From Lisbon to Serie A: The volatile career of Nuno Tavares
In short: A talented left-back with high attacking potential, Nuno Tavares has experienced the highs of scoring on his Marseille debut and the lows of disciplinary bans and club exits. His journey from Benfica to Arsenal and eventually Lazio reveals the thin line between brilliance and costly errors in professional football.
Born in Lisbon to Cape Verdean parents, Nuno Tavares's development was marked by a strict focus on education, with his manager at Casa Pia, João Silva, personally driving him home to ensure his studies remained a priority. After stints at Sporting CP and Casa Pia, he entered the Benfica system, making his senior debut for the reserves in October 2018.
His rise at Benfica was meteoric but complicated. Following a commanding 5–0 win against Sporting during the August 2019 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, his development suffered due to defensive errors, such as a defeat against Porto. A controversial social media post by a friend regarding teammate Alejandro Grimaldo led to Benfica selling the player, despite his public apologies. Tavares made 41 competitive appearances for the club.
Tavares's move to Arsenal in July 2021 for approximately £8 million brought both praise for his attacking qualities and criticism of his defensive positioning. Struggles with homesickness and concentration errors, such as a misplaced pass leading to a goal against Liverpool, defined his time in London. He later moved to Marseille on loan in 2022, where he found success under manager Igor Tudor before a red card against Montpellier in January 2023 resulted in a three-match ban.
After a loan spell at Nottingham Forest where he made 12 appearances, Tavares moved to Lazio on loan in July 2024. He eventually joined the Serie A club permanently on 5 June 2025. His international career with Portugal has seen him progress from under-21 levels to making his full senior debut in November 2024 against Poland.
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