Following his move to GIL Vicente, Carlos's current-season form is level with last season (Season 13→15), while his Rating climbed 52→57. His peak season for form remains 2022/23 (Season 17).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	GIL Vicente · 6th	30	0	0	6.73	57	15
2024/25	FarenseLoan · 17th	20	0	0	6.71	52	13
2024/25	Guimaraes	7	0	0	6.71	—	—
2023/24	Guimaraes · 12th	23	0	0	6.57	53	4
2023/24	GIL Vicente	32	0	0	6.57	—	—
2022/23	GuimaraesLoan · 6th	15	0	2	6.92	60	17
2021/22	Varzim · 17th	22	1	0	—	47	6

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year.

Portugal · international

Side	Apps	G
Portugal U21	7	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthBall-winning Defensive midfielder

Zé Carlos is a 24-year-old defensive midfielder at GIL Vicente, rated 56.5 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 134th of 317 on scout potential in the Primeira Liga. An emerging talent, he has been a rotation option this season (39.2% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 5.33 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Carlos.

Judged on this season alone, Carlos graded 15 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 32nd of 40 of the 40 defensive midfielders in the Primeira Liga, on 0 goals, 0 assists and 5.334 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 13 → 15). Over the 5 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2022/23.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 57, 21st of 40 of the 40 defensive midfielders in the Primeira Liga. At 24 Carlos is in his prime years, and a market index of 21.6 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2022/23 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2022/23Trending upRemarkably consistentStepped up 2022/234 clubs

Current potential21st of 40 defensive midfielders · Primeira Liga Current season32nd of 40 defensive midfielders · Primeira Liga32nd-best defensive midfielder in the Primeira Liga134th in the Primeira Liga · potential21st-highest potential defensive midfielder in the Primeira Liga

56.5

Ratingi

21st of 40 defensive midfielders

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

39.2%

Minutes

rotation minutes

5.33

Def. actions / 90

high defensive volume

Output in context · GIL Vicente finished 6th of 18 · an upper-table side

5.33

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

5.33 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — high defensive volume, with 5 clean sheets across 30 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (6th of 18) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume.

Strengths

Defensive volume. 5.33 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Game time. Only 39.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.

Outlook

With a Rating of 56.5, Carlos carries the 21st-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Primeira Liga of 40. Defensively he reads as high defensive volume (5.33 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Approaching peak years; value is still building (price multiplier 2×) with the best seasons likely ahead.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %39.2%

Available fixtures34 of 34

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 905.334

Player flow

Goal involvements0

Pass accuracy %80

Dribble success %40

Cards / 900.526

Foul involvement / 902.629

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~22), then tapers with age. At 24, Carlos sits on 21.6, at or near its peak. The blue line is Carlos's projected Rating — 56.5 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Primeira Liga with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots2

Passing

Assists0

Pass accuracy80%

Possession

Successful dribbles2

Dribble success40%

Fouls won14

Defending

Tackles37

Interceptions31

Blocks3

Fouls committed21

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards7

Red cards0

Transfer history

€0.4M total transfer fees · 5 moves

GIL Vicente2025/26 – nowFree Transfer

Guimaraes(back from loan)2025/26 – 2025/26

Farense(on loan)2024/25 – 2025/26

Guimaraes2023/24 – 2024/25400K

Guimaraes(on loan)2022/23 – 2023/24

Varzimuntil 2022/23

About Zé Carlos

José Carlos Natário Ferreira is a 24-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for GIL Vicente, born on October 30, 2001 in Matosinhos, standing 172 cm tall. He is from Portugal. GIL Vicente currently sit 6th of 18 in the Primeira Liga.

This season

In the current season, Zé Carlos has made 30 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 1,198 minutes, averaging a 6.75 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 7 yellow cards.

When Zé Carlos plays, GIL Vicente's record this season is 13W-9D-8L — and his match ratings average 6.7 at home against 6.75 on the road.

Recent matches

May 16, 2026: 0-3 loss away at Sporting CP (8 minutes, 6.6 rating)
May 11, 2026: 1-3 loss at home vs Arouca (45 minutes, 6.9 rating)
May 3, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Rio Ave (79 minutes, 7 rating)
April 27, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Casa Pia (88 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 18, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs Guimaraes (17 minutes, 6.5 rating)
April 3, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs AVS (26 minutes, 6.9 rating)
March 21, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Santa Clara (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)
March 14, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs Alverca (17 minutes, 6.3 rating)
March 8, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Estrela (12 minutes, 7.3 rating)
February 22, 2026: 1-3 loss away at Estoril (83 minutes, 6.9 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Zé Carlos at 56.5 with a Season form score of 15, ranking 134th of 317 defensive midfielders in the Primeira Liga. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 5 recorded seasons, Zé Carlos has totalled 149 club appearances with 1 goal and 2 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 32 appearances for GIL Vicente.

Zé Carlos's career has also included time at Guimaraes, Farense and Varzim.

On the international stage, Zé Carlos has represented Portugal U21 — 7 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · GIL Vicente finished 6th of 18 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points