Beto (footballer, born 1998)
A physically imposing striker who climbed from Portugal's lower leagues to the Premier League through sheer persistence and a powerful aerial game.
Born 1998 (age 28)·Portugal-born Bissau-Guinean footballer·Birthday: January 31·Generation Z
Biography
Born in Lisbon to Bissau-Guinean parents, Beto's path to professional football was not a straight line. He began his career in the Portuguese third division with União de Lisboa, a world away from the glamour of the top flight. His breakthrough came after a move to Portimonense, where his robust style and goal-scoring form in the Primeira Liga earned him a transfer to Italian side Udinese. In Serie A, he honed his skills as a target man, using his strength and heading ability to lead the line. His performances in Italy paved the way for a high-profile move to the English Premier League with Everton. While his club journey has seen fluctuations, he has become a key figure for the Guinea-Bissau national team, representing the country of his heritage with pride and providing a focal point for their attack.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Beto was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Beto Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Beto's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 10 Serie A goals for Udinese during the 2021-22 season, helping the club to a 12th place finish.
- Earned a transfer to the English Premier League, signing with Everton FC in the summer of 2023.
- Has been a regular starter and important goal-scoring option for the Guinea-Bissau national team since opting to represent them.
Did You Know?
His full name is Norberto Bercique Gomes Betuncal.
He did not come through a major academy system, starting his senior career in Portugal's Campeonato de Portugal (third tier).
He stands at 1.94 meters (6 feet 4 inches) tall, making him a significant physical presence in the penalty area.
Before his move to Everton, he had a loan spell at the Turkish Süper Lig club Göztepe.
“I had to fight from the third division. That struggle stays in your mind.”
