. ↑ "Incrível: Qarabag perdeu em casa por 2–1 e foi à Bulgária ganhar por... 7–2!" [Incredible: Qarabağ lost at home by 2–1 and went to Bulgaria to win by... 7–2!]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 August 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  18. ↑ Popov, M. (2 September 2026). "Официално: ЦСКА привлече Диниш Алмейда с договор за две години" [Official: CSKA sign Dinis Almeida to a two-year contract] (in Bulgarian). Sport1. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  19. ↑ Dinis Almeida at Soccerway
  20. ↑ "Ювелирен гол на Илиев донесе Суперкупата на Локомотив Пловдив" [Iliev's golden goal gives Supercup to Lokomotiv Plovdiv] (in Bulgarian). Sport Live. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  21. ↑ "Ludogorets é campeão pela 13.ª vez consecutiva e mantém maior série da Europa" [Ludogorets are champions for the 13th time in a row and continue to hold biggest European run] (in Portuguese). CNN Portugal. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  22. 1 2 "VÍDEO: Ludogorets vence Taça da Bulgária e festeja triplete" [VIDEO: Ludogorets win Bulgarian Cup and celebrate treble] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  23. ↑ Denchev, Denislav (10 February 2024). "Лудогорец се окичи със Суперкупата след рулетка в Търново" [Ludogorets won Supercup following lottery in Tarnovo] (in Bulgarian). Sportal. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  24. ↑ "Лудогорец вдигна Суперкупата след 3:2 срещу Ботев" [Ludogorets lifted the Supercup after 3:2 against Botev] (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian National Radio. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  25. ↑ Vassilev, Bogomir (9 September 2026). "Левски – ЦСКА 2:4 в мача за Суперкупата на България" [Levski – CSKA 2:4 in match for the Bulgarian Supercup] (in Bulgarian). Topsport. Retrieved 6 October 2026.