Gonçalo Paciência

Eintracht Frankfurt On 12 July 2018, deemed surplus to requirements as practically all Portuguese players by manager Sérgio Conceição, Paciência signed a four-year contract with German club Eintracht Frankfurt. He made his debut on 18 August in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, in which he came on as a late substitute and scored a consolation in a 2–1 defeat for the holders at Regionalliga team SSV Ulm, but a month later he suffered a knee injury in training. He returned for his Bundesliga debut the following 17 February, as a last-minute replacement for Sébastien Haller in a 1–1 home draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach; he finished the season with three goals, beginning with the added-time winner against Hoffenheim at the Waldstadion on his first start.

Paciência scored seven league goals in 2019–20 campaign for the ninth-placed side (ten in all competitions), including two on 18 October in a 3–0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen. He played regularly under manager Adi Hütter alongside compatriot André Silva and Dutchman Bas Dost, making up for the sales of Haller, Luka Jović and Ante Rebić; on 25 January he signed a new contract until 2023.

On 15 September 2020, Paciência joined Schalke 04 on a year-long loan with an option to make the move permanent. His maiden league appearance took place three days later, when he started in the 8–0 away loss to Bayern Munich; on 18 October he scored his only goal for the eventually relegated team to gain a home draw against Union Berlin, their first point in the eighth game of the season. From November to April, he was sidelined with another knee injury.

Paciência scored twice in Eintracht's run to the 2022 UEFA Europa League Final, earning a win and a draw against Royal Antwerp. He was unused for the decisive match at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium, a penalty shootout defeat of Rangers.

Celta On 6 August 2022, Paciência moved to Spain after agreeing to a three-year deal at Celta de Vigo. He scored on his La Liga debut a week later, in a 2–2 home draw with Espanyol. He did not hold down a regular place in the team during his first season, particularly after the arrival of compatriot Carlos Carvalhal as manager, and his minutes dried up further after the signing of Haris Seferovic in January.

On 1 September 2023, Paciência returned to Germany after agreeing to a one-year loan deal at VfL Bochum. He terminated his contract with the Galicians on 19 August 2024.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima On 2 September 2024, Paciência moved to Sanfrecce Hiroshima on a one-and-a-half-year deal. Twelve days later, he scored on his J1 League debut, in a 2–2 away draw against Kashima Antlers. He repeated the feat in his first appearance in the AFC Champions League Two, helping to a 3–0 home win over Kaya–Iloilo in the group phase.

Later career Paciência moved clubs and countries again in January 2025, joining his compatriot manager Pepa at Sport Recife, recently promoted to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A; he signed a contract until the end of the year. He scored five goals from 22 appearances, being relegated as bottom, and subsequently left.

On 27 January 2026, Paciência returned to Portugal after seven years away, on a deal until the end of the season at top-division Santa Clara that could be extended for another year.

International career Paciência earned 57 caps for Portugal at youth level, scoring 21 goals. His first game for the under-21 team was on 5 March 2014 at the age of 19, when he started and missed a second-half penalty in a 2–0 home win over North Macedonia in the 2015 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. Selected for the finals in the Czech Republic, he collected three substitute appearances for the runners-up, scoring in the 1–1 group stage draw with Sweden and converting his shootout attempt in the final against the same opponent.

Paciência was part of the squad at the 2016 Summer Olympics, netting three times in the group phase in an eventual quarter-final exit. He first appeared with the full side on 14 November 2017, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for Gelson Martins in a 1–1 friendly draw against the United States. In his second match, exactly two years later, he played the entire 6–0 rout of Lithuania in the Algarve in the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying stage, scoring the fourth goal.

Personal life Paciência's father, Domingos, was also a footballer and a forward. He too was developed at Porto.

Career statistics Club

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Paciência goal.

Eintracht Frankfurt UEFA Europa League: 2021–22

Individual SJPF Segunda Liga Player of the Month: February 2015 SJPF Segunda Liga Young Player of the Month: March 2014