Place of birth Mondrões, Portugal Current team Rio Ave (coach) Career start 1976 | Playing position 1976–1977 Vieirense Career end 1997 | |
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Full name Luís Manuel Ribeiro de Castro Date of birth (1961-09-03) 3 September 1961 (age 55) Team coached Rio Ave F.C. (Manager, since 2016) Similar Capucho, Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, Nuno Espírito Santo, Pedro Martins, Rui Vitória | ||
Luís Manuel Ribeiro de Castro (born 3 September 1961) is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a right back, and the current manager of Rio Ave FC.
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Early life / Personal
Castro was born in the village of Mondrões, in Vila Real. For much of his childhood and youth he suffered from a debilitating disease, going on to major in physics at the University of Coimbra.
Playing career
Castro spent most of his 17-year professional career in the lower leagues, representing U.D. Leiria, O Elvas CAD, AD Fafe and R.D. Águeda in the Segunda Liga and Vitória S.C. and Elvas in the Primeira Liga.
With the latter, he appeared in 28 games in the 1987–88 season, but his team ranked in 15th place and suffered relegation.
Coaching career
One year after retiring from professional football, Castro began working as a manager with his final club Águeda, where he would remain for two seasons. He went on to be in charge of lowly G.D. Mealhada, C.D. Estarreja and A.D. Sanjoanense, before being appointed at F.C. Penafiel in the top level in the 2004 summer and guiding it to the 11th position in his debut campaign, the highlight being a 1–0 home win against S.L. Benfica.
Following Penafiel's relegation in 2006, Castro left the club, joining FC Porto's youth academy and eventually coaching the B-team. On 5 March 2014, following the resignation of Paulo Fonseca at the helm of the main squad, he was named an interim until the end of the season.