Ricardo Sousa

Ricardo Sousa
Personal information
Full name Ricardo André de Pinho Sousa
Date of birth (1979-01-11) 11 January 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth São João da Madeira, Portugal
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1988–1997 Sanjoanense
1997–1998 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2002 Porto 1 (0)
1999Beira-Mar (loan) 14 (5)
1999–2002 Porto B 6 (1)
1999–2000Santa Clara (loan) 17 (2)
2000–2001Beira-Mar (loan) 27 (11)
2001Belenenses (loan) 14 (2)
2002–2003 Beira-Mar 33 (11)
2003–2004 Boavista 32 (14)
2004–2007 Hannover 96 18 (1)
2005De Graafschap (loan) 10 (0)
2006–2007Boavista (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 Ver 4 (1)
2013–2015 Gafanha 34 (8)
Total 277 (62)
International career
1998–1999 Portugal U20 11 (3)
2001–2002 Portugal U21 4 (2)
Managerial career
2015 Sanjoanense
2016–2017 Lusitano VRSA
2017 Anadia
2018–2019 Felgueiras 1932
2019–2021 Beira-Mar
2021–2023 Mafra
2023–2024 Feirense
2024 Al-Ain
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ricardo André de Pinho Sousa (born 11 January 1979) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, currently a manager.

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 scored the only goal of the 1999 Taça de Portugal final for Beira-Mar, and also competed professionally in Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus and Slovenia.

Sousa began coaching in 2015, leading clubs including Beira-Mar and taking Mafra to the cup semi-finals in 2022.

Playing career

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Club

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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 times for a team that only achieved 32, one of the worst records in that year's top flight.[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, 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.[4]

Sousa split the 2008–09 campaign in Segunda Liga, starting with Beira-Mar and signing for U.D. Leiria in January 2009. After contributing only four matches and 138 minutes to the latter's return to the division, he moved abroad again, now with NK Drava Ptuj in Slovenia. In July 2010, he returned to Portugal's division two with U.D. Oliveirense, before ending his playing career in the lower leagues with SC São João de Ver and G.D. Gafanha.[5][6][7]

International

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Sousa represented Portugal at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, scoring once against South Korea and playing all four matches.[8]

Coaching career

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Sousa began coaching in the third tier with A.D. Sanjoanense in 2015; he had left his hometown club as a teenager 18 years earlier.[9] In August 2016, he was hired for one season at Lusitano F.C. in the same league.[10] During his year in Vila Real de Santo António, they won the Algarve Football Association Cup with a 2–1 victory over C.D.R. Quarteirense.[11]

In June 2017, Sousa returned to his home district by joining Anadia FC,[12] leaving at the turn of the year due to a "new project";[13] this turned out to be at F.C. Felgueiras 1932, where he succeeded Horácio Gonçalves at the fifth-placed side.[14] After play-off elimination by S.C. Farense, he signed a new contract in May.[15]

Sousa returned to Beira-Mar in June 2019, with the team having just been promoted from the Aveiro Football Association's district leagues.[16] He left by mutual accord 18 months later, as they eventually went back down.[17]

On 16 April 2021, Sousa was hired in his first professional managerial post, taking over at tenth-placed C.D. Mafra in the second division after the resignation of Filipe Cândido.[18] He debuted two days later in a goalless draw at Oliveirense.[19] In his first full season, he guided his side to the quarter-finals of the national cup for the first time, with a 3–1 home defeat of top-flight Moreirense F.C. with one man fewer.[20] In the next round, they ousted Portimonense S.C. of the same tier with a 4–2 away win.[21]

Sousa took over second-tier club C.D. Feirense on 23 June 2023.[22] The following 3 April, he left by mutual consent as they stood 15th, seriously threatened with relegation.[23]

On 14 August 2024, Sousa was appointed as manager of Saudi First Division League's Al-Ain FC.[24] He resigned in October, due to the club's severe economic problems.[25]

Personal life

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Sousa was the son of another footballer – and midfielder – António Sousa, who played club football in the 1980s for Porto and Sporting CP, also being a mainstay with the national team during that decade. 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).[26]

His son Afonso was also involved in the sport,[27] and they were also related to fellow footballer José Sousa.

Managerial statistics

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As of 29 March 2024[28]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Sanjoanense 1 July 2015 11 November 2015 12 6 3 3 23 21 +2 050.00
Lusitano VRSA 10 August 2016 30 May 2017 40 21 8 11 67 45 +22 052.50
Anadia 7 June 2017 18 December 2017 17 8 5 4 28 14 +14 047.06
Felgueiras 1932 10 January 2018 10 June 2019 54 33 8 13 104 54 +50 061.11
Beira-Mar 10 June 2019 22 February 2021 48 20 13 15 72 47 +25 041.67
Mafra 16 April 2021 7 February 2023 74 25 22 27 90 100 −10 033.78
Feirense 23 June 2023 3 April 2024 30 8 5 17 27 42 −15 026.67
Career totals 275 121 64 90 411 323 +88 044.00

References

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  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. ^ a b Cunha, Pedro Jorge (10 July 2006). "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. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. ^ Daniels, Jörg (19 May 2008). "Zwischen Entsetzen und leiser Hoffnung" [Between horror and faint hope]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Ricardo Sousa e Zé Manel são reforços" [Ricardo Sousa and Zé Manel are additions]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 July 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  6. ^ Marques, Pedro (27 March 2013). "Cândido Costa e Ricardo Sousa: do F.C. Porto ao São João de Ver" [Cândido Costa and Ricardo Sousa: from F.C. Porto to São João de Ver] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  7. ^ Hélio, Marco; Rothes, Pedro; Matos, Virgílio (26 December 2013). "Ricardo Sousa e Cílio Sousa ao serviço do Gafanha" [Ricardo Sousa and Cílio Sousa in service of Gafanha] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Coreia do Sul faz-nos sorrir" [South Korea make us smile]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  9. ^ Marques, Sara (11 November 2015). "Ricardo Sousa deixa comando do Sanjoanense" [Ricardo Sousa leaves helm of Sanjoanense] (in Portuguese). TVI 24. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  10. ^ Rosa, Melo (10 August 2016). "Ricardo Sousa assume Lusitano de Vila Real de Santo António" [Ricardo Sousa assumes control of Lusitano de Vila Real de Santo Antonio]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  11. ^ Alves, Armando (27 May 2017). "Lusitano de Vila Real de Santo António ergue Taça do Algarve" [Lusitano de Vila Real de Santo António lift the Algarve Cup]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  12. ^ Baptista Seixas, João (7 June 2017). "Ricardo Sousa é o novo ténico do Anadia" [Ricardo Sousa is the new manager of Anadia]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Anadia volta a ganhar em casa no adeus de Ricardo Sousa" [Anadia win at home again in Ricardo Sousa's farewell] (in Portuguese). AFA TV. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  14. ^ "OFICIAL: Ricardo Sousa é o novo treinador do Felgueiras" [OFFICIAL: Ricardo Sousa is the new manager of Felgueiras] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  15. ^ Veloso, Sandro (25 May 2018). "Ricardo Sousa renova com o Felgueiras" [Ricardo Sousa renews with Felgueiras]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Ricardo Sousa é o novo treinador do Beira-Mar" [Ricardo Sousa is the new manager of Beira-Mar]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 June 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Ricardo Sousa deixa Beira-Mar" [Ricardo Sousa leaves Beira-Mar]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 February 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Ricardo Sousa é o novo treinador do Mafra" [Ricardo Sousa is the new manager of Mafra] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Oliveirense-Mafra: 0–0: nulo mantém equipa da casa em apuros" [Oliveirense-Mafra: 0–0: draw keeps home team in trouble]. Record (in Portuguese). 18 April 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  20. ^ "Surpresa na Taça de Portugal. Mafra com menos um afasta Moreirense" [Surprise in the Portuguese Cup. Mafra with one man fewer knock out Moreirense] (in Portuguese). TSF. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Continua o sonho. Mafra goleia Portimonense e está nas meias-finais da Taça de Portugal" [The dream is alive. Mafra rout Portimonense and reach the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  22. ^ "Ricardo Sousa é o novo treinador do Feirense" [Ricardo Sousa is the new manager of Feirense]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Ricardo Sousa já não é treinador do Feirense" [Ricardo Sousa is no longer manager of Feirense]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 April 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  24. ^ "ريكاردو سوزا مديراً فنياً لـ فخر الباحة" [Welcome to the cloud capital] (in Arabic). Twitter. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Ricardo Sousa já não é treinador do Al-Ain" [Ricardo Sousa is no longer manager of Al-Ain]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ Ricardo Sousa coach profile at Soccerway
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