João Paulo (footballer, born 1980)

João Paulo Pinto Ribeiro (born 8 April 1980), known as João Paulo, is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a centre forward.

For other Portuguese footballers named João Pinto, see João Pinto.
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Pinto and the second or paternal family name is Ribeiro.

João Paulo
Personal information
Full name João Paulo Pinto Ribeiro
Date of birth (1980-04-08) 8 April 1980
Place of birth Porto, Portugal
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
1990–1995 Paredes
1995–1999 Boavista
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2005 Boavista 5 (0)
1999 → Aves (loan) 10 (0)
2000 → Feirense (loan) 14 (5)
2000–2001 → Vitória Setúbal (loan) 18 (6)
2002–2003 → Varzim (loan) 21 (0)
2003–2004 → Beira-Mar (loan) 19 (3)
2004–2005 → Estoril (loan) 28 (5)
2005 Tenerife 6 (0)
2006–2007 Paços Ferreira 32 (5)
2007 União Leiria 17 (8)
2008–2010 Rapid București 40 (3)
2010 Leixões 11 (2)
2010–2011 Olympiakos Nicosia 25 (16)
2011–2012 Apollon Limassol 24 (4)
2012–2013 Estoril 7 (0)
2013–2014 Aves 15 (1)
2014–2015 Famalicão 18 (4)
2015 Tirsense 4 (0)
2017–2019 Foz 23 (5)
Total 337 (67)
International career
1996 Portugal U15 6 (5)
1997 Portugal U17 3 (0)
1998–1999 Portugal U18 9 (4)
2000 Portugal U20 7 (2)
2000–2002 Portugal U21 8 (0)
2003 Portugal B 1 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Over nine seasons, he amassed Primeira Liga 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, Porto-born 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,[1] 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).[2][3][4]

João Paulo moved to Romanian club FC Rapid București in January 2008, while Leiria would eventually rank last at the season's end in Portugal. Late in the same month but 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-tier strugglers Leixões S.C. until the end of the campaign.[5]

In June 2010, following Leixões' relegation, João Paulo returned abroad, signing with Olympiakos Nicosia of Cyprus.[6] The following season, the 31-year-old switched to another team in the country, Apollon Limassol.

Honours

Portugal

References
  1. João Paulo Pinto inició los entrenamientos en Cantabria dirigidos por Tigre Barrios (João Paulo Pinto started training sessions in Cantabria run by Tiger Barrios); Diario de Avisos, 30 July 2005 (in Spanish)
  2. Rolfes und Kießling treffsicher (Rolfes and Kießling hit the spot); kicker, 20 September 2007 (in German)
  3. Taça UEFA: U. Leiria-Bayer Leverkusen, 3–2 (crónica) (UEFA Cup: U. Leiria-Bayer Leverkusen, 3–2 (match report)); Mais Futebol, 4 October 2007 (in Portuguese)
  4. João Paulo, o goleador português: «Estrangeiros? Por que não?» (João Paulo, the Portuguese scorer: "Foreigners? Why not?"); Mais Futebol, 28 January 2008 (in Portuguese)
  5. João Paulo é o quarto reforço de "Inverno" do Leixões (João Paulo is Leixões' fourth "winter" addition); Jornal de Notícias, 19 January 2010 (in Portuguese)
  6. Chipre: João Paulo está a fazer melhor época de sempre (Cyprus: João Paulo is making best season ever); Mais Futebol, 19 March 2011 (in Portuguese)
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