{{short description|Portuguese footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Portuguese name|Pereira|Escoval}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Rodrigo Escoval | image = João Escoval.png | fullname = João Rodrigo Pereira Escoval<ref name=Bio>{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/jogador/joao-escoval/183470|title=João Escoval|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|5|8|df=y}}<ref name=Bio/> | birth_place = Lisbon, Portugal<ref name=Bio/> | height = 1.79 m<ref name=Bio/> | position = Centre-back | currentclub = Akron Tolyatti | clubnumber = 26 | youthyears1 = 2006–2007 | youthclubs1 = Sacavenense | youthyears2 = 2007–2016 | youthclubs2 = Benfica | youthyears3 = 2014–2015 | youthclubs3 = → Casa Pia (loan) | years1 = 2015–2017 | clubs1 = Benfica B | caps1 = 16 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2017–2018 | clubs2 = Istra 1961 | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2018–2022 | clubs3 = Rijeka | caps3 = 84 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2022 | clubs4 = Anorthosis | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2022–2023 | clubs5 = Volos | caps5 = 29 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2023–2024 | clubs6 = Vizela | caps6 = 19 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2024– | clubs7 = Akron Tolyatti | caps7 = 48 | goals7 = 2 | club-update = 11 May 2026 }} '''João Rodrigo Pereira Escoval''' (born 8 May 1997) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Russian Premier League club Akron Tolyatti.
==Club career== Escoval was born in Lisbon. He joined S.L. Benfica's youth system at the age of 10, signing from SG Sacavenense also in the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/segunda-liga/artigos/caso-raro-benfica-b-jogou-com-18-jogadores-portugueses-17-deles-da-formacao|title=Caso raro. Benfica B jogou com 18 jogadores portugueses, 17 deles da formação|trans-title=Rare event. Benfica B played with 18 Portuguese players, 17 being from the youth system|publisher=SAPO|language=pt|date=13 February 2017|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref>
On 24 August 2016, Escoval made his professional debut for Benfica's B team, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 away win against F.C. Vizela in the LigaPro.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/2--liga/detalhe/vizela-benfica-b-1-2-jose-gomes-da-o-triunfo-as-aguias.html|title=Vizela-Benfica B, 1–2: José Gomes dá o triunfo às águias|trans-title=Vizela-Benfica B, 1–2: José Gomes gives eagles win|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=24 August 2016|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref> He contributed a further nine starts until the end of the season, helping to a final fourth position.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/ii-liga/benfica-b/helder-cristovao-o-que-foi-feito-o-ano-passado-de-nada-serve-neste|title=Hélder Cristóvão: "O que foi feito o ano passado de nada serve neste"|trans-title=Hélder Cristóvão: "What was done last year does not matter one bit this one"|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=13 July 2017|access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref>
On 18 August 2017, the 20-year-old Escoval and teammate Filipe Ferreira were sold to NK Istra 1961 from the Croatian Football League, as Mato Miloš moved in the opposite direction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rr.sapo.pt/noticia/91416/benfica_inclui_dois_bes_no_negocio_de_mato_milos|title=Benfica inclui dois "bês" no negócio de Mato Milos|trans-title=Benfica include two "Bs" in Mato Milos deal|publisher=Rádio Renascença|language=pt|date=18 August 2017|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref> On 10 January 2018, he signed a {{frac|1|1|2}}-year contract with HNK Rijeka of the same country and league, with a three-year extension option.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nk-rijeka.hr/vijest/joao-escoval-novi-igrac-rijeke-rijeka-je-veliki-klub/|title=Joao Escoval novi igrač Rijeke: 'Rijeka je veliki klub'|trans-title=João Escoval new player of Rijeka: 'Rijeka is a big club'|publisher=HNK Rijeka|language=hr|date=10 January 2018|access-date=11 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429175614/http://nk-rijeka.hr/vijest/joao-escoval-novi-igrac-rijeke-rijeka-je-veliki-klub/|archive-date=29 April 2021}}</ref> He scored his first top-flight goal while in service of the latter club, opening the 2–0 away victory over NK Varaždin on 28 September 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.novilist.hr/sport/nk-rijeka/tibor-halilovic-napadacka-igra-presing-i-sto-raniji-gol-recept-za-prolaz-u-cetvrtfinale-kupa/|title=TIBOR HALILOVIĆ: Napadačka igra, presing i što raniji gol recept za prolaz u četvrtfinale Kupa|trans-title=TIBOR HALILOVIĆ: Attacking play, pressing and recipe for the earliest goal possible to reach the Cup quarter-finals|newspaper=Novi list|first=Denis|last=Frančišković|language=hr|date=30 October 2019|access-date=6 April 2022}}</ref>
Escoval joined Cypriot First Division side Anorthosis Famagusta FC on 31 January 2022 on a two-and-a-half-year deal,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://anorthosisfc.com.cy/2022/01/enarxi-synergasias-me-rodrigo-escoval/|title=Έναρξη συνεργασίας με Rodrigo Escoval|trans-title=Start of cooperation with Rodrigo Escoval|publisher=Anorthosis Famagusta|language=el|date=31 January 2022|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> but switched to the Super League Greece with Volos F.C. shortly after.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports365.gr/super-league/episima-ston-volo-o-eskoval/171923/|title=Επίσημα στον Βόλο ο Εσκοβάλ!|trans-title=Escoval officially to Volos!|publisher=Sports 365|first=Konstantinos|last=Tsiptsios|language=el|date=9 July 2022|access-date=14 December 2023}}</ref> He returned to Portugal in summer 2023, agreeing to a two-year contract at Vizela.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/1a-liga/vizela-reforca-se-com-joao-escoval_d1501221|title=Vizela reforça-se com João Escoval|trans-title=Vizela strengthen with João Escoval|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|first=Mário|last=Aleixo|language=pt|date=20 July 2023|access-date=14 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://fcvizela.pt/2023/07/20/rodrigo-escoval-chega-para-dar-tudo/|title=Rodrigo Escoval chega para "dar tudo"|trans-title=Rodrigo Escoval arrives to "give everything"|publisher=F.C. Vizela|language=pt|date=20 July 2023|access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref> He made his Primeira Liga debut on 27 August by starting the 2–0 loss at Vitória de Guimarães<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/liga/vitoria-guimaraes/v-guimaraes-vizela-2-0-cronica|title=V. Guimarães-Vizela, 2–0 (crónica)|trans-title=V. Guimarães-Vizela, 2–0 (report)|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Bruno José|last=Ferreira|language=pt|date=27 August 2023|access-date=14 December 2023}}</ref> and, in December, renewed his link until 2026.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fcvizela.pt/2023/12/12/rodrigo-escoval-renova-ate-2026/|title=Rodrigo Escoval renova até 2026|trans-title=Rodrigo Escoval renews until 2026|publisher=F.C. Vizela|language=pt|date=12 December 2023|access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref>
On 29 June 2024, Escoval signed for Russian Premier League newcomers FC Akron Tolyatti.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fcakron.ru/blog/2024/06/29/akron-zaklyuchil-kontrakt-s-rodrigo-eskovalem/|title="Акрон" заключил контракт с Родриго Эсковалем|trans-title=Akron signed a contract with Rodrigo Escoval|publisher=FC Akron Tolyatti|language=ru|date=29 June 2024|access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 23 May 2026}}<ref name=SW>{{Soccerway}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://hrnogomet.com/hnl/igrac.php?id=3308&lang=en&stranica=1|title=João Escoval|publisher=Hrnogomet|language=hr|access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref> {|class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align: center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- ! Division ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals |- |rowspan="3"|Benfica B |2015–16 |rowspan="2"|LigaPro |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0 |- |2016–17 |16||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||16||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !16!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!16!!0 |- |Istra 1961 |2017–18 |Croatian Football League |12||0||3||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||15||0 |- |rowspan="6"|Rijeka |2017–18 |rowspan="5"|Croatian Football League |7||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||7||0 |- |2018–19 |23||0||3||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||26||0 |- |2019–20 |27||1||4||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||31||1 |- |2020–21 |19||0||1||0||6||1||colspan=2|—||26||1 |- |2021–22 |8||0||3||0||5||0||colspan=2|—||16||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !84!!1!!11!!0!!11!!1!!0!!0!!106!!2 |- |Anorthosis |2021–22 |Cypriot First Division |2||0||3||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||5||0 |- |Volos |2022–23 |Super League Greece |29||0||2||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||31||0 |- |Vizela |2023–24 |Primeira Liga |19||0||4||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||23||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Akron Tolyatti |2024–25 |Russian Premier League |28||2||2||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||30||2 |- |2025–26 |Russian Premier League |20||0||5||0||colspan=2|—||2{{efn|Appearance in relegation play-offs}}||0||27||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !48!!2!!7!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!57!!2 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !210!!3!!30!!0!!11!!1!!2!!0!!253!!4 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Rijeka''' *Croatian Football Cup: 2018–19, 2019–20<ref name=SW/>
'''Individual''' *Russian Premier League Goal of the Month: April 2025 (on 27 April 2025 against Khimki).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://premium.premierliga.ru/news-and-media/novosti-i-media_299.html|title=Родриго Эсковаль – автор Winline гола апреля!|trans-title=Rodrigo Escoval – author of Winline's goal of April!|publisher=Russian Premier League|language=ru|date=9 May 2025|access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{ForaDeJogo}}
{{FC Akron Tolyatti squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Escoval, Rodrigo}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Portuguese sportsmen Category:Portuguese men's footballers Category:Footballers from Lisbon Category:Men's association football central defenders Category:Primeira Liga players Category:Liga Portugal 2 players Category:Casa Pia A.C. players Category:S.L. Benfica B players Category:F.C. Vizela players Category:Croatian Football League players Category:NK Istra 1961 players Category:HNK Rijeka players Category:Cypriot First Division players Category:Anorthosis Famagusta FC players Category:Super League Greece players Category:Volos F.C. players Category:Russian Premier League players Category:FC Akron Tolyatti players Category:Portuguese expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Croatia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Croatia Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Greece Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Russia