Ricardo Pereira

Ricardo, 2009

Ricardo [ ʁikaɾðu ], actually Ricardo Alexandre Martins Soares Pereira, ( born February 11, 1976 in Montijo ) is a Portuguese goalkeeper. He is since 2012 the SC Olhanense under contract.

Association

The goalkeeper, who played in the Portuguese national football team, his professional career began in 1993 at CD Montijo. In 1995 he moved for 1 million euros to Boavista. He remained there until 2003 before moving to Sporting Lisbon. In 2007 he moved to Spain for 3 million euros to Real Betis. He then moved on because he was no longer taken into account in Spain, to England to Leicester City. He began his career as a striker for the rest.

National

His debut in the Portuguese national football team were Ricardo on 2 June 2001 against Ireland.

Ricardo belonged to the Portuguese team for the 2002 World Cup, but did not play because coach Antonio Oliveira but rather sat back on Vítor Baía as No. 1.

He also participated in the Euro 2004 in their own country, this time as the No. 1, where he became a great hero, as the decisive penalty shootout he held in the quarterfinal against England a penalty against Darius Vassell without gloves and the subsequent penalty equal to Portugal itself transformed.

Also at the 2006 World Cup, he stood in the Portuguese goal. In the quarterfinals, there was a new edition against England and this time Ricardo showed his class in the penalty shoot-out proof. He was able to parry the penalty from Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. So he set a new World Cup record: As the first goalkeeper ever he stopped three penalties.

It was after the 2006 World Cup in the All- Star team, which includes the best players in the World Cup, was elected.

At UEFA EURO 2008, he came in all parts of Portugal used, although he lost his position in the goal of Betis Sevilla in the 2007 /2008 season. This was also the reason why he was replaced in goal for the national team after the European Quim ( Benfica ).