João Pinto

Template:Short description {{#invoke:Other people|otherPeople}} Template:Portuguese name Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography João Manuel Vieira Pinto Template:Post-nominals ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; born 19 August 1971) is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played mostly as a forward.

Blessed with playmaking and goalscoring ability, he made his name mostly at a domestic level and as a key figure in the Portuguese national team's "Golden Generation",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> collecting 151 caps and scoring 45 goals across all levels (81/23 for the senior team alone) and representing the country at the 2002 World Cup and two European Championships.

At the club level, Pinto started his career with Boavista, but it was mainly associated with two of the biggest clubs in the country, Benfica and Sporting CP, with which he won one Primeira Liga each for a total of six major titles. Over 19 top-division seasons, he played 476 matches and netted 117 goals.

Career

As a youth, Pinto played for Bairro do Falcão (where he was born, in Campanhã, Porto's east side) and Águias da Areosa FC, finishing his development at Boavista F.C. after joining its academy as a 12-year-old. Early on, he impressed with his speed and ball control,<ref name=Life>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was subsequently one of the brightest stars in Portugal's wins in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Riyadh and Lisbon, being one of three players ever to have been on the winning side in this competition twice along with goalkeeper Fernando Brassard (whom however did not play in the first tournament) and Argentinian Sergio Agüero.<ref name=U20>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, he made his Primeira Liga debut at only 17.<ref name=Games>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Pinto's performance in the first youth competition earned him a transfer to Atlético Madrid in 1990, but he was placed instead with the reserve team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After a forgettable season he rejoined Boavista, appeared in every match, scored eight goals and won the Taça de Portugal, in a final against city rivals FC Porto.<ref name=Shirts>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Games/> Shortly after, he signed for S.L. Benfica.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Life/>

Whilst with Benfica, Pinto's career was threatened in late 1992 by a collapsed lung during an international match for Portugal in Scotland for the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,<ref name=PUBLICO>Template:Cite news</ref> eventually recovering but being unable to help his team win the title. However, the next season, he played arguably his best football there, his best moment coming in the Lisbon derby against Sporting CP, where he scored three goals and was on the play of the remaining three in a 6–3 win at the Estádio José Alvalade; this result proved to be decisive for the club's clinching of the 1994 national championship.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=PUBLICO/>

Dubbed "The Golden Boy", Pinto won captaincy from veteran António Veloso after the latter's retirement in 1995, but was unable to win a national title again.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following a wage dispute with president João Vale e Azevedo,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he was released from contract weeks before the UEFA Euro 2000 (making him the only free agent in the competition),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> where he helped the national team reach the semi-finals after scoring eight goals during the qualifying stage, netting through a header against England in a 3–2 comeback win in the group stage on 13 June 2000;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> he was also selected for the Euro 1996 tournament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Subsequently, Pinto had several offers from abroad, eventually agreeing to a four-year deal at Sporting.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After a relatively poor season in 2000–01, the Lions acquired four-time Portuguese Golden Boot winner Mário Jardel, and Pinto returned to his golden years in a magnificent run which ended with the claiming of his second title;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> named the "father of the team" by the Brazilian, took part in all but one game and scored nine goals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Games/>

Although a highly talented player, Pinto was also known for a series of red cards for aggression and bad tackles. His feud with Porto player and national teammate Paulinho Santos lasted for years, and both would be frequently ejected after hitting each other;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he also stirred some controversy when he assaulted a fireman in the league fixture at Rio Ave F.C. on 20 September 1997.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The lowest point, however, was when Pinto hit Argentine referee Ángel Sánchez who had sent him off after a bad tackle early into the 1–0 loss to hosts South Korea in the third group game of the 2002 World Cup.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was suspended for six months.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Pinto ended his Portugal career with 81 caps and 23 goals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Never recovering fully from the World Cup incident, he failed to impress in the following seasons, when Sporting failed to reach the top two spots, and in 2004 he was released from contract, returning to Boavista. Although he was close to signing with Al-Hilal FC of Saudi Arabia in the January transfer window, he remained with his first professional club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

After a second season carrying Boavista's squad (who almost qualified for the UEFA Cup, with him scoring nine league goals and receiving numerous Player of the match awards),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Games/> Pinto accepted the invitation of S.C. Braga's board in July 2006,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> signing for one year. He netted twice in 24 appearances in an eventual fourth-place finish for the Minho side, and renewed his link for the 2007–08 campaign;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> however, during February 2008, he trained with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and, later that month, announced the termination of his contract at Braga,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> retiring shortly after aged 36.<ref name=PUBLICO/>

Subsequently, Pinto worked with the Portuguese Football Federation in directorial capacities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

File:Joao Vieira Pinto at Exponor (2011).jpg

Pinto in 2011

Still in his teens, Pinto had two children from his first marriage to Carla Baía;<ref name=Sousa>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=PUBLICO/> the elder, Tiago, first played professionally with C.D. Olivais e Moscavide.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2008 he married television presenter Marisa Cruz, with the couple divorcing five years later.<ref name=Sousa/>

Pinto's younger brother, Sérgio, was also a footballer, having competed almost exclusively in the lower leagues of Portugal and one year in England.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>Template:ForaDeJogo</ref><ref name=Bio/>

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Boavista	1988–89	6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	1989–90	11	3	0	0	2	2	13	5
	Total	17	3	0	0	2	2	19	5
Atlético Madrid B	1990–91	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Boavista	1991–92	34	8	5	0	4	0	43	8
Benfica	1992–93	21	7	6	1	4	1	31	9
	1993–94	34	15	2	1	8	2	44	18
	1994–95	24	4	5	1	7	1	36	6
	1995–96	31	18	6	4	5	1	42	23
	1996–97	28	7	6	6	6	3	40	16
	1997–98	25	6	3	1	2	0	30	7
	1998–99	28	4	1	0	7	3	36	7
	1999–2000	29	3	1	0	5	0	35	3
	Total	220	64	30	14	44	11	294	89
Sporting CP	2000–01	31	6	5	1	5	0	41	7
	2001–02	33	9	6	2	5	1	44	12
	2002–03	25	8	1	0	0	0	26	8
	2003–04	26	5	1	0	4	0	31	5
	Total	115	28	13	3	14	1	142	32
Boavista	2004–05	26	2	4	1	0	0	30	3
	2005–06	31	9	1	1	0	0	32	10
	Total	57	11	5	2	0	0	62	13
Braga	2006–07	24	2	0	0	0	0	24	2
	2007–08	9	1	0	0	0	0	9	1
	Total	33	3	0	0	0	0	33	3
Career total		476	117	56	20	75	15	605	152

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pinto goal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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List of international goals scored by João Pinto

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition

Honours

Boavista

• Taça de Portugal: 1991–92<ref name=Shirts/>

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 1993–94<ref name=Bi>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• Taça de Portugal: 1992–93, 1995–96<ref name=Bi/>

Sporting CP

• Primeira Liga: 2001–02<ref name=Double>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Taça de Portugal: 2001–02<ref name=Double/>
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2000<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Portugal

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1989, 1991<ref name=U20/>
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 1994
• UEFA European Under-18 Championship runner-up: 1988, 1990
• UEFA European Under-16 Championship runner-up: 1988

Individual

• CNID Footballer of the Year: 1992, 1993, 1994
• Portuguese Golden Ball: 1993, 1996
• SJPF Player of the Month: February 2006

See also

• List of association football families

Further reading

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:ForaDeJogo
• Template:BDFutbol
• Template:FPF national player
• Template:NFT player
• Template:FIFA player