António Frasco
Encyclopedia
António Manuel Frasco Vieira (born 16 January 1955 in Leça da Palmeira
, Matosinhos
), known as Frasco, is a retired Portuguese
footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
Best known for his 11-year spell with Porto, he appeared in more than 300 official games for the club and won a total of 13 major titles. He was chosen by Portuguese sports newspaper Record
as one of the best 100 Portuguese football players ever.
Frasco gained more than 20 caps
for Portugal
, representing the nation at Euro 1984.
, but Óscar Marques, a scout from Leixões SC, discovered him and took him to the club. He made his first-team - and top division, a competition in which he would play for 15 of his 16 years as a professional - at the age of 18, contributing with 10 games as the Matosinhos
side barely avoided relegation.
Frasco eventually imposed himself in the first team, as a starter, as Leixões suffered relegation in 1977. In the following year's off-season, however, he signed for national powerhouse F.C. Porto, after a failed transfer to S.L. Benfica two years earlier. In his first season with the José Maria Pedroto
-led side, he played in all 30 games as the team won the national championship, scoring a career-best six goals in the following campaign, with the league being narrowly lost to Sporting Clube de Portugal, as the domestic cup
to Benfica.
After 1986, Frasco began suffering from successive small injuries which diminished his importance in the squad. He still appeared in seven games in Porto's victorious European Cup
campaign, including 25 minutes in the final
against FC Bayern Munich
(2–1), eventually retiring in June 1989 at the age of 34.
Frasco then worked as a manager, coaching several teams in no higher than the second division
(Leça F.C.
in six games, C.D. Aves in ten). He returned to main club Porto in 2006 and worked with several of its youth teams (always as assistant).
, in a 0–2 loss against Belgium in Brussels
, for the UEFA Euro 1980 qualifiers.
He was one of the most influential players in the successful Euro 1984 campaign, playing in all the games as the national team reached the semifinals, and assisting Nené for the game's only goal against Romania
in the group stage. He gained 23 caps in eight years of international play, scoring once.
Leça da Palmeira
Leça da Palmeira is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Matosinhos and part of the city with the same name. It has 5.97 km² and had 17.215 inhabitants in the 2001 census....
, Matosinhos
Matosinhos
Matosinhos Municipality is located in Porto District, Portugal. The main city is Matosinhos. It is bordered to the south by the city of Porto and lies within the Greater Porto subregion. The municipality has a population of 168,451 in 10 parishes. Many people have recently moved from the...
), known as Frasco, is a retired Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
Best known for his 11-year spell with Porto, he appeared in more than 300 official games for the club and won a total of 13 major titles. He was chosen by Portuguese sports newspaper Record
Record (newspaper)
Record is a Portuguese sports newspaper, published in Lisbon. Although it covers most sports, football is the focal point of it, and almost always is the only sport referred to on the cover....
as one of the best 100 Portuguese football players ever.
Frasco gained more than 20 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, representing the nation at Euro 1984.
Club career
In spite of a short height, Frasco's first sport was basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, but Óscar Marques, a scout from Leixões SC, discovered him and took him to the club. He made his first-team - and top division, a competition in which he would play for 15 of his 16 years as a professional - at the age of 18, contributing with 10 games as the Matosinhos
Matosinhos
Matosinhos Municipality is located in Porto District, Portugal. The main city is Matosinhos. It is bordered to the south by the city of Porto and lies within the Greater Porto subregion. The municipality has a population of 168,451 in 10 parishes. Many people have recently moved from the...
side barely avoided relegation.
Frasco eventually imposed himself in the first team, as a starter, as Leixões suffered relegation in 1977. In the following year's off-season, however, he signed for national powerhouse F.C. Porto, after a failed transfer to S.L. Benfica two years earlier. In his first season with the José Maria Pedroto
José Maria Pedroto
José Maria Carvalho Pedroto, OIH, was a Portuguese footballer and trainer. He was nicknamed Zé do Boné since, like the character, he usually wore a flat cap....
-led side, he played in all 30 games as the team won the national championship, scoring a career-best six goals in the following campaign, with the league being narrowly lost to Sporting Clube de Portugal, as the domestic cup
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
to Benfica.
After 1986, Frasco began suffering from successive small injuries which diminished his importance in the squad. He still appeared in seven games in Porto's victorious European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
campaign, including 25 minutes in the final
1987 European Cup Final
The 1987 European Cup Final was a football match held at the Prater Stadium, Vienna, on 27 May 1987, that saw Porto of Portugal defeat Bayern Munich of West Germany 2–1...
against FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
(2–1), eventually retiring in June 1989 at the age of 34.
Frasco then worked as a manager, coaching several teams in no higher than the second division
Liga de Honra
The Liga de Honra , known for sponsorship reasons as the Liga Orangina, is the Portuguese second level football league. It was formerly called Segunda Divisão and Segunda Divisão de Honra . When the LPFP took control of the two nationwide levels, it was renamed Segunda Liga, before renaming it...
(Leça F.C.
Leça F.C.
Leça Futebol Clube, better known as Leça FC or simply Leça, is a Portuguese football club located in the town of Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos. Founded in 1912, they currently play in the Portuguese Second Division and, in the previous season of 2007-08, they finished 10th in the division...
in six games, C.D. Aves in ten). He returned to main club Porto in 2006 and worked with several of its youth teams (always as assistant).
International career
On 17 October 1979, Frasco made his debut for PortugalPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, in a 0–2 loss against Belgium in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, for the UEFA Euro 1980 qualifiers.
He was one of the most influential players in the successful Euro 1984 campaign, playing in all the games as the national team reached the semifinals, and assisting Nené for the game's only goal against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in the group stage. He gained 23 caps in eight years of international play, scoring once.
Honours
- European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 1986–87 - UEFA Super Cup: 1987
- Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 1987 - Portuguese League: 1978–79, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88
- Portuguese CupTaça de PortugalThe Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
: 1983–84, 1987–88; Runner-up 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1984–85 - Portuguese Supercup: 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986; Runner-up 1985, 1988
- UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: Runner-up 1983–84