Gilson Tavares

Gilson Benchimol Tavares is a Cape Verdean striker who developed through Portuguese academies before moving to Russian football with FC Akron Tolyatti. He is a regular member of the Cape Verde national team and notably scored a hat-trick against Liechtenstein in 2022.

Tavares progressed through the youth systems of Estoril Praia and S.L. Benfica B in Portugal before signing with FC Akron Tolyatti in July 2024. He made his international debut for Cape Verde in October 2020 and has gone on to earn 22 caps with 6 goals.

He was part of the Cape Verde squad at the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, and was selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.