Place of birth Azurem, Portugal Role Footballer Playing position Height 1.86 m Name Ricardo Silva | Number 19 Weight 78 kg 1996–1999 Vitoria Guimaraes Career start 1999 | |
 | ||
Full name Ricardo Jorge Ferreira Pinto
da Silva Date of birth (1980-08-19) 19 August 1980 (age 35) Current team F.C. Pacos de Ferreira (#19 / Defender) | ||
Ricardo Jorge Ferreira Pinto da Silva (born 19 August 1980), known simply as Ricardo, is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays for F.C. Paços de Ferreira as a central defender or right back.
Contents
Club career
Ricardo was born in Azurém, Guimarães, Portugal, and he started playing football with amateurs Centro de Cultura e Desporto Desportivo de Ronfe and GD Serzedelo. In the following three years he played in the third division, representing F.C. Famalicão (one season) and S.C. Freamunde (two).
In the 2004 summer, Ricardo moved straight to the Primeira Liga, signing with S.C. Beira-Mar. He featured in 29 games in his first season (24 starts), but suffered team relegation; he continued to appear regularly for the Aveiro team during his spell, overall playing two seasons apiece in each of Portugal's major levels.
Ricardo returned to the top flight for 2008–09, joining F.C. Paços de Ferreira. In the following campaign's opener he scored with his head to earn his side a point against FC Porto in a 1–1 home draw, and was an everpresent defensive figure in his two-year stint.
In June 2010, Ricardo signed with Vitória de Guimarães also in the top tier – he had been brought up as a youth at the Minho club. In January 2012, after a brief spell in China, he returned to Portugal and Paços on a three 1/2-year contract.
International career
Although born in Portugal, Ricardo opted to represent Cape Verde through ancestry. He received his first call-up in May 2008, first appearing on 27 May in a friendly with Luxembourg.
In June 2010, Ricardo started in the 0–0 draw that the minnows (ranked 117th) managed against Portugal, as the Europeans were preparing for that year's FIFA World Cup.