João Ricardo
Encyclopedia
João Ricardo Pereira Batalha dos Santos Ferreira (born 7 January 1970 in Luanda
), known as João Ricardo (ʒuˈɐ̃w̃ ʁiˈkaɾðu), is a retired Portuguese
-Angola
n footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
settler
s in Angola
, João Ricardo returned to his parents' homeland in 1974, aged four, with the family moving to Leiria
, where he started playing youth football, making his senior debuts with the same team, amateurs Sport Clube Leiria e Marrazes.
In 1993, Ricardo joined Académico de Viseu FC
, playing four seasons in the second division
and one in the third
with the club. His first top level experience arrived with S.C. Salgueiros, but he could only appear once in the league in his three seasons combined.
Ricardo returned to level two in 2001 with Moreirense FC, playing in all the matches in his first year as the Moreira de Cónegos
side, led by Manuel Machado
, promoted to the top flight for the first time ever. He maintained his first-choice status in two of the following three years, with the club suffering relegation in 2005.
After more than one year without a club, 37-year old Ricardo returned to his nation of birth and signed for Atlético Petróleos Luanda
, being included in the squad that competed in the 2007 CAF Champions League
. He retired from the game in the following year.
internationally, his first cap
coming in 1996, at the age of 26. Ten years later, he appeared with the national team in the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt
, in an eventual group stage exit.
Ricardo was also selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany
, being a free agent
at the time, with no competitive football played in one year. He started in all three group stage matches for the Africa
ns in their first FIFA World Cup
presence, conceding only twice, and performing most notably in the 0–0 draw against Mexico
.
After the tournament, Ricardo was offered a contract by Iran
outfit Zob Ahan Isfahan FC (the Iranian national team
also faced Angola in the World Cup), but the deal eventually fell through due to undisclosed circumstances.
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
), known as João Ricardo (ʒuˈɐ̃w̃ ʁiˈkaɾðu), 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...
-Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Club career
The son of PortuguesePortuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s in Angola
Angola (Portugal)
Angola is the common name by which the Portuguese colony in southwestern Africa was known across different periods of time...
, João Ricardo returned to his parents' homeland in 1974, aged four, with the family moving to Leiria
Leiria
Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000...
, where he started playing youth football, making his senior debuts with the same team, amateurs Sport Clube Leiria e Marrazes.
In 1993, Ricardo joined Académico de Viseu FC
Académico de Viseu F.C.
Académico de Viseu Futebol Clube is a Portuguese football club based in Viseu. Founded in 1917 and refounded in 2005, it currently plays in the fourth division, holding home games at Estádio do Fontelo, with a 15,000-seat capacity.-History:...
, playing four seasons in 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...
and one in the third
Portuguese Second Division
The Portuguese Second Division is a football league in Portugal, situated at the third level of the Portuguese football league system...
with the club. His first top level experience arrived with S.C. Salgueiros, but he could only appear once in the league in his three seasons combined.
Ricardo returned to level two in 2001 with Moreirense FC, playing in all the matches in his first year as the Moreira de Cónegos
Moreira de Cónegos
Moreira de Cónegos is a Portuguese parish and town in the municipality of Guimarães. It has an area of 4.45 km² and a population of 5,828 .-Sports:Football club Moreirense F.C. plays in the Second Division....
side, led by Manuel Machado
Manuel Machado (football manager)
Manuel António Marques Machado is a Portuguese football manager.-Coaching career:Machado started his career with his local club Vitória de Guimarães' youth sides, having a head coach spell with lowly S.C. Vila Real in between. After two years with another modest team in the north, A.D...
, promoted to the top flight for the first time ever. He maintained his first-choice status in two of the following three years, with the club suffering relegation in 2005.
After more than one year without a club, 37-year old Ricardo returned to his nation of birth and signed for Atlético Petróleos Luanda
Atlético Petróleos Luanda
Atlético Petróleos de Luanda, usually known as Petro Atlético Luanda, or simply Petro Atlético or Petro de Luanda, is a traditional football club from Luanda, Angola, founded in 1980...
, being included in the squad that competed in the 2007 CAF Champions League
CAF Champions League
The CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football . The top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the...
. He retired from the game in the following year.
International career
João Ricardo opted to represent AngolaAngola national football team
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras , is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002...
internationally, his first cap
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...
coming in 1996, at the age of 26. Ten years later, he appeared with the national team in the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, in an eventual group stage exit.
Ricardo was also selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, being a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
at the time, with no competitive football played in one year. He started in all three group stage matches for the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
ns in their first FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
presence, conceding only twice, and performing most notably in the 0–0 draw against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
.
After the tournament, Ricardo was offered a contract by Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
outfit Zob Ahan Isfahan FC (the Iranian national team
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
also faced Angola in the World Cup), but the deal eventually fell through due to undisclosed circumstances.