Mika (footballer, born 1991)

Michael Simões Domingues (born 8 March 1991), known as Mika, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Associação Académica de Coimbra.

Mika
Mika with Benfica in 2012.
Personal information
Full name Michael Simões Domingues[1]
Date of birth (1991-03-08) 8 March 1991[1]
Place of birth Yverdon, Switzerland[1]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Académica
Number 91
Youth career
2002–2006 Sporting Pombal
2006–2010 União Leiria
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 União Leiria 4 (0)
2011–2014 Benfica 0 (0)
2012–2014 Benfica B 31 (0)
2014 Atlético 16 (0)
2014–2016 Boavista 58 (0)
2016–2018 Sunderland 0 (0)
2018 União Leiria 2 (0)
2018–2019 Belenenses SAD 2 (0)
2019– Académica 27 (0)
National team
2011 Portugal U20 17 (0)
2011–2012 Portugal U21 6 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 November 2020

Club career

Born in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland to Portuguese parents, Mika joined U.D. Leiria's youth ranks in 2006, aged 15. He was promoted to the main squad for the 2009–10 season, as third choice. On 26 February 2010, in a home match against Vitória de Guimarães, he made his Primeira Liga debut, coming on as a substitute for Carlão after Hélder Godinho received a red card for committing a foul inside the box – he was not able to prevent Andrezinho from scoring the game's only goal, in the subsequent penalty kick;[2] the following campaign he was still a backup, but two of his three appearances were against Sporting CP[3] and S.L. Benfica.[4]

On 7 July 2011, whilst on international duty with the Portuguese under-20s, Mika signed a five-year contract with Benfica for €500,000.[5] He played no official games during 2011–12, playing understudy to experienced Artur and Eduardo, going on to spend the following two seasons with the B-team in the Segunda Liga.[6]

On 27 January 2014, Mika cut ties with the Lisbon club.[7] He signed for two years with second level side Atlético Clube de Portugal the same day,[8] being first-choice during his short tenure but not being able to help prevent relegation.

Mika returned to the top flight in summer 2014, penning a three-year deal with Boavista FC.[9] During the 2016 off-season, he gained interest from Premier League clubs Leicester City[10] and Sunderland: initial reports stated he agreed a move to the latter on transfer deadline day, but the deal was not finalized as the transfer window had already closed. The reason for the delayed transfer was a technical fault at the Portuguese end, but after an appeal to FIFA he was granted permission to join and signed a two-year contract.[11]

Mika played no official games in his first season, serving as backup to Jordan Pickford and Vito Mannone.[12] On 12 January 2018, player and the club mutually agreed to terminate his contract.[13]

Mika returned to União de Leiria on 8 March 2018, with the team now competing in the third division.[14] He moved back to his country's top tier in the ensuing June, signing a one-year deal with Belenenses SAD.[15]

International career

Mika was Portugal's starter at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. He helped the national team reach the final without conceding a single goal, before losing to Brazil 2–3 in the decisive match.[16] In the quarter-finals against Argentina he saved three penalties in the shootout[17] and, in the following game, against France, he broke the record for number of minutes without conceding a goal in U-20 World Cup history in a 2–0 win;[18] eventually, he was voted as best goalkeeper in the tournament.[19]

Subsequently, Mika was chosen by under-21 manager Rui Jorge for the 2013 UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign.[20] He played in half of the games, with Portugal just missing out on the play-off round.

Club statistics
As of match played 16 May 2019[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup Other Total
Division AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
União Leiria 2009–10 Primeira Liga 1000000010
2010–11 3010000040
Total 4010000050
Benfica 2011–12 Primeira Liga 0000000000
Benfica B 2012–13 Segunda Liga 300———300
2013–14 10———10
Total 310000000310
Atlético 2013–14 Segunda Liga 160000000160
Total 160000000160
Boavista 2014–15 Primeira Liga 290101000310
2015–16 260301000300
2016–17 3000000030
Total 580402000640
Sunderland 2016–17 Premier League 0000000000
2017–18 Championship 0000000000
Total 0000000000
União Leiria 2017–18 Campeonato Portugal 2000000020
Total 2000000020
Belenenses 2018–19 Primeira Liga 2020300070
Total 2020300070
Career Total 11307050001250

Honours

International

Portugal

Individual

References
  1. "Mika" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  2. "Vitória vence em Leiria e sobe provisoriamente ao 4º lugar" [Vitória win in Leiria and climb to 4th place provisionally] (in Portuguese). Guimarães TV. 26 February 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  3. "Sporting 0–0 U. Leiria" (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  4. "Benfica empata com o União de Leiria (3–3)" [Benfica draw with União de Leiria (3–3)] (in Portuguese). SIC Notícias. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  5. Nogueira, Carlos; Lopes, Gonçalo (7 July 2011). "Benfica: guarda-redes Mika garantido por 500 mil euros" [Benfica: goalkeeper Mika confirmed for 500.000 euros]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  6. "Jorge Jesus chama vários jogadores da equipa B jogo com Olhanense" [Jorge Jesus calls several B-team players for match with Olhanense]. Público (in Portuguese). 19 December 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  7. "Mika rescindiu contrato" [Mika has terminated contract]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  8. "Mika reforça alcantarenses" [Mika bolsters alcantarenses]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  9. Figueiredo, Inês André (28 June 2014). "Boavista de cara lavada" [Fresh-face Boavista] (in Portuguese). Vavel. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  10. "Leicester City plot £1million move for Portuguese goalkeeper Mika". Talksport. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  11. "Sunderland sign Mika". Sunderland A.F.C. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  12. Rayner, Stuart (22 May 2017). "Did Sunderland get anything right this season? Here are five positives for a desperate season". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  13. Rayner, Stuart (12 January 2018). "Sunderland release goalkeeper after 18 months without a first-team appearance". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  14. "Mika assina pela União de Leiria" [Mika signs for União de Leiria]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  15. Gouveia Pereira, Miguel (20 June 2018). "Belenenses garante Mika por um ano" [Belenenses confirm Mika for one year]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  16. "Oscar treble wins thrilling final for Brazil". FIFA. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  17. "Portugal vence Argentina nos pênaltis e vai à semifinal do Mundial sub-20" [Portugal beat Argentina on penalties and go to under-20 World Cup semi-final]. O Globo (in Portuguese). 14 August 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  18. "Golden fingertips seal Brazil-Portugal final". FIFA. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  19. "Brazil pip Portugal to U-20 World Cup title". UEFA. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  20. "Mão cheia de estreias" [Handful of debuts] (in Portuguese). UEFA. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  21. "Mika". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
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