Ricardo (footballer, born 1980)

Ricardo Jorge Ferreira Pinto da Silva (born 19 August 1980), known simply as Ricardo, is a Cape Verdean former professional footballer who played as a centre back and right back.

For other people named Ricardo Silva, see Ricardo Silva (disambiguation).

Ricardo
Personal information
Full name Ricardo Jorge Ferreira Pinto da Silva[1]
Date of birth (1980-08-19) 19 August 1980[1]
Place of birth Azurém, Portugal[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Famalicão
1996–1999 Vitória Guimarães
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Ronfe
2000–2001 Serzedelo
2001–2002 Famalicão 26 (0)
2002–2004 Freamunde 63 (5)
2004–2008 Beira-Mar 103 (1)
2008–2010 Paços Ferreira 54 (6)
2010–2011 Vitória Guimarães 17 (0)
2011–2012 Shandong Luneng 18 (0)
2012–2018 Paços Ferreira 141 (2)
2018–2019 Famalicão 32 (0)
2019–2020 Feirense 15 (0)
Total 469 (14)
National team
2007–2016 Cape Verde 16 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Ricardo was born in Azurém, Guimarães, Portugal, and started playing football with amateurs Centro de Cultura e Desporto Desportivo de Ronfe and G.D. Serzedelo. In the following three years he competed in the third division, representing F.C. Famalicão (one season) and S.C. Freamunde (two).

In the summer of 2004, Ricardo moved straight to the Primeira Liga, signing with S.C. Beira-Mar. He featured in 29 games in his first season (24 starts), but suffered relegation; he continued to appear regularly for the Aveiro team during his spell, spending two seasons apiece in each of Portugal's major levels.

Ricardo returned to the top flight for 2008–09, joining F.C. Paços de Ferreira. In the following campaign's first round he scored with his head to earn his side a point against FC Porto in a 1–1 home draw,[2] and was an ever-present defensive figure in his two-year stint.

In June 2010, Ricardo signed with Vitória de Guimarães also of the top tier – he had been brought up as a youth at the Minho club. In January 2012, after a brief spell in China, he returned to Portugal and Paços on a three-and-a-half-year contract.[3]

International career

Although born in Portugal, Ricardo opted to represent Cape Verde through ancestry. He received his first call-up in May 2008,[4] first appearing on 27 May in a friendly with Luxembourg.

In June 2010, Ricardo started in the 0–0 draw that the minnows (ranked 117th) managed against Portugal,[5] as the Europeans were preparing for that year's FIFA World Cup.

References
  1. "Ricardo" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  2. Falcao snatches point for 10-man Porto at Pacos de Ferreira; PortuGOAL, 16 August 2009
  3. Ricardo confirmado nos pacences (Ricardo confirmed by pacences) Archived 9 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Record, 5 January 2012 (in Portuguese)
  4. Foreign contingent boost Cape Verde; FIFA, 21 May 2008
  5. "Portugal held to 0–0 draw by Cape Verde". USA Today. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
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