Who is Bruno Andrade? Baller League No 1 pick and QPR youth graduate with a lengthy Football League resume
THE No1 pick in the newly-formed UK Baller League comes with pedigree.
Bruno Andrade is set to garner a lot of attention when he suits up for SDS FC, managed by YouTuber and Sky Sports regular Sharky.
Not only because he was the league’s first pick in a draft selection sprinkled with former Premier League players but also because of the numerous teams he has played for in the past.
Andrade, 31, has a lengthy resume in various leagues across the English football league pyramid.
So, who is the newest Baller League recruit?
Former Queens Park Rangers player
Born and raised in Viseu, a small city located in the heart of Portugal, Andrade joined the Queens Park Rangers’ development teams upon arriving in the UK.
The Portuguese forward was attempting to establish himself at Loftus Road during a time when the team was investing heavily in an effort to succeed in the Premier League.
He would proceed to play in the club’s first team four times during his nine-year association with the West London side.
“I’m not trying to sound big-headed but I 100 per cent think I would be playing there if I was coming through now,” he said in a sit-down interview with Sky Sports in 2019.
“But at the time it was hectic because QPR were signing players left, right and centre and it made it really hard for youngsters like myself trying to come through.
“I had players like Park Ji-Sung, Adel Taarabt, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Junior Hoilett in front of me so it was hard to make an impact.”
One local Portugese paper at the time earmarked Andrade as someone to watch in regards to the national team during the time.
“The year after I left things starting changing and there has been a bit more stability with youngsters getting a chance. For me the timing was all wrong, but everything happens for a reason.”
Football League journeyman
During his time with the R’s, Andrade went on a series of loans that would make him known in the lower league circles.
In 2015, eager for first-team experience, Andrade joined Woking in the National League. A year later, he moved to Boreham Wood in the same tier.
He had a breakthrough season in 2017–18, scoring 22 goals, which earned him a return to the Football League with Lincoln in the summer of 2018.
Lincoln City and the Cowley brothers gave him an opportunity following Danny and Nick’s promotion from the National League in the season prior.
However, upon the Cowley brother’s departure in 2019, Andrade would be on the move again in January 2020 as he joined the Class of ’92-owned Salford City.
An underwhelming stint at the Manchester-based club would see the former teammate of Raheem Sterling tumble down the leagues with Bedford Town in level 7 of the national football pyramid, providing a new hunting ground for the 17-club man at the start of the year.
Personal life
José, Andrade’s father, played football professionally as well.
He was a particularly prodigious striker in the 90s for local side Académico de Viseu and earned a move to English football with Stoke City in 1997.
The career climax was followed by a move to various clubs across Europe before retiring in 2010 as a two-capped man for Cape Verde.
Baller League managers
- Luis Figo – Trebol FC
- TBJZL – VZN FC
- Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker, Micah Richards – Deportrio
- Sharky – SDS FC
- John Terry – 26ers
- Angry Ginge – Yanited
- Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg – N5 FC
- Miniminter – M7 FC
- Dave – Santan FC
- Clint 419 – FC Rules the World
- Ian Wright and Chloe Kelly – Wembley Rangers AFC
- Maya Jama and Alisha Lehmann – MVPs United
What is the Baller League?
Youtube sensation and boxer KSI will be the president of the Baller League.
Games will consist of two 15 minute halves.
After 11 games, the top four placed teams will meet in the play-offs to determine the winner of the competition.
Games will be played weekly every Monday from March 24, and will stream live on YouTube and Twitch, as well as be shown on Sky Sports in the UK.
Celebrities, futsal players, and former players will compete in the indoor football tournament.
Premier League legends such as John Terry, Alan Shearer, Robert Pires and Ian Wright are all managers in the Baller League with the likes of Luis Figo, Alisha Lehmann, Chloe Kelly, r