João Pinto

Portuguese footballer (born 1971) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

João Pinto

João Manuel Vieira Pinto CvIH (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈɐ̃w ˈpĩtu, ˈʒwɐ̃w -]; born 19 August 1971) is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played mostly as a forward.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
João Pinto
Pinto in 2013
Personal information
Full name João Manuel Vieira Pinto[1]
Date of birth (1971-08-19) 19 August 1971 (age 53)[1]
Place of birth Porto, Portugal
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Bairro do Falcão
1982–1983 Águias da Areosa
1983–1988 Boavista
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1989 Boavista 17 (3)
1990–1991 Atlético Madrileño 30 (9)
1991–1992 Boavista 34 (8)
1992–2000 Benfica 220 (64)
2000–2004 Sporting CP 115 (28)
2004–2006 Boavista 57 (11)
2006–2008 Braga 33 (3)
Total 506 (126)
International career
1987–1988 Portugal U16 15 (5)
1988–1989 Portugal U18 22 (11)
1989–1991 Portugal U20 18 (3)
1991–1994 Portugal U21 15 (3)
1991–2002 Portugal 81 (23)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Championship
Bronze medal – third place2000 Belgium-Netherlands
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Winner1991 Portugal
Winner1989 Saudi Arabia
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Runner-up1994 France
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Runner-up1988 Spain
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Close

Blessed with playmaking and goalscoring ability, he made his name mostly at a domestic level and as a key figure in the Portuguese national team's "Golden Generation",[2] collecting 151 caps and scoring 45 goals across all levels (81/23 for the senior team alone) and representing the country at the 2002 World Cup and two European Championships.

At the club level, Pinto started his career with Boavista, but it was mainly associated with two of the biggest clubs in the country, Benfica and Sporting CP, with which he won one Primeira Liga each for a total of six major titles. Over 19 top-division seasons, he played 476 matches and netted 117 goals.

Career

As a youth, Pinto played for Bairro do Falcão (where he was born, in Campanhã, Porto's east side) and Águias da Areosa FC, finishing his development at Boavista F.C. after joining its academy as a 12-year-old. Early on, he impressed with his speed and ball control,[3] and was subsequently one of the brightest stars in Portugal's wins in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Riyadh and Lisbon, being one of three players ever to have been on the winning side in this competition twice along with goalkeeper Fernando Brassard (whom however did not play in the first tournament) and Argentinian Sergio Agüero.[4][5][6] Additionally, he made his Primeira Liga debut at only 17.[7]

Pinto's performance in the first youth competition earned him a transfer to Atlético Madrid in 1990, but he was placed instead with the reserve team.[8] After a forgettable season he rejoined Boavista, appeared in every match, scored eight goals and won the Taça de Portugal, in a final against city rivals FC Porto.[9][7] Shortly after, he signed for S.L. Benfica.[10][3]

Whilst with Benfica, Pinto's career was threatened in late 1992 by a collapsed lung during an international match for Portugal in Scotland for the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,[11] eventually recovering but being unable to help his team win the title. However, the next season, he played arguably his best football there, his best moment coming in the Lisbon derby against Sporting CP, where he scored three goals and was on the play of the remaining three in a 6–3 win at the Estádio José Alvalade; this result proved to be decisive for the club's clinching of the 1994 national championship.[12][11]

Dubbed "The Golden Boy", Pinto won captaincy from veteran António Veloso after the latter's retirement in 1995, but was unable to win a national title again.[13] Following a wage dispute with president João Vale e Azevedo,[14] he was released from contract weeks before the UEFA Euro 2000 (making him the only free agent in the competition),[15] where he helped the national team reach the semi-finals after scoring eight goals during the qualifying stage, netting through a header against England in a 3–2 comeback win in the group stage on 13 June 2000;[16][17] he was also selected for the Euro 1996 tournament.[18][19]

Subsequently, Pinto had several offers from abroad, eventually agreeing to a four-year deal at Sporting.[20] After a relatively poor season in 2000–01, the Lions acquired four-time Portuguese Golden Boot winner Mário Jardel, and Pinto returned to his golden years in a magnificent run which ended with the claiming of his second title;[21] named the "father of the team" by the Brazilian, took part in all but one game and scored nine goals.[22][7]

Although a highly talented player, Pinto was also known for a series of red cards for aggression and bad tackles. His feud with Porto player and national teammate Paulinho Santos lasted for years, and both would be frequently ejected after hitting each other;[23] he also stirred some controversy when he assaulted a fireman in the league fixture at Rio Ave F.C. on 20 September 1997.[24]

The lowest point, however, was when Pinto hit Argentine referee Ángel Sánchez who had sent him off after a bad tackle early into the 1–0 loss to hosts South Korea in the third group game of the 2002 World Cup.[25] He was suspended for six months.[26]

Pinto ended his Portugal career with 81 caps and 23 goals.[27] Never recovering fully from the World Cup incident, he failed to impress in the following seasons, when Sporting failed to reach the top two spots, and in 2004 he was released from contract, returning to Boavista. Although he was close to signing with Al-Hilal FC of Saudi Arabia in the January transfer window, he remained with his first professional club.[28]

After a second season carrying Boavista's squad (who almost qualified for the UEFA Cup, with him scoring nine league goals and receiving numerous Player of the match awards),[29][30][7] Pinto accepted the invitation of S.C. Braga's board in July 2006,[31] signing for one year. He netted twice in 24 appearances in an eventual fourth-place finish for the Minho side, and renewed his link for the 2007–08 campaign;[32] however, during February 2008, he trained with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and, later that month, announced the termination of his contract at Braga,[33] retiring shortly after aged 36.[11]

Subsequently, Pinto worked with the Portuguese Football Federation in directorial capacities.[34][35][36]

Personal life

Thumb
Pinto in 2011

Still in his teens, Pinto had two children from his first marriage to Carla Baía;[37][11] the elder, Tiago, first played professionally with C.D. Olivais e Moscavide.[38] In 2008 he married television presenter Marisa Cruz, with the couple divorcing five years later.[37]

Pinto's younger brother, Sérgio, was also a footballer, having competed almost exclusively in the lower leagues of Portugal and one year in England.[39]

Career statistics

Club

More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[40][41]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Boavista 1988–89 60000060
1989–90 1130022135
Total 1730022195
Atlético Madrid B 1990–91 00000000
Boavista 1991–92 3485040438
Benfica 1992–93 2176141319
1993–94 341521824418
1994–95 2445171366
1995–96 311864514223
1996–97 28766634016
1997–98 2563120307
1998–99 2841073367
1999–2000 2931050353
Total 220643014441129489
Sporting CP 2000–01 3165150417
2001–02 33962514412
2002–03 2581000268
2003–04 2651040315
Total 1152813314114232
Boavista 2004–05 2624100303
2005–06 31911003210
Total 571152006213
Braga 2006–07 2420000242
2007–08 91000091
Total 3330000333
Career total 47611756207515605152
Close

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pinto goal.[42][43]
More information No., Date ...
List of international goals scored by João Pinto
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
120 November 1991Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal Greece1–01–0Euro 1992 qualifying
219 June 1993Estádio do Bessa, Porto, Portugal Malta3–04–01994 World Cup qualification
313 October 1993Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal  Switzerland1–01–01994 World Cup qualification
49 October 1994Daugava Stadium (Riga), Riga, Latvia Latvia1–13–1Euro 1996 qualifying
59 October 1994Daugava Stadium (Riga), Riga, Latvia Latvia2–03–1Euro 1996 qualifying
618 December 1994Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal Liechtenstein4–08–0Euro 1996 qualifying
719 June 1996City Ground, Nottingham, England Croatia2–03–0UEFA Euro 1996
85 October 1996Olimpiysky National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine Ukraine1–11–21998 World Cup qualification
97 June 1997Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal Albania1–02–01998 World Cup qualification
1014 October 1998Štadión Pasienky, Bratislava, Slovakia Slovakia1–03–0Euro 2000 qualifying
1114 October 1998Štadión Pasienky, Bratislava, Slovakia Slovakia2–03–0Euro 2000 qualifying
1226 March 1999Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal Azerbaijan2–07–0Euro 2000 qualifying
1326 March 1999Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal Azerbaijan5–07–0Euro 2000 qualifying
149 June 1999Estádio Municipal de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Liechtenstein2–08–0Euro 2000 qualifying
159 June 1999Estádio Municipal de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Liechtenstein5–08–0Euro 2000 qualifying
169 June 1999Estádio Municipal de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Liechtenstein6–08–0Euro 2000 qualifying
1718 August 1999Estádio Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal Andorra2–04–0Friendly
189 October 1999Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal Hungary2–03–0Euro 2000 qualifying
1912 June 2000Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands England2–23–2UEFA Euro 2000
2016 August 2000Estádio do Fontelo, Viseu, Portugal Lithuania1–05–1Friendly
216 June 2001Estádio José Alvalade (1956), Lisbon, Portugal Cyprus5–06–02002 World Cup qualification
226 June 2001Estádio José Alvalade (1956), Lisbon, Portugal Cyprus6–06–02002 World Cup qualification
236 October 2001Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal Estonia1–05–02002 World Cup qualification
Close

Honours

Boavista

Benfica

Sporting CP

Portugal

Individual

See also

References

Further reading

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