OFFICIAL: Portuguese Striker with 79 Goals Leaves V-League

Following only three months of association, SLNA ended the contract with Carlos Fortes, a forward who had represented Portugal U21 and Cape Verde.

Sông Lam Nghệ An Club has officially said goodbye to foreign player Carlos Fortes before the conclusion of V.League 2025/26. This decision was made after the Portuguese-born striker's unsuccessful spell with the Nghe An-based team.

Joining SLNA in the second half of the season with high expectations, Carlos Fortes was seen as the solution to the attacking problem. Standing 1.89m tall with excellent physical conditioning, the 31-year-old striker was once regarded as a modern center-forward, strong in aerial duels and hold-up play.

However, reality did not go as expected. After more than three months playing in V.League, Fortes made 9 appearances but did not score any goals. His unconvincing form led SLNA to terminate the contract early with only one round left in the season.

On their homepage, the Nghe An team sent a thank-you message to their foreign player: "Sông Lam Nghệ An Club would like to say goodbye and farewell to player Carlos Fortes. Thank you for your efforts during your time with SLNA FC. Good luck and success!".

Despite his lack of success in Vietnam, Carlos Fortes still boasts an impressive resume. In his professional career, he has played in Portugal, Romania, China, and Indonesia. In total, the striker has made 286 appearances, scoring 79 goals and providing 22 assists.

Notably, Fortes once competed in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers with Romania's Universitatea Craiova, where he made 6 appearances and scored one goal. His international experience was exactly why SLNA expected him to make a difference in V.League.

Furthermore, Carlos Fortes was also a member of the Portugal U21 team during 2014-2015. During this period, he had the chance to play alongside famous stars such as Bruno Fernandes and João Cancelo, players who later became pillars of European football.

At the national team level, Fortes chose to represent Cape Verde and made his debut in 2024 against Guinea-Bissau.

The departure of Carlos Fortes shows that SLNA is aiming for strong squad adjustments ahead of the new season. With an available foreign player slot, the Nghe An team will likely seek a striker who can adapt better to the V.League environment in order to improve their attacking strength in the near future.