Famous people from Guinea-Bissau
Here is a list of famous people from Guinea-Bissau. Curious if anybody from Guinea-Bissau made it our most famous people in the world list? Read the aformentioned article in order to find out.
Bruma
Soccer Midfielder
Armindo Tué Na Bangna, commonly known as Bruma, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Galatasaray SK in the Süper Lig as a winger, skill and speed being his main assets.
Amílcar Cabral
Politician
Amílcar Lopes da Costa Cabral was a Guinea-Bissauan and Cape Verdean agricultural engineer, writer, and a nationalist thinker and political leader. He was also one of Africa's foremost anti-colonial leaders. Also known by his nom de guerre Abel Djassi, Cabral led the nationalist movement of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde Islands and the ensuing war of independence in Guinea-Bissau. He was assassinated on 20 January 1973, about eight months before Guinea-Bissau's unilateral declaration of independence. While he was influenced by Marxism, he was not a Marxist.
Yannick Djaló
Soccer
Yannick dos Santos Djaló is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica mainly as a forward – he can also operate as a winger. He played most of his professional career with Sporting after reaching the club's youth system at the age of 15, going on to appear in more than 150 official games and win four major titles. Djaló also represented Benfica, signing in 2012.
Malam Bacai Sanhá
Politician
Malam Bacai Sanhá was a Guinea-Bissau politician who was President of Guinea-Bissau from 8 September 2009 to 9 January 2012. A member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, Sanhá was President of the National People's Assembly from 1994 to 1999 and then served as acting President of Guinea-Bissau from 14 May 1999, to 17 February 2000, following the ouster of President João Bernardo Vieira. Standing as the PAIGC candidate, he placed second in the 1999–2000 presidential election as well as the 2005 presidential election before winning the June–July 2009 presidential election.
João Bernardo Vieira
Politician
João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira was the President of Guinea-Bissau from 1980 to 1984, for the second time from 1984 to 1999, and for the third time from 2005 to 2009. After seizing power in 1980, Vieira ruled for 19 years, and he won a multiparty presidential election in 1994. He was ousted at the end of the 1998–1999 civil war and went into exile. He made a political comeback in 2005, winning that year's presidential election. Vieira was killed by soldiers on 2 March 2009, apparently in retaliation for a bomb blast that killed Guinea-Bissau's military chief General Batista Tagme Na Waie. The military officially denied these allegations after Army officials claimed responsibility for Vieira's death. Vieira described himself as "God's gift" to Guinea-Bissau during his tenure in office.
Almami Moreira
Soccer Midfielder
Almami Samori da Silva Moreira is a Guinea-Bissauan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He also holds Portuguese citizenship. After starting out at Boavista he went on to represent mainly Standard Liège and Partizan, also playing in four other countries during his career.
Esmaël Gonçalves
Soccer Midfielder
Esmaël Ruti Tavares Cruz da Silva Gonçalves, known as Esmaël Gonçalves or "Isma", is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a striker or winger for APOEL F.C. in the Cypriot First Division, on loan from Rio Ave.
Luís Cabral
Politician
Luís Severino de Almeida Cabral was the first President of Guinea-Bissau. He served from 1974 to 1980, when a military coup d'état led by João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira deposed him. Luís Cabral was a half-brother of Amílcar Cabral, with whom he co-founded the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde in 1956.
Éderzito António Macedo Lopes
Soccer
Éderzito António Macedo Lopes, aka Éder, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for S.C. Braga as a forward.
Aladje
Soccer
Alberto Aladje Gomes de Pina, known as Aladje, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for U.S. Sassuolo Calcio in Italy, as a striker.
Kumba Ialá
Politician
Kumba Ialá, also spelled Yalá, is a Guinea-Bissau politician who was President of Guinea-Bissau from 17 February 2000 until he was deposed in a bloodless military coup on 14 September 2003. He belongs to the Balanta ethnic group and is the President of the Social Renewal Party. In 2008 he converted to Islam and took the name Mohamed Ialá Embaló.
Daniel Kenedy
Soccer Midfielder
Daniel Kenedy Pimentel Mateus dos Santos, known as Kenedy, is a Portuguese retired footballer. A midfielder or defender, he played on the left side of the pitch. He appeared in 198 Portuguese first division games over the course of 11 seasons, mainly in representation of Benfica and Estrela da Amadora.
Danilo Luís Hélio Pereira
Soccer Midfielder
Danilo Luís Hélio Pereira is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for C.S. Marítimo as a defensive midfielder.
Carlos Gomes Júnior
Politician
Carlos Domingos Gomes Júnior is a Guinea-Bissauan politician who was Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau from 10 May 2004 to 2 November 2005, and again from 25 December 2008 to 10 February 2012. He has been the President of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde since 2002 and is widely known as "Cadogo". He resigned as prime minister on 10 February 2012 to run in the presidential election triggered by President Malam Bacai Sanhá's death on 9 January.
Bocundji Ca
Soccer Midfielder
Bocundji Ca is a Bissau-Guinean footballer who plays in midfield for French club Stade Reims.
Toni Silva
Soccer Midfielder
Toni Brito Silva Sá is a Bissau-Guinean-born Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a winger; currently unattached.
Zézinho
Soccer Midfielder
José Luís Mendes Lopes, commonly known as Zézinho, is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for Veria F.C. on loan from Sporting Clube de Portugal as a midfielder.
Carlos Correia
Politician
Carlos Correia is a Guinea-Bissau politician. He was Prime Minister from 27 December 1991 to 26 October 1994, from 6 June 1997 to 3 December 1998, and from 5 August 2008 to 25 December 2008.
Henrique Rosa
Politician
Henrique Pereira Rosa was a politician from Guinea-Bissau who served as interim President of Guinea-Bissau from 2003 to 2005. He was born in 1946 in Bafatá.
Raimundo Pereira
Politician
Raimundo Pereira is a Guinea-Bissauan lawyer and politician who was interim President of Guinea-Bissau from 3 March 2009 to 8 September 2009 and again in 2012, following the departure of President Malam Bacai Sanhá for medical treatment abroad; he continued in that capacity after Sanha's death. Pereira was elected as President of the National People's Assembly on 22 December 2008. Pereira is a member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde. He was ousted in a coup on 12 April 2012 and succeeded by Mamadu Ture Kuruma.
Tijane Reis
Soccer
Tijane Freitas Reis is an Portuguese-Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for Swindon Town as a left winger.
Ednilson
Soccer Midfielder
Ednilson Pedro Rocha Andrade Mendes, simply Ednilson, is a Bissauan footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.
Buomesca Tué Na Bangna
Soccer Midfielder
Buomesca Tué Na Bangna is a soccer player.
Daouda Jabi
Soccer Defender
Daouda Jabi is a Guinean footballer. He currently plays for Trabzonspor. A defender, he had played for RC Lens his entire career before moving to AC Ajaccio in the summer of 2005.
Ivanildo Cassamá
Soccer Midfielder
Ivanildo Soares Cassamá, known as simply Ivanildo, is a Guinea-Bissauan professional footballer who plays for Académica de Coimbra as a winger.
Zeferino Paulo Borges
Soccer
Zeferino Paulo Borges Soares, simply Zeferino, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a striker.
Luciano Teixeira
Soccer Midfielder
Luciano Mendes Teixeira is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for Metz as a Defensive Midfielder.
Lassana Camará
Soccer Midfielder
Lassana Camará, also known as Saná, is a Guinea Bissauan-born Portuguese footballer who plays for Académica de Coimbra as a central midfielder.
Aliu Djaló
Soccer Midfielder
Aliu Djaló is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a midfielder. Beside Aliu Djaló, he is also widely known as Kaby Djaló, or even simply Kaby.
Batista Tagme Na Waie
Man
General Batista Tagme Na Waie, also transliterated as Batista Tagme Na Wai was chief of staff of the army of Guinea-Bissau until his assassination in 2009.
Nuno Severiano Teixeira
Politician
Nuno Severiano Teixeira is a Portuguese politician.
Carmen Pereira
Politician
Carmen Pereira is a politician in Guinea-Bissau. She served three days as Acting President in 1984, becoming the first woman in this role in Africa and the only one in Guinea-Bissau's history.
Zezinando
Soccer Midfielder
Zezinando Odelfuides Gomes Correia, simply known as Zezinando, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Air Force United F.C. in the Thai Division 1 League, as a defensive midfielder.
Adul Baldé
Soccer
Adul Baldé or simply Adul is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer last playing for Doxa Katokopias.
Aristides Gomes
Politician
Aristides Gomes is the President of the Republican Party of Independence for Development in Guinea-Bissau. He was the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau from 2 November 2005 until 13 April 2007. Born in 1954 in Canchungo, Cacheu Region, Gomes attended the University of Paris VIII, where he received a degree in sociology and political science. A former director-general at Televisão Experimental da Guiné-Bissau, Gomes served as the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in a past government of President João Bernardo Vieira. He was a long-time member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, which he joined on 18 December 1973. He was a delegate to the party's Second Extraordinary Congress in January 1991, and at its Sixth Ordinary Congress in May 1998 he was elected to the party's Political Bureau. At PAIGC's Fourth Extraordinary Congress, held in January–February 2002, he was elected as the First Vice-President of the party. In the March 2004 parliamentary election, Gomes was elected to the National People's Assembly. He was then a candidate for the post of President of the National People's Assembly, but was defeated by Francisco Benante in a vote held by the PAIGC Central Committee in April 2004; he received 71 votes against 106 votes for Benante. Subsequently he was appointed to the government of PAIGC Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior as Minister of Territorial Administration, Administrative Reform, the Civil Service, and Labor on May 11, 2004, but he refused to accept the appointment due to what he described as continued military influence over the government. Later, Gomes was one of the PAIGC leaders on hand to greet Vieira when he returned to Guinea-Bissau from exile on April 7, 2005, and on May 8, 2005 he was suspended from the party for openly supporting Vieira's candidacy against the PAIGC's Malam Bacai Sanhá in the presidential election that took place in June and July 2005. Soon after Vieira's election, Gomes defected from the party, and following Vieira's dismissal of Prime Minister Gomes Júnior on 28 October 2005, he named Gomes as Prime Minister on 2 November. The PAIGC appealed this appointment to the country's Supreme Court, which ruled on 26 January 2006 that Vieira was not required to appoint a PAIGC member as prime minister, validating his appointment of Gomes. The PAIGC denounced the ruling, however.
Samuel Quina
Soccer Defender
Samuel António da Silva Tavares Quina, simply known as Samuel, is a Portuguese retired professional footballer. Having played mostly for Benfica in the late 1980s and early 90's, he operated mainly as a central defender.
Holder da Silva
Olympic Track and field Athlete
Holder Ocante da Silva is a Guinea-Bissauan sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres. He was born in Bissau. His personal best time is 10.36 seconds, achieved in July 2009 in Lisbon. He competed at the 2007 World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games without progressing to the second round. In Beijing he placed 5th in his heat in a time of 10.58 seconds. At the 2012 Summer Olympics Men's 100m event, da Silva progressed from the preliminaries, setting a seasonal best time of 10.69 seconds, before being eliminated in the first round.
Carlos Lopes
Man
Carlos Lopes of Guinea Bissau is the executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa of the United Nations. He was appointed to this position by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2012. Prior to this, he served as executive director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research from 2007 to 2012. He was appointed to this capacity by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in March 2007. Prior to this appointment, Lopes was director for Political Affairs in the Executive Office of the secretary-general of the United Nations. In his early career, Lopes worked on research and diplomacy in the public service of Guinea-Bissau. In 1988, he became a development economist in United Nations Development Programme, where he had held numerous positions, including deputy director for the Office of Evaluation and Strategic Planning, resident representative in Zimbabwe, and deputy director of the Bureau of Development Policy. He was deputy assistant administrator at UNDP as well as a member of the Organization’s executive team. At UNDP, he had managed a portfolio of one billion dollars and served at the level of assistant secretary-general for more than a year. In 2003, he was appointed UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative in Brazil.
José Carlos Schwarz
Musician
José Carlos Schwarz was a Bissau-Guinean poet and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential musicians of Guinea-Bissau. Schwarz wrote in Portuguese and French, but he sang in Creole. In 1970, he formed the Cobiana Djazz band with a group of friends. After the independence of Guinea-Bissau, Schwarz became the director of the Department of Arts and Culture, and also the responsible for youth matters. In 1977, he started working at the Embassy of Guinea-Bissau in Cuba. On May 27 of the same year, Schwarz died in a plane crash near Havana.
Saido Indjai
Soccer Defender
Saido Indjai, aka Banjai, is a Guinea-Bissauan professional footballer who plays for U.D. Oliveirense in Portugal, as a central defender.
Dionísio Fernandes Mendes
Soccer Forward
Dionísio Fernandes Mendes, nicknamed Niche, is a Bissau-Guinean football striker.
Braíma Injai
Soccer
Braíma Injai, known as Braíma, is a Guinea Bissauan footballer who plays for S.C. Vianense in Portugal. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he also holds Portuguese nationality, due to the years spent playing in that country.
Gerso Fernandes
Soccer
Gerso Fernandes is a Bissau-Guinean football player who currently plays for Grupo Desportivo Estoril Praia.
Francisco Junior
Soccer Midfielder
Francisco Santos da Silva Júnior, commonly known as Francisco Júnior, is a professional footballer who plays for Vitesse, on loan from Everton, as a midfielder. He has also represented Portugal internationally at under-19 and under-21 level.
Reinaldo Gomes
Football player
Maurício Zacarias Reinaldo Rodrigues Gomes, known as Reinaldo, is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a striker.
Kimi Djabaté
Musician
Kimi Djabaté is a Bissau-Guinean Afro-beat/blues musician. Based out of Lisbon, Portugal, he continues to be one of the contemporary links in a chain of West African music that extends back in time hundreds of years.
Inzaghi Donígio
Soccer
Inzaghi Donígio, simply Inzaghi, is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for FK Kukesi in Albania, as a forward.
Abdulai Silá
Man
Abdulai Silá, is a Guinea-Bissauan engineer, economist, social researcher and writer. He is the author of three novels; Eterna Paixão, A Última Tragédia and Mistida, the first of which was the first novel published in Guinea-Bissau.
Adelino Lopes
Soccer Defender
Adelino Augusto Lopes, aka Lino, is a former Guinea-Bissauan footballer who played as a right defender.
Augusto Midana
Olympic Freestyle wrestler
Augusto Midana is a competition wrestler from Guinea-Bissau. He represented Guinea-Bissau in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and was the flag-bearer for his nation during the opening ceremonies of those games.
Joaquim Crima
Man
Joachim Ritu Cabi Crima or Vassily Ivanovich Crima, a Guinea-Bissauan-born farmer living in Russia. He is a former independent candidate in the 2009 Srednyaya Akhtuba election. As the first black man to run for head of the district, Crima received the nickname "the Russian Obama". However, both he and another black candidate for the post, Filipp Kondratyev came in third and last against the United Russia incumbent. Joaquim Crima settled in southern Russia in 1989 after earning a degree from Volgograd State Pedagogical University. He and his wife, Anait, who is of Armenian descent, have a 10-year-old son. In addition to farming, he also sells melons at the local marketplace in the district.
Jonas Mendes
Soccer
Jonas Mendes is a Guinea-Bissaun footballer who plays for S.C. Beira-Mar.
Mamadú Candé
Soccer Defender
Mamadu Candé is a Guinea-Bissauan professional footballer who plays for Videoton FC.
Eneida Marta
Woman
Eneida Marta is a singer from Guinea-Bissau who sings in Portuguese and Guinea-Bissau Creole. Three of her albums have been released since 2001 — Nô Stória, Amari, and Lôpe Kaï.
Boniek Forbes
Football player
Boniek Manuel Gomes Forbes is a footballer who plays as a winger for Cheshunt. He played for Leyton Orient in the Football League.
Emiliano Té
Soccer Midfielder
Emiliano Té is a Bissau-Guinean football midfielder, who plays for União de Leiria in the Portuguese Second Division.
Adilson Soares Cassamá
Soccer Midfielder
Adilson Soares Cassamá, known as simply Adilson, is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for FC Jeunesse Junglinster in Luxembourg, as a defensive midfielder
Graciela Martins
Olympic athlete
Graciela Martins is a Bissau-Guinean athlete. She competed in the 400 m event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Idrissa Camará
Soccer Midfielder
Idrissa Camará is a footballer from Bissau who plays for C.S. Visé.
Aldair Adulai Djaló Baldé
Soccer Forward
Aldair Adulai Djaló Baldé, known as Aldair, is a Guinea Bissauan-born Portuguese footballer who plays for F.C. Penafiel as a forward.
Talata Embalo
Olympic athlete
Talata Embalo is a Guinea-Bissauan amateur wrestler. He wrestled at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics and did not medal.
Mamadi Baldé
Soccer Defender
Mamadi Baldé is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for Sport Benfica e Castelo Branco in Portugal, as a central defender.
Eridson
Soccer Defender
Eridson is a Guinea-Bissau Soccer Player, currently playing for Paços de Ferreira as a defender.
Hemiliano Gomes Lopes
Soccer
Hemiliano Gomes Lopes, simply known as Hemiliano, is a Guinea-Bissauan footballer who plays for F.C. Arouca as a forward.
Malá
Soccer Midfielder
Muhamed Lamine Jabula Sanó, simply Mala, is a Bissau-Guinean football midfielder, who plays for Doxa Katokopia in the Cypriot First Division.
Ibraima
Soccer Midfielder
Ibraima So is a Guinea-Bissau Soccer Player.
Mustafá Silla
Soccer Midfielder
Mustafá Silla is a football player for the Guinea-Bissau national football team.
Leocisio Sami
Soccer Forward
Leocisio Sami is a Guinea-Bissaun Soccer Player.
Jacira Mendonca
Olympic Freestyle wrestler
Jacira Francisco Mendonca is a female competition wrestler from Guinea-Bissau. She represented Guinea-Bissau in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom.
Bacar Baldé
Soccer Defender
Bacar Baldé is a Guinea-Bissaun Soccer Player.
Aílton
Soccer Forward
Ailton Pedro Mota Pereira is a footballer from Guinea-Bissau who plays for Atlético Clube de Portugal.
Germano Chaves
Soccer Goalkeeper
Germano Luís Mendes Chaves is a Bissau-Guinean Soccer Player.
Marlon Costa
Soccer Midfielder
Marlon Costa is a Guinea Bissau football player.