Renato Cardoso Porto Neto (born 27 September 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Belgian club KSC Blankenberge. After starting out at Sporting CP, he went on to play professionally in Belgium, Hungary and Malta, notably winning the 2014–15 Belgian Pro League with Gent while totalling 181 appearances.

Club career

Sporting CP

Born in Camacan, Bahia, Neto started his career with Academia Catarinense de Futebol, a small club based in Santa Catarina where he was spotted by Sporting CP at the age of 16, going on to be part of the latter's junior teams that won three national championships in a row. Neto made his debut for the Lions' main squad on 24 May 2009, featuring four minutes in a 3–1 home win over C.D. Nacional after replacing his compatriot Derlei. His second Primeira Liga appearance came one year later, against Leixões SC (one minute played). After graduating from Sporting's academy, Neto was loaned to Cercle Brugge K.S.V. in Belgium alongside teammate Nuno Reis. In his only full season in the Pro League, he scored four goals in 36 matches (32 starts) as the side finished in ninth position. In late December 2011, as Sporting were facing an injury crisis in midfield, Neto was recalled by the club's manager Domingos Paciência. He scored his only league goal on 22 April 2012, in the 3–2 victory at C.D. Nacional where he was replaced at half-time by Stijn Schaars. Neto was loaned again in summer 2012, now to Hungary's Videoton FC. He left for K.A.A. Gent in the following transfer window, also on loan.

Gent

Gent acquired Neto on a permanent basis for the 2014–15 campaign. On 21 May 2015, through a penalty kick, he was one of two players on target as his team defeated Standard Liège 2–0 at home to be crowned champions for the first time in their history. Neto nearly completed a transfer to newly-promoted Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in 2017, but failed a medical. He missed the entire 2017–18 due to a serious knee injury.

Later career

On 20 May 2019, Neto joined K.V. Oostende on a one-year contract. He then represented in quick succession K.M.S.K. Deinze (Belgian Challenger Pro League), Sirens F.C. (Maltese Premier League) and KSC Blankenberge, achieving promotion with the amateurs to the Belgian Division 3 in 2023.

Career statistics

Honours

Gent