Losc captain José Fonte announced his departure on Instagram on Tuesday, at 39 and after five years with the club with which he won the French championship in 2021. “After five years, my career as a Lille player is “complete”, wrote the Portuguese central defender, who had been out of contract since July 1, but that the club planned to keep without guaranteeing him a starting place.
“I can say with pride that I really gave you the best of myself, until the very last second,” said Jose Fonte, who has nearly 200 games with the Mastiffs. “Lillois, I will never forget you… I am eternally grateful for your love, your esteem and your respect.” The native of Penafiel (Portugal), whose role on the field and in the locker room has been essential since his arrival in 2018, had extended his contract for one year in 2021, then in 2022.
Trained at Sporting Portugal, he flew to Crystal Palace in 2007 in the English second division, then Southampton, then in the third division, two and a half years later. His club quickly rose to the Premier League, where he played for seven years, first with Southampton, then with West Ham.
In 2016, he won a title of European champion with Portugal, a competition during which he held. After a freelance in China, José Fonte joined LOSC in 2018, of which he quickly became a centerpiece, compensating for his lack of speed with his quality of placement and his sense of anticipation.
He participated in the success of the club during his first three years of contract, with a place of dolphin in 2019, a fourth rank in 2020 during a season truncated by the Covid-19, and finally the consecration: the title of champion of France snatched from Paris SG in 2021. “I tried to have a positive influence, to be a great professional, to push everyone in the same direction … towards success”, wrote the player on Instagram.
José Fonte leaves the club with another historic Losc, Jonathan Bamba, also at the end of the contract and whose Celta Vigo (Spain) announced Tuesday the recruitment.
