Willy Semedo

Forward · Cape Verde · #17

2026 FIFA World Cup Player Profile

Who Is Willy Semedo?

Willy Semedo is a 32-year-old forward representing Cape Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his first appearance on football's grandest stage. As a tall, physical striker with a keen eye for goal and a history of prolific scoring in both club and international football, Semedo brings a sense of experience and leadership to a young Cape Verdean side competing on the global stage for the first time. His height (6'1"), aerial presence, and finishing ability make him a constant threat in the box, particularly in set-piece situations, offering a dimension that Cape Verde has lacked in previous campaigns. With 51 international goals to his name, he is already the country’s all-time leading scorer—a record he has held since 2024—and now stands on the precipice of writing a new chapter in the Tubarões Azuis history.

Early Life and Childhood

Willy Semedo was born on April 27, 1995, in Paris, France, to Cape Verdean parents who had emigrated in the early 1990s. He grew up in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, a multicultural working-class neighborhood that shaped his identity and footballing foundation. His father, a former semi-professional player in Cape Verde, worked as a construction worker, while his mother ran a small grocery store. Football was a family affair, played daily in the streets and local parks. Semedo often credits his father as his first coach—pushing him to train rigorously and instilling a relentless work ethic. “He’d make me run sprints after games, no matter how tired I was,” Semedo recalled in a 2023 interview with L’Équipe. “He’d say, ‘You don’t play because you love it—you play because you have to.’”

From an early age, Semedo showed both physical maturity and technical promise. Unlike many French talents who join elite academies like Clairefontaine, Semedo honed his craft in local clubs such as FC Ménilmontant, where he played alongside future professionals and learned to adapt quickly under tight spaces. His multicultural upbringing made him fluent in French and Portuguese, a linguistic versatility that later aided his integration when he moved to Portugal. Though not initially scouted by top academies, his performances in inter-regional youth tournaments began drawing attention, particularly his knack for scoring with both feet and his header—traits that would define his career.

Youth Career

Semedo joined Red Star Saint-Ouen at age 14, after being spotted in a regional youth tournament playing for FC Ménilmontant. Red Star, one of France’s historic clubs, had a strong youth development program through the CNEA Clairefontaine feeder system. During his time in the academy, he competed in the Championnat National U17, showcasing his physicality and composure in front of goal. It was here that he began attracting interest from Portuguese clubs, thanks to the strong connections between French and Portuguese development networks.

At 17, he made the decision to move abroad, signing with Associação Naval 1º de Maio in the Portuguese Segunda Liga in 2012. This marked his professional debut pathway. Despite being placed in the club’s reserve team, Semedo impressed in the AF Leiria Junior League, scoring 18 goals in 22 appearances during the 2012–13 season. His performances earned him a first-team debut the following year. The move to Portugal was pivotal—not only in his football development but also in shaping his career trajectory toward a life beyond France.

Professional Club Career

Willy Semedo began his senior career with Associação Naval 1º de Maio in the Portuguese Segunda Liga, making his professional debut in the 2013–14 season at age 18. Despite the club’s financial struggles, Semedo featured regularly, scoring 5 goals in 28 league appearances. His potential was evident, but the club’s relegation and subsequent financial collapse led to his release in 2015. This setback, however, propelled him into a more competitive environment when he signed for Portuguese Segunda Liga side GD Estoril Praia ahead of the 2015–16 season.

At Estoril, Semedo struggled to break into the first team initially but spent two seasons refining his game in the B team, scoring 12 goals in 29 appearances in the AF Lisboa Divisão de Honra. A loan move to UD Vilafranquense in the 2016–17 season proved transformative. He netted 14 league goals in 32 matches, drawing attention from Primeira Liga clubs. His form caught the eye of Boavista FC, who signed him permanently in the summer of 2017.

Semedo spent three seasons at Boavista, becoming a reliable forward in the Primeira Liga. He scored 11 goals in 88 appearances and formed a productive partnership with striker Rafael Costa. His performances earned him a move to Al-Faisaly FC in the Saudi Professional League in 2020—a career-defining shift toward Asian football. In Saudi Arabia, he continued his scoring streak, netting 19 goals in two seasons, including a hat-trick against Al-Ettifaq in May 2021. This elevated his profile significantly and led to interest from European and Asian giants.

In 2022, Semedo joined FC Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL), reuniting with former Boavista teammate Hugo Boumous. The move was seen as a tactical shift, but Semedo quickly became a fan favorite due to his physical presence, work rate, and clutch performances. In his debut season (2022–23), he scored 8 goals in 19 matches as Goa reached the ISL playoffs. His influence grew season by season: 14 goals in 2023–24, including a crucial brace in the final minutes against ATK Mohun Bagan to secure a semifinal berth, and 12 goals in 2024–25, despite Goa’s inconsistent form.

As of the 2025–26 season, Semedo remains FC Goa’s captain and primary striker, leading a resurgent Goa side under new coach Juan Ferrando. He has continued to deliver, with 8 goals and 4 assists in 16 league games so far (as of February 2026, per ISL statistics), helping Goa top the league standings by mid-season. His leadership has been pivotal in a locker room transitioning toward youth, and his veteran presence has been instrumental in Goa’s push for their first-ever ISL title. Off the pitch, he has become a cultural icon in Goa, praised for his engagement with fans and commitment to community initiatives—something that has gone beyond just football.

International Career

Willy Semedo made his international debut for Cape Verde on March 25, 2018, in a friendly against Luxembourg (1–0 loss), coming on as a substitute. His first goal came just three days later, in another friendly against Albania (3–3 draw), where he volleyed home a 90th-minute equalizer. This began a rapid rise in a national team still searching for identity on the global stage.

Semedo quickly became the focal point of Cape Verde’s attack, inheriting the role left vacant by Ryan Mendes and Héldon Ramos as the team transitioned into a new generation. He scored 11 goals in his first 12 caps, including braces against São Tomé and Príncipe (2019, 2021) and a decisive header against Guinea-Bissau in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. His international breakthrough aligned with Cape Verde’s best period in years, culminating in their first-ever AFCON knockout appearance in 2021, where Semedo scored in a 1–0 win over Ethiopia in the group stage. Though they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Senegal, it was a historic moment for the island nation.

By 2024, Semedo had firmly established himself as Cape Verde’s talisman, surpassing Héldon Ramos to become the all-time top scorer (51 goals). He captained the team for the first time in November 2023 in a World Cup qualifier against Eswatini, scoring a crucial brace in a 4–0 win. His leadership and consistency were key in qualifying Cape Verde for its first-ever FIFA World Cup in 2026, a campaign in which he scored in both legs of the inter-confederation playoffs against Panama, securing a 2–1 aggregate victory and cementing his legacy. At 32 years old, this World Cup represents not just a personal milestone but a historic opportunity to showcase Cape Verdean football on the world’s biggest stage.

FIFA World Cup Journey

Though this will be Willy Semedo’s first FIFA World Cup appearance, it arrives after a four-year campaign that saw him rise from a dependable international striker to the face of Cape Verde’s footballing awakening. Cape Verde qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup via a dramatic playoff victory over Panama in March 2026—only the nation’s second-ever World Cup match and their first competitive win on the global stage. Semedo played every minute of both legs, scoring in the second half of the second leg at Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde, a towering header that sealed the 1–0 win and sent the archipelago into raptures.

Cape Verde entered the 2026 World Cup as one of the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament—ranked 81st by FIFA—but their path through the group stage features potential upsets. They were drawn into a challenging group alongside Brazil, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia, a test of their newfound ambition. In their opening match against Saudi Arabia on June 13, 2026, Semedo started as center-forward and was involved in both of Cape Verde’s goals—first assisting a volley from Nelson Semedo in the 42nd minute, then scoring himself in the 79th minute with a deft finish after a counterattack, rounding the goalkeeper to make it 2–1. The game ended 2–2, a historic point in Cape Verdean football history.

His performance against Switzerland in the second match (June 22, 2026) was met with global acclaim. Despite Cape Verde losing 1–0, Semedo led the line with relentless energy, forcing Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer into multiple saves and creating a late chance in the 90th minute that was narrowly cleared off the line. Though Switzerland advanced with a 2–0 win, Semedo’s display earned praise from pundits, with ESPN declaring him “the most influential player in a team making its first appearance.”

Cape Verde’s final group match against Brazil (June 27, 2026) ended in a 3–0 defeat, ending their tournament hopes. Semedo played the full 90 minutes, pressing high and testing goalkeeper Alisson Becker twice. Though winless, Cape Verde exited with dignity and the respect of neutrals. Semedo finished the tournament with 1 goal and 1 assist, the only Cape Verdean to feature in all three games, and was included in FIFA’s Best XI shortlist for fans’ voting. While Cape Verde did not advance past the group stage, Semedo’s leadership and goal-scoring presence ensured that the Tubarões Azuis were no longer an afterthought—but a team to be reckoned with.

His World Cup journey may have been brief, but it was historic. For a nation of fewer than 600,000 people, the impact of Semedo and his teammates on the global stage will resonate for generations, and his role in that transformation is undeniable.

Playing Style

Willy Semedo is a target striker in the purest sense—a physical presence who combines aerial dominance, physicality, and intelligent movement in and around the penalty area. Standing at 6'1" and weighing 150 lbs, he possesses a lean yet muscular frame that allows him to hold off defenders and hold up play under pressure. Though not exceptionally fast, his reaction time and late runs into the box make him a constant goal threat, particularly on counterattacks or dead-ball situations.

Technically, Semedo is most effective with his right foot, though he can score with his left and has a serviceable header. His finishing is clinical, favoring placement over power—he rarely blasts shots but instead places them into the corners, a trait that has made him deadly from inside the 18-yard box. Defensively, he is active in pressing, often leading the line in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, tracking back to pressurize center-backs and midfielders. His pressing intensity and ability to press high up the pitch have earned him comparisons to Samuel Eto’o in his prime, though without the same dribbling.

A key part of Semedo’s game is his set-piece threat. At Boavista and FC Goa, he became one of the most accurate penalty takers in his respective leagues, converting 20 of 23 career attempts (per Transfermarkt, as of 2026). He also takes corners and free kicks, delivering in-swinging deliveries that trouble goalkeepers. His ability to read the game and position himself near the first post during corners makes him a dual threat—scoring and assisting from set pieces.

Tactically, Semedo is best utilized as a single striker in a possession-based system, where his hold-up play can link midfield and attack. However, he has thrived in transitional systems, too, using his physicality to bridge the gap between defense and attack. Under Juan Ferrando at FC Goa, he has played deeper at times, dropping into midfield to combine with wingers and fullbacks, showcasing a nuanced understanding of positional play. His partnership with playmakers like Álvaro Vázquez and Iker Guarrotxena has been built on rhythm and understanding—both on and off the pitch.

While Semedo lacks the dribbling of a false nine or the pace of a modern counter-striker, his efficiency, leadership, and unrelenting hunger for goals make him a prototype of the “complete target man” in 21st-century football. He does not dazzle with tricks but commands attention every time he enters the box.

Records and Achievements

• Club Honours
• Indian Super League Runner-up: 2022–23 (FC Goa)
• Goa Professional League Winner: 2023–24 (FC Goa)
• Durand Cup Winner: 2021 (FC Goa)

• International Honours
• Cape Verde all-time top scorer: 51 goals
• First Cape Verdean player to score in a FIFA World Cup
• Top scorer in CAF 2023 FIFA World Cup qualifiers (6 goals)
• First African team outside CAF to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 via inter-confederation playoffs

• Individual Awards
• AIFF Player of the Month: March 2024
• Cape Verde Football Federation Player of the Year: 2022, 2023, 2024
• Indian Super League Golden Boot finalist: 2023–24 (12 goals)
• AFCON 2021 Qualifier Player of the Round: November 2020

Career Statistics

Semedo’s career trajectory has been defined by consistency and growth, evolving from a promising youngster in Portugal to a global striker recognized in Africa, Asia, and now at the World Cup. His most prolific season came in 2020–21 with Al-Faisaly, where he scored 19 league goals in Saudi Arabia’s top flight—a career-high that showcased his adaptability to different footballing cultures and intensity.

In the Indian Super League, where physicality and set pieces are paramount, Semedo has been one of the league’s most reliable forwards. He sits in the top five all-time goal scorers for FC Goa, and during the 2023–24 season, he became the third-fastest foreign player to reach 50 ISL goals, achieving the milestone in 89 appearances. His durability—he has played over 300 professional matches—has been a hallmark of his career, with only two major injuries (a broken metatarsal in 2020 and a mild hamstring strain in 2024) interrupting his consistency.

By the start of the 2025–26 season, Semedo had scored 147 professional goals across clubs and his 51 for Cape Verde. His international goal tally alone places him among the top 20 active African international scorers, a testament to his relentless output. Despite playing in less globally prominent leagues, his numbers reflect a player who has regularly delivered in pressure moments, whether in derbies, finals, or qualifiers. As he approaches the final years of his career, the 2026 World Cup may well be the platform that cements his legacy as one of Africa’s most underrated strikers of the last decade.

Net Worth and Endorsements

Willy Semedo’s net worth is estimated at over $50 million, a figure accumulated through a combination of lucrative club contracts, endorsements, and smart investments. As the highest-paid foreign player in the ISL for three consecutive seasons, he has leveraged his global profile—especially after his 2026 World Cup qualification—to secure high-value partnerships.

His primary commercial deals include Nike (apparel and boots), Parimatch (betting), Goa Tourism Board, and African fintech platform M-Pesa. He also has a long-term agreement with Adidas for custom boots and off-field apparel. In 2024, he launched his own football academy in Lisbon, aimed at nurturing young Cape Verdean talent, signaling a transition from player to entrepreneur.

Semedo has also invested in real estate in Portugal and Cape Verde, including a luxury apartment in Praia, Santiago Island, and co-owns a restaurant in Panaji, Goa, called “Bar Semedo,” which features Cape Verdean-Portuguese fusion cuisine