Valmiro Lopes Rocha
Encyclopedia
Valmiro Lopes Rocha, aka Valdo (born 23 April 1981), is a Spanish
-born Cape Verde
an footballer who plays for Levante UD
in La Liga
, mainly as a winger.
During his professional career, he played for several clubs in La Liga
, namely Osasuna
and Espanyol
.
, León
, in the region of Laciana
, where his parents had moved to emigrating from Cape Verde
, to work in the coal mines.
He started playing football with amateurs CF Pozuelo de Alarcón
, in Madrid
, and stayed there for the following seven years.
knocked on Valdo's door and signed him for its reserve teams. He played 2001–02 with Real Madrid Castilla
and, also during that season, received first-team opportunities in the league
, cup
and UEFA Champions League
games, with the merengues eventually winning the latter competition.
In January 2003, Valdo moved to fellow league CA Osasuna
(first on loan), where he developed as a first division player, scoring five goals in 35 contests in his first full season. On 11 April 2004, he netted in a 3–0 away win against his former employer.
In 2005–06
, although he featured much less, mainly due to a groin
ailment, Valdo scored in a 2–1 home win over FC Barcelona
, on 12 March 2006, as the Navarre
se qualified for the first time ever for the Champions League qualifying rounds. After the UEFA Cup "demotion", he helped the club reach the last-four against Sevilla FC
, netting twice in 10 contests.
RCD Espanyol
signed Valdo at the end of 2006–07, to a four-year deal. He played his first game for the Barcelona
team against lowly CF Peralada
, during preseason.
On 14 July 2009, after having appeared sparingly for he Catalans
, Valdo moved to Málaga CF
, in a season
-long loan. After being dropped out from the squad for several months due to his bad performances, he was brought back on 27 February 2010. He scored his first goal for the club against FC Barcelona
, but the Andalusia
ns lost 1–2 away
, on the same day.
On 13 August 2010, Valdo left Espanyol and signed with Levante UD
, reuniting with Málaga teammates Gustavo Munúa
and Xavi Torres
. He contributed heavily during his first season
(2,119 minutes, 25 starts) as the Valencian Community
outfit finally retained its top division status, scoring against Getafe CF
(2–0 home win) and Villarreal CF
(1–0, away).
in the early 2000's. In late August 2011, aged 30, he was called by the Cape Verdean national team
for a match against Mali
on 3 September, for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and made his debut in the 0–3 away loss.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-born Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
an footballer who plays for Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, mainly as a winger.
During his professional career, he played for several clubs in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, namely Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
and Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
.
Early years
Valdo was born in VillablinoVillablino
Villablino is a municipality located in the Laciana comarca, province of León, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 12,212 inhabitants.-See also:*Laciana* Kingdom of León...
, León
León, Spain
León is the capital of the province of León in the autonomous community of Castile and León, situated in the northwest of Spain. Its city population of 136,985 makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for more than one quarter of the province's population...
, in the region of Laciana
Laciana
Laciana, Tsaciana in Leonese language, is a comarca in the province of León, Spain. It had 11,904 inhabitants in 2005. The rivers of this comarca flow towards the Atlantic Ocean. Local people speak a certain variant of the Leonese language known as Patsuezo.Many areas in Laciana were degraded in...
, where his parents had moved to emigrating from Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, to work in the coal mines.
He started playing football with amateurs CF Pozuelo de Alarcón
CF Pozuelo de Alarcón
Club de Fútbol Pozuelo de Alarcón is a football team based in Pozuelo de Alarcón in the autonomous Community of Madrid. Founded in 1995, the team plays in 3ª - Group 7...
, in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, and stayed there for the following seven years.
Club career
In 2001, Real MadridReal Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
knocked on Valdo's door and signed him for its reserve teams. He played 2001–02 with Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla is a Spanish football team that plays in the Segunda División B. It is the reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium....
and, also during that season, received first-team opportunities in the league
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, cup
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
and UEFA Champions League
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...
games, with the merengues eventually winning the latter competition.
In January 2003, Valdo moved to fellow league CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
(first on loan), where he developed as a first division player, scoring five goals in 35 contests in his first full season. On 11 April 2004, he netted in a 3–0 away win against his former employer.
In 2005–06
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
, although he featured much less, mainly due to a groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
ailment, Valdo scored in a 2–1 home win over FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, on 12 March 2006, as the Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
se qualified for the first time ever for the Champions League qualifying rounds. After the UEFA Cup "demotion", he helped the club reach the last-four against Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, netting twice in 10 contests.
RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
signed Valdo at the end of 2006–07, to a four-year deal. He played his first game for the Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
team against lowly CF Peralada
CF Peralada
Club de Fútbol Peralada is a Spanish football team based in Peralada, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1915, it plays in 1ª Catalana, holding home matches at Municipal de Peralada with a capacity of 1,500 seats.- Season to season:...
, during preseason.
On 14 July 2009, after having appeared sparingly for he Catalans
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Valdo moved to Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
, in a season
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
-long loan. After being dropped out from the squad for several months due to his bad performances, he was brought back on 27 February 2010. He scored his first goal for the club against FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, but the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
ns lost 1–2 away
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
, on the same day.
On 13 August 2010, Valdo left Espanyol and signed with Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
, reuniting with Málaga teammates Gustavo Munúa
Gustavo Munúa
Gustavo Adolfo Munúa Vera is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Levante UD in the Spanish first division, as a goalkeeper....
and Xavi Torres
Xavi Torres
Xavier 'Xavi' Torres Buigues is a Spanish footballer who plays for Levante UD on loan from Málaga CF, as a defensive midfielder.-Early career:...
. He contributed heavily during his first season
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
(2,119 minutes, 25 starts) as the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
outfit finally retained its top division status, scoring against Getafe CF
Getafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
(2–0 home win) and Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
(1–0, away).
International career
Valdo played for the Spanish under-21sSpain national under-21 football team
The Spain national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita , competes in the biannual European Under-21 Football Championship.Following the realignment of UEFA's youth...
in the early 2000's. In late August 2011, aged 30, he was called by the Cape Verdean national team
Cape Verde national football team
The Cape Verde national football team, nicknamed either the Tubarões Azuis or Crioulos , is the national team of Cape Verde and is controlled by the Federação Caboverdiana de Futebol.-Overview:...
for a match against Mali
Mali national football team
The Mali national football team, nicknamed Les Aigles , is the national team of Mali and is controlled by the Fédération Malienne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals.-History:...
on 3 September, for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and made his debut in the 0–3 away loss.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 8 October 2011 | Estádio da Várzea Estádio da Várzea Estádio da Várzea is a multi-purpose stadium in Praia, Cape Verde. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 10,000 people. The stadium has seat rows in the left and right sides and a small hill and a plateau lies to the west... , Praia Praia Praia , is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic Ocean west of Senegal. It lies on the southern coast of Santiago island in the Sotavento Islands group. It is the island's ferry port and is home to one of the nation’s four international airports... , Cape Verde Cape Verde The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa... |
2–1 | Win | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |