Tiago Ilori
Portuguese footballer

Tiago Ilori

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Portuguese footballer
Gender:
Male
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Birth:
26 February 1993(London)
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The details
Biography

Introduction

Tiago Abiola Delfim Almeida Ilori (born 26 February 1993) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Championship club Reading.
He started his career with Sporting, making his debut with the first team in 2011 before signing with Liverpool two years later.
Ilori gained 36 caps for Portugal at youth level, including ten with the under-21 team.

Club career

Sporting

Born in Hampstead, London to a British father of Nigerian descent and a Portuguese mother, Ilori spent his childhood in the town of Albufeira in the Algarve, where he started playing football with local Imortal DC. He joined Sporting Clube de Portugal's youth ranks in the summer of 2006 as a striker, being loaned to Lisbon neighbours G.D. Estoril Praia at the age of 14 and returning for three more years already reconverted as a stopper.

On 6 November 2011 Ilori made his official debut for the Lions' first team, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–1 Primeira Liga home win against U.D. Leiria. On 14 December he played his first game in the UEFA Europa League, starting in a 0–2 group stage loss to S.S. Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico as his team had already secured the first place in its group.

In only his fourth official appearance for Sporting, on 16 February 2013 at Gil Vicente FC, Ilori again played the entire match, and helped to a 3–2 success by scoring his team's second goal in the sixth minute.

Liverpool

On 2 September 2013, Ilori was signed by Liverpool for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around £7 million. It was also announced that The Football Association were in talks with the player for him to switch nationality and represent England internationally.

On 5 January 2014, Ilori was named on his new team's bench for the first time, in an FA Cup match against Oldham Athletic. Fifteen days later he was loaned to Granada CF in La Liga, until the end of the campaign. On 7 February he made his debut for the Andalusians, in a 0–1 away loss to RCD Espanyol; in the following round he also started, and assisted Piti for the game's only goal at home against Real Betis.

On 18 August 2014, Ilori was loaned again, now to FC Girondins de Bordeaux from France. He scored in only his third Ligue 1 appearance, helping a to a 1–1 draw at AS Saint-Étienne.

Fellow Premier League club Aston Villa signed Ilori on a season-long loan deal on 1 September 2015. On 7 January 2016, the move was cancelled and he returned to Liverpool, making his first competitive appearance with the first team the following day by starting the FA Cup third round match against Exeter City, which ended with a 2–2 draw at St James Park.

Reading

Ilori completed a transfer to Championship side Reading on 18 January 2017, for a reported £3.75 million.

International career

Ilori played for Portugal at four youth levels, representing the nation at the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the 2013 Toulon Tournament and the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He remained eligible to play for Portugal, England or Nigeria as a senior.

Statistics

Ilori in 2012
As of match played 24 January 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting 2011–12 Primeira Liga 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 2 0
2012–13 11 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 12 1
Total 12 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 - - 14 1
Liverpool 2013–14 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2014–15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2015–16 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2016–17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 - - 3 0
Granada (loan) 2013–14 La Liga 9 0 0 0 9 0
Bordeaux (loan) 2014–15 Ligue 1 12 1 2 0 1 0 15 1
Aston Villa (loan) 2015–16 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Reading 2016–17 Championship 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 35 2 5 0 1 0 2 0 - - 43 2