João Vieira Pinto
Encyclopedia
João Manuel Vieira Pinto (born 19 August 1971) is a retired Portuguese
footballer who played mostly as a forward.
Blessed with formidable skills and scoring ability, he made his name mostly at a domestic level and as a key figure in the Portuguese national team's "Golden Generation
", collecting 138 caps and scoring 35 goals all categories comprised (81/23 for the senior team alone), and representing the country in one World Cup
and two European Championships
.
In 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, with which he won one national championship
each, for a total of six major titles combined. Over the course of 19 first division seasons, he played in 475 games and netted 116 goals.
, Porto
's east side) and the Águias da Areosa, and once tried to join F.C. Porto's youth system; refused, he moved to Boavista FC instead. As a child, he impressed with his speed and ball control, and was subsequently one of the brightest stars in Portugal's wins in the FIFA U-20 World Cup
in Riyadh
and Lisbon
, being the only player 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). Additionally, he made his first division debuts at only 17.
Pinto's performance in the first youth competition earned him a transfer to Atlético de Madrid in 1990, but he was placed instead with the club's B team
. After a forgettable season, he rejoined Boavista, played every game, scored eight goals and helped his team win the 1992 Portuguese Cup
, in a final against city
rivals Porto. Shortly after, he signed with national top division powerhouse S.L. Benfica.
In Benfica, Pinto's career was threatened in late 1992 by a collapsed lung
during an international
in Scotland
for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers
. He did recover, but was unable to help Benfica win the title. However, in the next season he played some of what most agree was the best football he ever played at Benfica, his best moment coming in a derby
against Sporting Clube de Portugal, where he scored three goals and was on the play of the remaining three of a massive 6–3 win in the Estádio José Alvalade
. This result proved to be decisive for Benfica's title in 1993–94.
Dubbed "The Golden Boy", Pinto won club captaincy from veteran António Veloso
, after the latter's retirement in 1995, but was unable to win a national title again. Arguably, the lack of quality of a poorly managed Benfica side played a part in his lack of development after 1995, as he was considered as the main talent of the Portuguese squad, alongside playmaker
Rui Costa
. Finally, after a wage dispute with Benfica's president João Vale e Azevedo, he was released from contract weeks before the UEFA Euro 2000 (making him the only free-agent in the competition), where he helped the national team reach the semifinals, after scoring eight goals during the qualifying stage. On 13 June 2000, he netted through a header against England
for a 3–2 group stage win, after a two-goal disadvantage.
After the end of the tournament, Pinto had several offers from abroad, and after almost signing with Porto, he settled for Sporting instead. After a relatively poor season in 2000–01, Sporting hired four-time "Portuguese Golden Boot" winner Mário Jardel
, and Pinto returned to his golden years in a magnificent run by Sporting, where he captured his second title. Named the "father of the team" by Jardel, Pinto played all but one game, and scored nine goals.
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 players would be frequently sent off after hitting each other. Other incidents that stirred some controversy included one case of aggression against a fireman during the half-time break and elbowing
an C.F. Estrela da Amadora player during a practice match.
The lowest point, however, was when he hit Argentine
referee Ángel Sánchez (in the third group stage game, against South Korea, at the 2002 World Cup
), who had sent him off after a bad tackle early in the match. Pinto was suspended for six months. He also got the reputation of being a diver
, but he began to foul less in his later years.
He ended his Portugal career with 81 caps, 23 goals, and appearances in Euro 1996, Euro 2000, and the 2002 World Cup. Never recovering fully from the incident at the World Cup, Pinto 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.
After a second season carrying Boavista's squad (who almost qualified for UEFA Cup, with Pinto scoring nine league goals and receiving numerous man of the match
awards), Pinto accepted the invitation of Sporting Clube de Braga's board in July 2006, signing for one season. He scored two goals in 24 appearances helping Braga reach fourth place, and extended his contract for the 2007–08 season. However, during February 2008, Pinto trained with Toronto FC
of Major League Soccer
and, on February 22, announced the termination of his contract at Braga, retiring shortly after at nearly 37 years of age.
Benfica
Sporting
Pinto's younger brother, Sérgio
, was also a footballer, having played almost exclusively in the lower leagues of Portugal, and one year in England
.
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 mostly as a forward.
Blessed with formidable skills and scoring ability, he made his name mostly at a domestic level and as a key figure in the Portuguese national team's "Golden Generation
Golden Generation
In sport, a golden generation is an exceptionally gifted group of players of similar age, whose achievements reach or are expected to reach a level of success beyond that which their team had previously achieved...
", collecting 138 caps and scoring 35 goals all categories comprised (81/23 for the senior team alone), and representing the country in one 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...
and two European Championships
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
.
In the club level, Pinto started his career with Boavista, but it was mainly associated with two of the biggest clubs in the country
Big Three (Portugal)
The Big Three is the nickname of the three most successful sports clubs in Portugal. The football teams of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Futebol Clube do Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal have a great rivalry, and are usually the main contenders for the title. They share all but two of the Portuguese...
, Benfica and Sporting, with which he won one national championship
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
each, for a total of six major titles combined. Over the course of 19 first division seasons, he played in 475 games and netted 116 goals.
Football career
As a youth, Pinto played for the Bairro do Falcão (where he was born, in CampanhãCampanhã
Campanhã is a Portuguese parish, located in the city of Porto. It has a population of 38,757 inhabitants and a total area of 8.13 km². Located there is the Campanhã station, the most important in Porto....
, Porto
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...
's east side) and the Águias da Areosa, and once tried to join F.C. Porto's youth system; refused, he moved to Boavista FC instead. As a child, he impressed with his speed and ball control, and was subsequently one of the brightest stars in Portugal's wins in the FIFA U-20 World Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
in Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
and Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, being the only player ever to have been on the winning side in this competition twice (along with goalkeeper Fernando Brassard
Fernando Brassard
Fernando José Alves Brassard is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a goalkeeper.-Football career:...
, whom however did not play in the first tournament). Additionally, he made his first division debuts at only 17.
Pinto's performance in the first youth competition earned him a transfer to Atlético de Madrid in 1990, but he was placed instead with the club's B team
Atlético Madrid B
Atlético Madrid B is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the namesake community. Founded in 1963, it is the reserve team of Atlético Madrid, and currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Nuevo Cerro del Espino.-History:...
. After a forgettable season, he rejoined Boavista, played every game, scored eight goals and helped his team win the 1992 Portuguese 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...
, in a final against city
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...
rivals Porto. Shortly after, he signed with national top division powerhouse S.L. Benfica.
In Benfica, Pinto's career was threatened in late 1992 by a collapsed lung
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity of the chest between the lung and the chest wall. It may occur spontaneously in people without chronic lung conditions as well as in those with lung disease , and many pneumothoraces occur after physical trauma to the chest, blast...
during an international
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...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
qualifiers
1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification....
. He did recover, but was unable to help Benfica win the title. However, in the next season he played some of what most agree was the best football he ever played at Benfica, his best moment coming in a derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
against Sporting Clube de Portugal, where he scored three goals and was on the play of the remaining three of a massive 6–3 win in the Estádio José Alvalade
Estádio José Alvalade
Estádio José Alvalade is a football stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, home of Sporting Clube de Portugal, one of the country's biggest clubs. It is the center of a complex called Alvalade XXI , designed by Portuguese architect...
. This result proved to be decisive for Benfica's title in 1993–94.
Dubbed "The Golden Boy", Pinto won club captaincy from veteran António Veloso
António Veloso
António Augusto da Silva Veloso is a retired Portuguese footballer who played most notably with Benfica. A gritty defender who could appear in the flanks and on occasion in the middle, he played for his main club during almost two professional decades.An international for nearly 15 years, Veloso...
, after the latter's retirement in 1995, but was unable to win a national title again. Arguably, the lack of quality of a poorly managed Benfica side played a part in his lack of development after 1995, as he was considered as the main talent of the Portuguese squad, alongside playmaker
Playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's offensive play, and is often involved in passing moves which lead to goals....
Rui Costa
Rui Costa
Rui Manuel César Costa, OIH is a former Portuguese football player and current Director of Football for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. An attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a deep-seated defensive midfielder, he most recently played for Portuguese club Benfica...
. Finally, after a wage dispute with Benfica's president João Vale e Azevedo, he was released from contract weeks before the UEFA Euro 2000 (making him the only free-agent in the competition), where he helped the national team reach the semifinals, after scoring eight goals during the qualifying stage. On 13 June 2000, he netted through a header against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
for a 3–2 group stage win, after a two-goal disadvantage.
After the end of the tournament, Pinto had several offers from abroad, and after almost signing with Porto, he settled for Sporting instead. After a relatively poor season in 2000–01, Sporting hired four-time "Portuguese Golden Boot" winner Mário Jardel
Mário Jardel
Mário Jardel de Almeida Ribeiro is a former Brazilian professional footballer.Jardel was most noted for his positioning on the field and "being at the right place, at the right time"...
, and Pinto returned to his golden years in a magnificent run by Sporting, where he captured his second title. Named the "father of the team" by Jardel, Pinto played all but one game, and scored nine goals.
Although a highly talented player, Pinto was also known for a series of red cards
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
for aggression and bad tackles. His feud with Porto player and national teammate Paulinho Santos
Paulinho Santos
João Paulo Maio dos Santos , aka Paulinho Santos, is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a defensive midfielder....
lasted for years, and both players would be frequently sent off after hitting each other. Other incidents that stirred some controversy included one case of aggression against a fireman during the half-time break and elbowing
Elbow (strike)
An elbow strike is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow...
an C.F. Estrela da Amadora player during a practice match.
The lowest point, however, was when he hit Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
referee Ángel Sánchez (in the third group stage game, against South Korea, at the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
), who had sent him off after a bad tackle early in the match. Pinto was suspended for six months. He also got the reputation of being a diver
Diving (football)
In association football, diving is an attempt by a player to gain an unfair advantage by diving to the ground and possibly feigning an injury, to appear as if a foul has been committed. Dives are often used to exaggerate the amount of contact present in a challenge...
, but he began to foul less in his later years.
He ended his Portugal career with 81 caps, 23 goals, and appearances in Euro 1996, Euro 2000, and the 2002 World Cup. Never recovering fully from the incident at the World Cup, Pinto 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
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in the January transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, he remained with his first professional club.
After a second season carrying Boavista's squad (who almost qualified for UEFA Cup, with Pinto scoring nine league goals and receiving numerous man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
awards), Pinto accepted the invitation of Sporting Clube de Braga's board in July 2006, signing for one season. He scored two goals in 24 appearances helping Braga reach fourth place, and extended his contract for the 2007–08 season. However, during February 2008, Pinto trained with Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and, on February 22, announced the termination of his contract at Braga, retiring shortly after at nearly 37 years of age.
Club
Boavista- 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...
: 1991–92
Benfica
- Portuguese League: 1993–94
- 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...
: 1992–93, 1995–96
Sporting
- Portuguese League: 2001–02
- 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...
: 2001–02 - Portuguese Supercup: 2001
National team
- UEFA European Football ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
: Third place 2000 - FIFA U-20 World CupFIFA U-20 World CupThe FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
: 1989, 1991 - UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
: Runner-up 19941994 UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-21 Championship 1994, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, France were chosen as the first hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... - UEFA European Under-18 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipThe European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
: Runner-up 1988
Individual
- Portuguese Footballer of the YearPortuguese Footballer of the YearThe CNID Footballer of the Year was an annual award given to the player who was adjudged to have been the best best of the year in Primeira Liga. Between 1970 and 2000 this award was given to a Portuguese footballer playing in a foreign country or any player in Portuguese first League...
: 1992, 1993, 1994 - Portuguese League Player of the MonthSJPF Player of the MonthThe SJPF Player of the Month is an association football award that recognizes the best Portuguese League player each month of the season and is conceived by the SJPF...
: February 2006
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boavista | 1988–89 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 1989–90 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 5 | |
| Total | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 5 | |
| Atlético Madrid B Atlético Madrid B Atlético Madrid B is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the namesake community. Founded in 1963, it is the reserve team of Atlético Madrid, and currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Nuevo Cerro del Espino.-History:... |
1990–91 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Boavista | 1991–92 | 34 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 8 |
| Total | 34 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 8 | |
| Benfica | 1992–93 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 9 |
| 1993–94 | 34 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 44 | 18 | |
| 1994–95 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 36 | 6 | |
| 1995–96 | 31 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 42 | 23 | |
| 1996–97 | 28 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 40 | 16 | |
| 1997–98 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 7 | |
| 1998–99 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 36 | 7 | |
| 1999–00 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |
| Total | 220 | 64 | 30 | 14 | 44 | 11 | 294 | 89 | |
| Sporting | 2000–01 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 7 |
| 2001–02 | 33 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 44 | 12 | |
| 2002–03 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 8 | |
| 2003–04 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 5 | |
| Total | 115 | 28 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 142 | 32 | |
| Boavista | 2004–05 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| 2005–06 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 10 | |
| Total | 57 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 13 | |
| Braga | 2006–07 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 |
| 2007–08 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| Total | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | |
| Career total | 476 | 117 | 56 | 20 | 75 | 15 | 605 | 152 | |
International goals
Personal
Still in his teens, Pinto had two sons from his first marriage. The oldest, Tiago (born 1988), started his football grooming at Benfica, completed it at Sporting and first played professionally with C.D. Olivais e Moscavide.Pinto's younger brother, Sérgio
Sérgio Pinto (footballer born 1973)
Sérgio Paulo Vieira Pinto is a retired Portuguese professional footballer who played as a right midfielder.-Football career:...
, was also a footballer, having played almost exclusively in the lower leagues of Portugal, and one year in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.