Kuca (footballer)

This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Aves and the second or paternal family name is Miranda.

Kuca

Personal information
Full name	Jaílton Alves Miranda
Date of birth	(1989-08-02) 2 August 1989
Place of birth	Praia, Cape Verde
Height
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Rio Ave (loan from Karabükspor)
Number	10
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2009	Bairro
2009–2010	Boavista (CPV)
2010–2012	Mirandela	41	(11)
2012–2014	Chaves	79	(33)
2014–2015	Estoril	15	(5)
2015–	Karabükspor	2	(0)
2015–2016	→ Belenenses (loan)	14	(1)
2016	→ Rio Ave (loan)	9	(2)
International career‡
2009–	Cape Verde	10	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:00, 25 April 2016 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2015

Jaílton Alves Miranda (born 2 August 1989), known as Kuca, is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays for Portuguese club Rio Ave F.C. on loan from Karabükspor as a forward.

Club career

Born in Praia, Kuca played for AD Bairro and Boavista FC in his country. He moved to Portugal in 2010, signing with lowly SC Mirandela and scoring four goals in 27 games in his first season to help the club promote to the third division.

Early into the 2012 January transfer window, Kuca joined G.D. Chaves. He achieved promotion to the Segunda Liga at the end of 2012–13, making his debut as a professional on 11 August 2013 and scoring the only goal of the away match against C.D. Santa Clara. He added a further 11 until the end of the campaign, as his team comfortably avoided relegation with an eighth-place finish; alongside compatriot Rambé, he was chosen by readers of daily newspaper O Jogo for the team of players competing in that category for the past 12 months.

On 26 June 2014, Kuca moved to Primeira Liga side G.D. Estoril Praia. His maiden appearance in the competition took place on 18 August, and he netted in a 1–1 draw at F.C. Arouca.

On 12 January 2015, Kuca signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Kardemir Karabükspor in the Turkish Süper Lig. In the summer, however, he returned to Portugal, being loaned to C.F. Os Belenenses.

International career

Kuca gained his first cap for Cape Verde on 28 March 2009, in a 5–0 friendly win over Equatorial Guinea. He scored his first goal on 15 November 2014, contributing to a 3–1 home win over Niger for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Kuca was summoned by manager Rui Águas for the finals in Equatorial Guinea, featuring in all three group stage contests as the Blue Sharks were eliminated at that stage with three draws.

International goals

Scores and results list Cape Verde's goal tally first.

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	15 November 2014	Estádio Nacional, Praia, Cape Verde	Niger	1–0	3–1	2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

External links

• Kuca at footballzz.co.uk
• Kuca profile at ForaDeJogo
• Kuca at National-Football-Teams.com
• Kuca at Soccerway