{{short description|Portuguese association football player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Benny Couto | image = | fullname = Bernardo Peixoto Couto<ref name="soccerwaybio">{{cite web |title=Benny Couto: Summary |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/benny-couto/774177/ |website=soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=19 April 2023}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|09|27|df=y}}<ref name="soccerwaybio"/> | birth_place = [[Porto]], Portugal<ref name="soccerwaybio"/> | height = | position = [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|Left-back]] | currentclub = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]] | clubnumber = 3 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] | years1 = 2021–2024 | clubs1 = [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] | caps1 = 28 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2023 | clubs2 = → [[The New Saints F.C.|The New Saints]] (loan) | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2023–2024 | clubs3 = → [[Ashton United F.C.|Ashton United]] (loan) | caps3 = 31 | goals3 = 3 | years4 = 2024 | clubs4 = [[Ashton United F.C.|Ashton United]] | caps4 = 17 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2025 | clubs5 = [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] | caps5 = 20 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2026– | clubs6 = [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]] | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 1 | club-update = 15:18, 29 May 2026(UTC) }} '''Bernardo Peixoto Couto''' (born 27 September 2003) is a Portuguese professional [[Association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|left-back]] for [[League of Ireland Premier Division]] club [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]].
==Club career== Born in Portugal,<ref name="tot1">{{cite news |last1=Geldard |first1=Suzanne |title=Couto made good first impression on Oldham boss Keith Curle |url=https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/sport/latics/19554223.couto-made-good-first-impression-oldham-boss-keith-curle/ |access-date=2 September 2021 |work=The Oldham Times |date=2 September 2021}}</ref> Couto began his career with English club [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] in their academy. In August 2021, he was called up by coach [[Keith Curle]] to participate in first team training after impressing coaches with the youth squad.<ref name="tot1"/> On 31 August, Couto was named as a starter for Oldham Athletic in the [[EFL Trophy]] match against [[Salford City F.C.|Salford City]], playing the whole 90 minutes in the 1–0 victory.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oldham Athletic 1–0 Salford City |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/08/31/england/football-league-trophy/oldham-athletic-afc/salford-city-fc/3559650/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref> Shortly following his debut, he would go onto play the second half in the 7-0 away defeat to [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] in the [[EFL Cup]]. Despite the Scoreline, he played well leading to his first [[EFL League Two|League Two]] start days later. A 1-0 victory against [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]] in the Greater Manchester derby again performing well and winning favour with the Oldham Athletic fans. Throughout the festive period Couto continued to perform well. During this period he scored his first professional goal in a 3-1 defeat at home to [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]].
In August 2023 he joined [[Cymru Premier]] club [[The New Saints F.C.|The New Saints]] on loan until January 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=The New Saints sign Benny Cuoto on loan from National League side, Oldham Athletic |date=15 August 2023 |url=https://www.tnsfc.co.uk/2023/08/15/the-new-saints-sign-benny-cuoto-on-loan-from-national-league-side-oldham-athletic/ |publisher=The New Saints |access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref>
Having spent the majority of the 2023–24 season at [[Ashton United F.C.|Ashton United]] on loan, he spent the first half of the following season with the club after signing permanently with them in the summer of 2024.
On 29 November 2024, Couto signed for newly promoted [[League of Ireland Premier Division]] side [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] ahead of their 2025 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.corkcityfc.ie/blogs/news/welcome-to-city-benny-couto?srsltid=AfmBOoowwif84H0h4DTqbqAjX8no605wcsc_THoXgJFLds9Fo6FVR17j|title=Welcome to City, Benny Couto!|website=Cork City FC Shop}}</ref> On 26 April 2025, he picked up an ankle injury in a 1–1 draw away to [[Sligo Rovers F.C.|Sligo Rovers]] that would keep him out of action for several months.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41624626.html|title=Benny Couto ruled out for 'a couple of months' in latest Cork City injury blow|date=1 May 2025|website=echo live}}</ref> He made a total of 23 appearances in all competitions by the end of the season, as the club were relegated to the [[League of Ireland First Division]] by finishing bottom of the league.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41723517.html|title=Lacklustre Cork City relegated after defeat to Shelbourne|first=Stephen|last=Barry|date=13 October 2025|website=Irish Examiner}}</ref>
On 5 December 2025, it was announced that Couto had signed for [[League of Ireland Premier Division]] club [[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]].<ref>https://waterfordfc.ie/2025/12/05/benny-couto-is-a-blue/</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 13 October 2025}}<ref name="soccerwaybio"/>
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National Cup{{efn|Includes [[FA Cup]], [[Welsh Cup]] & [[FAI Cup]]}} !colspan=2|[[League Cup]]{{efn|Includes [[EFL Cup]] & [[Welsh League Cup]]}} !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|[[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] |[[2021–22 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season|2021–22]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/bernardo-peixoto-couto/774177/|title=Summary - Bernardo Peixoto Couto - Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos - Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}}</ref> |[[EFL League Two|League Two]] |19||1||2||0||1||0||5{{efn|Appearances in the [[EFL Trophy]]}}||0||26||1 |- |[[2022–23 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season|2022–23]]<ref name="auto"/> |[[National League (English football)|National League]] |9||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||2{{efn|Appearances in the [[FA Trophy]]|name=statsFAT}}||0||13||0 |- |[[2023–24 Oldham Athletic A.F.C. season|2023–24]]<ref name="auto"/> |[[National League (English football)|National League]] |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0||0||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !28!!1!!4!!0!!1!!0!!7!!0!!40!!1 |- |[[The New Saints F.C.|The New Saints]] (loan) |[[2023–24 Cymru Premier|2023–24]]<ref name="auto"/> |[[Cymru Premier]] |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |[[Ashton United F.C.|Ashton United]] (loan) |[[2023–24 Northern Premier League|2023–24]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/ashton-united/appearances/2023-2024/bernardo-couto/955907|title=Ashton United | Appearances | Bernardo Couto | 2023-2024 | Football Web Pages|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk}}</ref> |[[Northern Premier League]] Premier Division |31||3||2||0||colspan="2"|–||5{{efn|2 appearances in the [[FA Trophy]] & 3 appearances, 1 goal in the [[Manchester Premier Cup]]}}||1||38||4 |- |[[Ashton United F.C.|Ashton United]] |[[2024–25 Northern Premier League|2024–25]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/ashton-united/appearances/bernardo-couto/955907|title=Ashton United | Appearances | Bernardo Couto | Football Web Pages|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk}}</ref> |[[Northern Premier League]] Premier Division |17||1||0||0||colspan="2"|–||2{{efn|name=statsFAT}}||0||19||1 |- |[[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] |[[2025 League of Ireland Premier Division|2025]]<ref name="auto"/> |[[League of Ireland Premier Division|LOI Premier Division]] |20||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||1{{efn|Appearance(s) in the [[Munster Senior Cup (association football)|Munster Senior Cup]]|name=statsMSC}}||0||23||0 |- |[[Waterford F.C.|Waterford]] |[[2026 League of Ireland Premier Division|2026]]<ref name="auto"/> |[[League of Ireland Premier Division|LOI Premier Division]] |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0{{efn|name=statsMSC}}||0||0||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !97!!5!!8!!0!!1!!0!!15!!1!!121!!6 |} {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/teams/YouthTeam/defender/benny-couto/ Profile] at [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]]
{{Waterford F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Couto, Benny}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Footballers from Porto]] [[Category:Portuguese men's footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football defenders]] [[Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players]] [[Category:Portuguese expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]] [[Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in England]] [[Category:2003 births]] [[Category:The New Saints F.C. players]] [[Category:Cork City F.C. players]] [[Category:Waterford F.C. players]] [[Category:League of Ireland players]] [[Category:Cymru Premier players]] [[Category:English Football League players]] [[Category:21st-century Portuguese sportsmen]]