Ricardo Sousa

Ricardo André de Pinho Sousa (born 11 January 1979) is a Portuguese football manager and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. He is the current manager of S.C. Beira-Mar.

Ricardo Sousa
Personal information
Full name Ricardo André de Pinho Sousa
Date of birth (1979-01-11) 11 January 1979
Place of birth São João da Madeira, Portugal
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Beira-Mar (manager)
Youth career
1988–1997 Sanjoanense
1997–1998 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2002 Porto 1 (0)
1999 → Beira-Mar (loan) 14 (5)
1999–2002 Porto B 6 (1)
1999–2000 → Santa Clara (loan) 17 (2)
2000–2001 → Beira-Mar (loan) 27 (11)
2001 → Belenenses (loan) 14 (2)
2002–2003 Beira-Mar 33 (11)
2003–2004 Boavista 32 (14)
2004–2007 Hannover 96 18 (1)
2005 → De Graafschap (loan) 10 (0)
2006–2007 → Boavista (loan) 16 (2)
2007 Omonia 4 (0)
2008 Kickers Offenbach 16 (1)
2008 Beira-Mar 6 (0)
2009 União Leiria 4 (0)
2009–2010 Drava Ptuj 6 (1)
2010–2011 Oliveirense 15 (2)
2012–2013 São João de Ver 4 (1)
2013–2015 Gafanha 34 (8)
Total 277 (62)
National team
1998–1999 Portugal U20 11 (3)
2001–2002 Portugal U21 4 (2)
Teams managed
2015 Sanjoanense
2016–2017 Lusitano VRSA
2017 Anadia
2018–2019 Felgueiras 1932
2019– Beira-Mar
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 154 matches and 47 goals over seven seasons, representing in the competition Porto, Beira-Mar, Santa Clara, Belenenses and Boavista. He also competed professionally in Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus and Slovenia.

Club career

Sousa was born in São João da Madeira. Growing up as a footballer in FC Porto,[1] he would play only three games for its first team – a 0–0 Primeira Liga draw against C.D. Santa Clara and two UEFA Champions League appearances, twice as a substitute – and went on to represent S.C. Beira-Mar, where he made his top division debut in the second part of the 1998–99 season, Santa Clara and C.F. Os Belenenses in consecutive loans; on 16 June 1999, he scored arguably the most important goal of his career as the Aveiro club defeated S.C. Campomaiorense 1–0 to win the Taça de Portugal.[2]

Sousa was finally released by Porto in July 2002, returning to Beira-Mar and representing Boavista F.C. in the following campaign. He netted 14 goals for a team that only achieved 32, one of the worst records in that year's top level.[3]

Subsequently, Sousa left Boavista, signing for three years with German club Hannover 96, during which time he spent the second half of the 2004–05 on loan to De Graafschap of the Dutch Eredivisie and the whole of the 2006–07 season in the Portuguese top tier with Boavista, also on loan.[3]

In summer 2007, Sousa joined Cypriot First Division's AC Omonia. The following January, however, he returned to Germany and joined 2. Bundesliga side Kickers Offenbach, starting in all 16 appearances he made and providing five assists in an eventual relegation.

Sousa split the 2008–09 campaign in Segunda Liga, starting with Beira-Mar and signing for U.D. Leiria in January 2009. After contributing with only four matches and 97 minutes to the latter's return to the top flight, he moved abroad again, now with NK Drava Ptuj in Slovenia.

International career

Sousa represented Portugal at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, scoring once against South Korea and playing in all four matches.[4]

Personal life

Sousa was the son of another footballer – and midfielder – António Sousa, who played club football in the 80s for Porto and Sporting CP, also being a mainstay with the national team during that decade. His son Afonso was also involved in the sport.[5]

After retiring, he went on to have a lengthy spell in management, coaching Ricardo at Beira-Mar in four different stints (1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03 and 2008).[6] They were also related to fellow footballer José Sousa.

References
  1. Gouveia, Ricardo (20 October 2016). ""A cultura do fabrico dos Sousa"" ["The manufacturing process of the Sousas"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  2. "Beira Mar – Campomaiorense 1–0". Record (in Portuguese). 19 June 1999. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  3. "Boavista: Ricardo Sousa no Bessa para repetir «performance» de 2003/04" [Boavista: Ricardo Sousa at the Bessa to repeat 2003/04 performance] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 10 July 2006. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. Ricardo Sousa – FIFA competition record
  5. Aleixo, Mário (30 April 2019). "António Sousa antevê futuro brilhante ao neto Afonso" [António Sousa foresees bright future for grandson Afonso] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  6. Calhau, Pedro (2 October 2015). "Afonso Sousa: filho e neto que já joga em nome próprio aos 15 anos" [Afonso Sousa: son and grandson already plays for himself at 15] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
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