{{short description|Cape Verdean footballer (born 1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Kristopher da Graça | image = Kristopher Da Graca 2021.jpg | full_name = Kristopher Santos da Graça | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|01|16|df=yes}} | birth_place = Gothenburg, Sweden | height = 1.90 m | currentclub = Krasava ENY Ypsonas FC | clubnumber = 4 | position = Centre back | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2013 | youthclubs1 = Hisingsbacka FC | youthyears2 = 2013–2017 | youthclubs2 = Arsenal | years1 = 2017–2020 | clubs1 = IFK Göteborg | caps1 = 51 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2021–2022 | clubs2 = VVV-Venlo | caps2 = 35 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2022–25 | clubs3 = Sirius | caps3 = 30 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2023 | clubs4 = → HJK (loan) | caps4 = 5 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2024 | clubs5 = → KuPS (loan) | caps5 = 11 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2025 | clubs6 = → Schaffhausen (loan) | caps6 = 15 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2025- | clubs7 = Krasava ENY Ypsonas FC | caps7 = 8 | goals7 = 0<ref>{{cite web |last1=Da Graca |first1=Kristopher |title=Kristopher Da Graca |url=https://www.soccerway.com/player/da-graca-kristopher/vsq05lVR/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=22 December 2025}}</ref> | nationalyears1 = 2013–2014 | nationalteam1 = Sweden U17 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2015–2016 | nationalteam2 = Sweden U19 | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 2020 | nationalteam3 = Sweden | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalyears4 = 2023– | nationalteam4 = Cape Verde | nationalcaps4 = 3 | nationalgoals4 = 0 | pcupdate = 1 July 2025 | ntupdate = 7 June 2025 }}
'''Kristopher Santos da Graça''' ({{IPA|sv|ˈkɾi.stɔ.fəɾ|lang}} {{IPA|pt|ˈsɐ̃.tuʒ dɐ ˈɡɾa.sɐ|lang}}; born 16 January 1998) is a footballer who plays as a centre back for Sirius.<ref>{{Soccerway|kristopher-da-graca/376575}}</ref> Born in Sweden, he plays for the Cape Verde national team.
== Club career == On 6 January 2021, da Graça was transferred from Swedish side IFK Göteborg to Dutch club VVV-Venlo.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=6 January 2021|title=VVV-Venlo sign Swedish centre-back with Arsenal past|url=http://www.football-oranje.com/vvv-venlo-sign-swedish-centre-back-with-arsenal-past/|access-date=6 January 2021|website=Football Oranje}}</ref>
On 29 January 2022, da Graça returned to Sweden and signed with IK Sirius.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=IK Sirius|url=https://www.siriusfotboll.se/nyheter/kristopher-da-graca-klar-for-sirius-fotboll-2/|title=Kristopher Da Graca klar för Sirius Fotboll|date=29 January 2022|access-date=7 February 2022|language=sv}}</ref>
On 27 July 2023, da Graça was loaned out to Finnish club HJK Helsinki for the rest of the 2023 season with a purchase option. After the season, he returned to Sirius.<ref>[https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/kristopher-da-graca-ruotsista-lainalle-klubiin/ Kristopher Da Graca Ruotsista lainalle Klubiin], hjk.fi, 26 July 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.veikkausliiga.com/uutiset/2023/12/15/veikkausliigan-pelaajasiirrot-talvikaudella-2023-24 Pelaajasiirrot 2023-24 seuroittain], Veikkausliiga, 15 December 2023</ref> On 1 March 2024, Da Graca was loaned out to Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) in Veikkausliiga for the 2024 season, with a purchase option.<ref>[https://kups.fi/da-graca/ KuPSille kova vahvistus – tervetuloa Kuopioon Da Graca!], kups.fi, 1 March 2024</ref>
==International career== Da Graça was born in Sweden to parents from Cape Verde.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dtudo1pouco.com/kristopher-da-graca-o-filho-de-cabo-verdiano-que-joga-no-arsenal/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923122723/https://dtudo1pouco.com/kristopher-da-graca-o-filho-de-cabo-verdiano-que-joga-no-arsenal/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 September 2019|title=Kristopher da Graça o filho de cabo-verdiano que joga no Arsenal - DTudo1Pouco|website=dtudo1pouco.com|date=8 April 2016 }}</ref> He was a youth international for Sweden. In January 2020, he was selected for the Swedish national a-team's international training matches in Doha, Qatar against Moldova and Kosovo by head coach, Janne Andersson. He is still eligible to represent Cape Verde due to his heritage.
He made his international debut for the Sweden national team on 12 January 2020 in a friendly game against Kosovo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.svenskfotboll.se/landslag/landslagsdatabas/landslagsspelare/?fplid=a53aed4a-02b9-477f-9938-5e9c952e1efb&tab=appearances|title=Kristopher Da Graca — svenskfotboll.se|website=www2.svenskfotboll.se|access-date=2020-03-05|archive-date=20 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920212830/https://www2.svenskfotboll.se/landslag/landslagsdatabas/landslagsspelare/?fplid=a53aed4a-02b9-477f-9938-5e9c952e1efb&tab=appearances|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 4 October 2023, da Graça got a call-up to Cape Verde national team for friendly matches against Algeria and Comoros, on 12 and 17 October 2023, respectively.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://fcf.cv/selecao-masculina-defronta-argelia-e-comores-em-compromisso-amigavel/ | title= Seleção Masculina defronta Argelia e Comores em compromisso amigável |date=4 October 2023}}</ref> On 17 October, he debuted with the Cape Verdean national side and was included in the starting lineup in a friendly match against Comoros hosted at Stade Parsemain in Fos-sur-Mer, France. His side lost the match 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/37633/Cape_Verde_Comoros.html|title=Cape Verde vs. Comoros 2023-10-17|website=NationalFootballTeams.com|date=18 November 2023}}</ref>
== Career statistics == {{updated|28 April 2025}} {| 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"|Cup{{efn|Includes Svenska Cupen, KNVB Beker and Suomen Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Finnish League Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=5|IFK Göteborg |2017 |Allsvenskan |7||0||1||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||8||0 |- |2018 |Allsvenskan |4||0||0||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||4||0 |- |2019 |Allsvenskan |22||0||2||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||24||0 |- |2020 |Allsvenskan |18||0||0||0||colspan=2|–||0||0||18||0 |- !colspan=2|Total !51!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!54!!0 |- |rowspan=3|VVV-Venlo |2020–21 |Eredivisie |20||0||2||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||22||0 |- |2021–22 |Eerste Divisie |15||0||1||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||16||0 |- !colspan=2|Total !35!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!38!!0 |- |rowspan=3|Sirius |2022 |Allsvenskan |22||0||1||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||23||0 |- |2023 |Allsvenskan |8||0||2||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||10||0 |- !colspan=2|Total !30!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!33!!0 |- |HJK Helsinki (loan) |2023 |Veikkausliiga |5||0||0||0||0||0||4{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League|name=uecel}}||0||9||0 |- |KuPS (loan) |2024 |Veikkausliiga |11||0||4||0||2||0||1{{efn|Appearance(s) in UEFA Conference League|name=uecl}}||0||18||0 |- |KuPS Akatemia (loan) |2024 |Ykkönen |1||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||1||0 |- |Schaffhausen (loan) |2024–25 |Swiss Challenge League |12||0||0||0||colspan=2|–||colspan=2|–||12||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !145!!0!!13!!0!!2!!0!!5!!0!!165!!0 |} {{notelist}}
=== International === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! rowspan="2" |National team!! rowspan="2" |Year!! colspan="2" |Competitive ! colspan="2" |Friendly ! colspan="2" |Total |- !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- | rowspan=1|Sweden |2020||0||0 |1 |0 |1 |0 |- ! colspan=2|Total !0 !0 !1 !0 !1 !0 |- | rowspan=1|Cape Verde |2023||0||0 |1 |0 |1 |0 |- ! colspan=2|Total !0 !0 !1 !0 !1 !0 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''HJK''' *Veikkausliiga: 2023
'''KuPS''' *Veikkausliiga: 2024<ref>[https://yle.fi/a/74-20118969 Kuopio villiintyi KuPSin mestaruudesta – Eini ilmestyi juhlahumuun], Yle, 19 October 2024</ref> *Finnish Cup: 2024 *Finnish League Cup runner-up: 2024
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Svenskfotboll|id=a53aed4a-02b9-477f-9938-5e9c952e1efb}} * {{ifkdb|name=#4 Kristopher Da Graca}} <!-- {{IK Sirius Fotboll squad}} --> {{FC Schaffhausen squad}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Da Graca, Kristopher}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Gothenburg Category:Swedish men's footballers Category:Sweden men's youth international footballers Category:Swedish people of Cape Verdean descent Category:Sportspeople of Cape Verdean descent Category:Allsvenskan players Category:Eredivisie players Category:Eerste Divisie players Category:Hisingsbacka FC players Category:IFK Göteborg players Category:IK Sirius Fotboll players Category:VVV-Venlo players Category:Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi players Category:Kuopion Palloseura players Category:FC Schaffhausen players Category:Veikkausliiga players Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Swedish expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands Category:Swedish expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands Category:Dual internationalists (men's football) Category:Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Finland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland Category:Cape Verdean expatriate sportspeople in Finland Category:Cape Verdean expatriate men's footballers Category:Swedish expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland Category:Cape Verdean expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland Category:21st-century Swedish sportsmen