Daniel Castelo Podence (born 21 October 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Super League Greece club Olympiacos, on loan from Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab.
He started his career with Sporting CP, appearing in 40 competitive matches and also being loaned to Moreirense, with whom he won the 2017 Taça da Liga. He then joined Olympiacos, winning the 2019âÂÂ20 Super League Greece. In January 2020, he signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He returned to Olympiacos on loan for the 2023âÂÂ24 season, winning the Conference League. He moved to Al-Shabab in September 2024, returning to Olympiacos for a third spell in 2025.
Podence made his full debut for Portugal in 2020.
Born in Oeiras, Lisbon, Podence joined Sporting CP's youth system shortly before his 10th birthday, arriving from neighbouring Belenenses. On 3 February 2013, whilst still a junior, he made his senior debut, appearing for the former's reserves in a Segunda Liga match against MarÃÂtimo B after coming on as a late substitute for Bruma.
Podence played his first official game for the first team on 29 December 2014, starting in a 2âÂÂ0 away win over Vitória de Guimarães in the final stages of the Taça da Liga. He was then loaned to Moreirense in a season-long move. He made his debut in the Primeira Liga on 17 September 2016 in a 2âÂÂ0 loss at Estoril, scoring his first goal in the competition on 29 October in another away fixture, against Tondela (a 2âÂÂ1 victory). On 4 December 2016, his brace helped the hosts to a 3âÂÂ1 win over Nacional, and he also made three appearances for the club in the League Cup campaign, which ended with them winning their first-ever trophy.
In late January 2017, Podence was recalled by Sporting manager Jorge Jesus. He terminated his contract on 1 June 2018, following a violent attack on the players by a number of their own supporters.
On 9 July 2018, Podence joined Olympiacos on a five-year deal. His first competitive appearance took place on 9 August in a 4âÂÂ0 home victory against Luzern in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, and he scored his first goal later that month in a 1âÂÂ1 draw at Burnley in the same competition (4âÂÂ2 aggregate win). He finished his first season in the Super League Greece with eight goals in all competitions, and the team finished in second place.
On 2 September 2019, after a litigation with Sporting, both clubs reached a â¬7 million settlement. Sixteen days later, in his first match in the group phase of the UEFA Champions League, Podence helped Olympiacos come back from a 2âÂÂ0 home deficit to a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, scoring in the 44th minute after an individual effort.
On 30 January 2020, Podence moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers on a four-and-a-half-year contract for a ã16.9 million transfer fee. He made his debut as a substitute, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. His first start was on 27 February in the second leg of the Europa League's round of 32 away to Espanyol, providing two assists in the 3âÂÂ2 loss.
Podence's first start in the English Premier League was on 12 July 2020, in a 3âÂÂ0 home defeat of Everton in which he drew the foul that resulted in a penalty (converted by Raúl Jiménez) that put the side 1âÂÂ0 up at the end of the first half; Sky Sports named him "Player of the match" for his performance. He scored his first league goal the following weekend, with a header to open the scoring against Crystal Palace in an eventual 2âÂÂ0 home win.
Podence scored his first league goal of the 2020âÂÂ21 campaign on 30 October 2020, also against Crystal Palace and at Molineux Stadium, in a 2âÂÂ0 victory. He was BBC Sport's Player of the match in a league game at home to Chelsea on 15 December, in which he scored his team's opening goal as they came from behind to win 2âÂÂ1.
On 9 January 2022, Podence scored a brace â one in each half â in Wolves's 3âÂÂ0 home defeat of Sheffield United in the third round of the FA Cup. His first in the domestic league in that season arrived on 20 February, in the 2âÂÂ1 home win over Leicester City.
On 26 December 2022, Podence opened an eventual 2âÂÂ1 victory at Everton in Julen Lopetegui's debut as new head coach; in this match, the player also celebrated his 75th league appearance for the club. On 5 April 2023, the Football Association charged him for an alleged spitting offence against Brennan Johnson during his side's 1âÂÂ1 draw at Nottingham Forest four days earlier in which he scored a late equaliser, and he faced a mandatory six-match suspension if found guilty; he denied the accusations, being cleared of any wrongdoing on 23 May.
Podence fell out of favour ahead of the 2023âÂÂ24 campaign, being omitted from the preseason squad and sent to train with the under-21s. Manager Gary O'Neil stated about the player that "at the moment the squad's ambition â and where we're trying to get to â and Daniel's aren't aligned."
On 4 September 2023, Podence returned to Olympiacos on a season-long loan. He totalled 15 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, contributing one in eight appearances in the team's victorious run in the UEFA Conference League.
On 3 September 2024, Podence joined Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab. One year later, he returned to Olympiacos on loan. He scored on his third debut for the latter on 13 September 2025, in a 5âÂÂ0 home win over Panserraikos.
Podence scored in his first two appearances for the Portugal under-21 team, in October 2016 matches against Hungary (3âÂÂ3) and Liechtenstein (7âÂÂ1 rout) for the 2017 UEFA European Championship qualifying stage. Selected for the finals in Poland, he repeated the feat in the 4âÂÂ2 group-phase victory over North Macedonia.
In September 2019, Podence was called up to the senior squad for UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers with Serbia and Lithuania. He made his debut 13 months later, playing 15 minutes in place of João Félix in a 3âÂÂ0 home win against Sweden in the Nations League.
Sporting CP
Moreirense
Olympiacos
Individual