João Nuno da Silva Cardoso Lucas
Encyclopedia
João Nuno Silva Cardoso Lucas (born 25 October 1979) is a retired Portuguese
footballer.
A defensive midfielder, he was known for his aggressive style of play. After playing professionally in his country for two clubs, Lucas moved to Red Star Belgrade
, being forced to retire shortly after at the age of 28, due to heart
problems.
, Lucas began his career at Académica de Coimbra, making his first division debuts in the 1999–2000 season (two matches), and also being loaned twice to amateur sides, after which he returned to become an essential first-team member.
In 2004–05, Lucas signed with Boavista Futebol Clube, where he consistently performed during three seasons. On 3 February 2006, he scored his only goal for the northerners
, in a 3–0 league home win against Associação Naval 1º de Maio
.
In the 2007 summer transfer window, Lucas joined Serbia
n giants Red Star Belgrade
. However, on 17 March 2008, he announced his decision to stop playing football. The 28 year-old had heart problems and the doctors told him he would risk his life if he continued playing. "This is the most difficult moment of my life but I have to thank everyone at Red Star who stood by me in the past two months", Lucas told in a news conference.
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.
A defensive midfielder, he was known for his aggressive style of play. After playing professionally in his country for two clubs, Lucas moved to Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
, being forced to retire shortly after at the age of 28, due to heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
problems.
Football career
Born in Caldas da RainhaCaldas da Rainha
Caldas da Rainha is a city in western central Portugal. The city serves as the seat of the larger municipality of the same name and is the seat of the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste...
, Lucas began his career at Académica de Coimbra, making his first division debuts in the 1999–2000 season (two matches), and also being loaned twice to amateur sides, after which he returned to become an essential first-team member.
In 2004–05, Lucas signed with Boavista Futebol Clube, where he consistently performed during three seasons. On 3 February 2006, he scored his only goal for the northerners
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, in a 3–0 league home win against Associação Naval 1º de Maio
Associação Naval 1º de Maio
Associação Naval 1º de Maio, commonly known as Naval, is a Portuguese football club based in Figueira da Foz, Coimbra District. Founded on 1 May 1893, it currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estádio Municipal José Bento Pessoa, with a capacity for 12,630 spectators.Naval is...
.
In the 2007 summer transfer window, Lucas joined Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n giants Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
. However, on 17 March 2008, he announced his decision to stop playing football. The 28 year-old had heart problems and the doctors told him he would risk his life if he continued playing. "This is the most difficult moment of my life but I have to thank everyone at Red Star who stood by me in the past two months", Lucas told in a news conference.