Place of birth Porto, Portugal Name Joao Pinto Career start 1999 1995–1999 Boavista Weight 88 kg | 1990–1995 Paredes Height 1.87 m Playing position Role Footballer Current team C.D. Aves (Forward) | |
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Full name Joao Paulo Pinto Ribeiro Date of birth (1980-04-08) 8 April 1980 (age 35) | ||
João Paulo Pinto Ribeiro (born 8 April 1980 in Porto), known as João Paulo, is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a centre forward.
During nine seasons, he amassed totals of 140 games and 23 goals for Boavista, Varzim, Beira-Mar, Estoril (two spells), Paços de Ferreira, União de Leiria and Leixões. He also competed professionally in Spain, Romania and Cyprus, mainly at the service of Rapid București.
Club career
Having grown through the ranks of Boavista FC, João Paulo appeared very little for its first team, being loaned five times for the duration of his link, in both the Primeira Liga and the second division of Portuguese football. His debut in the top flight came with Varzim SC, in 2001.
After being released in June 2005, João Paulo had an unassuming stint with Spanish second level club CD Tenerife, then returned to Portugal in January of the following year with F.C. Paços de Ferreira. He blossomed as a striker in the 2007–08 season at fellow league side U.D. Leiria (eight league goals and two UEFA Cup strikes, both against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, on home and away legs).
In January 2008, Paulo moved to Romanian club FC Rapid București, while Leiria would eventually rank last at the season's end in Portugal. Late in the same month two years later, after failing to score more than three times in spite of being regularly played, he returned to his country and joined top flight strugglers Leixões S.C. until the end of the campaign.
In June 2010, following Leixões' relegation, João Paulo returned abroad, signing with Olympiakos Nicosia of Cyprus. The following season, the 31-year-old switched to another team in the country, Apollon Limassol.