Today the round of 16 of the Asian Cup begins, and despite some surprises, such as the qualification of Syria and Palestine, Hong Kong could not advance past the first round. The national team, ranked 150th in the FIFA ranking, seeks improvement with the addition of players from other regions, such as Brazilian Everton Camargo.
Born 32 years ago in Soledade, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, the forward was playing for an amateur team in his hometown when he was presented with the opportunity to join the unknown league in Hong Kong. On August 31, he received his local passport, and a week later, he made his debut for the national team in a friendly match.
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A key player for the team, he scored five goals in nine matches, including a goal against Turkmenistan in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. In the Asian Cup, he started in all the matches of the tournament being played in Qatar, in the same stadiums that were used for the 2022 World Cup.
In that continental tournament, the team lost 3-1 in their debut against the United Arab Emirates, 1-0 against Iran, and 3-0 against Palestine. They finished last in Group C, thus bidding an early farewell to the tournament.
Camargo came close to scoring a goal in the last match. In injury time and after a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty to the Hong Kong team, but the Brazilian’s shot hit the crossbar.
Despite this, Everton Camargo’s career continues to rise steadily. After starting at the modest Wong Tai Sin in Hong Kong, he moved on to other more powerful teams in the former British colony such as Yuen Long, Rangers, Eastern, and Lee Man FC, with whom he scored 17 goals in the last Hong Kong Premier League tournament.
