Maniche

Template:Short description Template:For multi Template:Portuguese name Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Nuno Ricardo de Oliveira Ribeiro Template:Post-nominals (born 11 November 1977), known as Maniche (Template:IPA), is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

He played top-flight football in Portugal, Russia, England, Spain, Italy and Germany, and in 2004 he helped Porto to the Champions League, one of eight trophies won with that club. He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 177 matches and 31 goals in seven seasons.

Maniche won 52 caps for Portugal, representing the nation at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup and finishing runner-up in the former competition.

Club career

Benfica and Porto

Born in Lisbon, Maniche played youth football for local S.L. Benfica. After three seasons with neighbouring F.C. Alverca, who acted as the former's farm team, he returned to Benfica, where he was initially deployed as a winger.<ref name=MIDDLE>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following disciplinary problems at Benfica,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Maniche was signed by José Mourinho for FC Porto. The manager made him a key member of his sides, reconverting him to central midfielder.<ref name=MIDDLE/>

Maniche enjoyed a successful period at Porto, winning both the UEFA Cup in 2003<ref name=UC>Template:Cite web</ref> and the UEFA Champions League in 2004<ref name=UCL>Template:Cite web</ref> and contributing 13 goals in 60 matches as the club also managed back-to-back Primeira Liga titles. He was chosen Man of the match in the 2004 Intercontinental Cup, which his team won on penalties against Once Caldas of Colombia.<ref name=RSSSF>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dynamo and Chelsea

Maniche was sold to FC Dynamo Moscow in May 2005, for €16 million;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> he was accompanied in that adventure by Porto teammates Giourkas Seitaridis and Costinha (another club player, Derlei, had left for the Russian team in January). Unsettled, as were the vast majority of foreign players bought by new owner Alexey Fedorychev,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he left in January 2006 on loan to Premier League side Chelsea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Maniche was part of Chelsea's 2006 league-winning squad. In his first start, a home game against West Ham United on 9 April, he had an opportunity to score an equaliser from six yards out but smashed his shot against the crossbar, and was shown an immediate red card in the 17th minute for a challenge on Lionel Scaloni; nevertheless, they went on to win 4–1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

However, Maniche did not make enough appearances in the league to earn a winners' medal, challenged for a central midfield place by Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Claude Makélélé.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Chelsea had the option of making the transfer permanent at the end of the season, for £5 million (US$9 million), but the player eventually returned to Dynamo Moscow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Atlético Madrid

Maniche was signed by Atlético Madrid in late August 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Partnering his compatriots Costinha and Zé Castro, he scored four goals in 28 La Liga matches in his first season in a seventh-place finish.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following a run-in with Atlético coach, Javier Aguirre,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Maniche was cut from the squad, and agreed to join Inter Milan on a January loan, running for the second part of 2007–08.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Splitting time between the bench and the starting eleven in eight Serie A appearances, he managed to score one goal, in a 1–2 home defeat to Juventus FC on 22 March, also hitting the post in stoppage time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In July 2008, Maniche returned to Atlético Madrid, playing a major part in the Colchoneros' early season as they had returned to the UEFA Champions League after a 12-year absence. In late February 2009, however, he was ousted after a new quarrel with the management, now led by former club player Abel Resino.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

According to additional reports in the Spanish press, Maniche was deemed surplus to requirements in Madrid after he rejected the club's offer of a new deal, as his contract was going to expire on 30 June 2009.

"We informed Maniche three or four weeks ago that we wanted to renew his contract", said Atlético's general manager Miguel Ángel Gil Marín."

"We really wanted him to accept the conditions and sign the contract. It is a shame for us."

Maniche in action for 1. FC Köln in 2009

Maniche was released on 6 May 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. FC Köln

On 20 July 2009, Maniche moved to the Bundesliga with 1. FC Köln, signing a two-year deal and rejoining former Benfica and Portugal teammate Petit.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He scored the first of his three goals on 27 October, closing the 3–0 away victory over SV Eintracht Trier 05 in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Return to Portugal

Maniche left after only one season in Germany, and on 16 June 2010 he returned to his native country, signing a one-year deal (plus an option for two further seasons) with the club he still had not represented in the Portuguese Big Three, Sporting CP.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Frequently injured during his spell with the Lions and vastly underperforming,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the 33-year-old terminated his contract by mutual consent – even though he had automatically renewed it in December after appearing in his 20th competitive game<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>– on 6 July 2011;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in May of the following year, not being able to find a new team, he decided to retire.

On 12 June 2013, Maniche was appointed as assistant at F.C. Paços de Ferreira after his former Porto and international teammate Costinha was hired as the manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Three years later, he was hired in the same role alongside the same boss at Segunda Liga side Académica de Coimbra, but left four months later for personal reasons.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

International career

Maniche playing for Portugal in 2009

Maniche made his debut for the Portugal national team on 29 March 2003, in a 2–1 friendly win over Brazil.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was a key element in the country's runner-up run at UEFA Euro 2004, scoring in a 2–0 group stage defeat of Russia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and adding another in the semi-finals against the Netherlands, which ended in a 2–1 victory;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> he was subsequently selected for the Team of the Tournament.<ref name=TOT>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 21 June 2006, in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Portugal played Mexico in the final group fixture. Maniche netted in the sixth minute in an eventual 2–1 win that sealed the group win.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Four days later, in the round of 16, as the national side faced the Netherlands once again, he scored the only goal of the game,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was the only Portuguese player to feature on Adidas' Golden Ball shortlist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After appearing significantly during the qualifying stages for Euro 2008, he was surprisingly left out of the nation's final squad, although younger brother Jorge Ribeiro would make the final cut. He also featured little during the qualification for the 2010 World Cup, and was subsequently left out of the squad for the final stages by manager Carlos Queiroz.

Style of play

Known for his teamwork, stamina and powerful shot, Maniche received his nickname after Benfica's 1980s Danish forward Michael Manniche.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Jorge Ribeiro, Maniche's younger brother, was also a footballer. Mainly a left midfielder, he also represented Benfica amongst many other clubs, and the two were teammates at Dynamo Moscow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career statistics

Club

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

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Benfica	1995–96	Primeira Liga	0	0	0	0	–		2	0	–		2	0
Alverca	1996–97	Segunda Liga	23	2	1	0	–		–		–		24	2
	1997–98		29	5	1	1	–		–		–		30	6
	1998–99	Primeira Liga	26	3	1	1	–		–		–		27	4
	Total		78	10	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	81	12
Benfica	1999–00	Primeira Liga	28	10	1	1	–		6	1	–		35	12
	2000–01		26	1	4	1	–		2	0	–		32	2
	2001–02		0	0	0	0	–		0	0	–		0	0
	Total		54	11	5	2	0	0	8	1	0	0	67	14
Porto	2002–03	Primeira Liga	29	6	3	1	–		12	2	–		44	9
	2003–04		31	7	5	1	–		12	3	2Template:Efn	0	50	11
	2004–05		20	3	0	0	–		8	0	2Template:Efn	0	30	3
	Total		80	16	8	2	0	0	32	5	4	0	124	23
Dynamo Moscow	2005	Russian Premier League	12	2	0	0	–		0	0	–		12	2
Chelsea	2005–06	Premier League	8	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	–		11	0
Atlético Madrid	2006–07	La Liga	28	4	2	0	–		0	0	–		30	4
	2007–08		15	2	0	0	–		7Template:Efn	0	–		22	2
	Total		43	6	2	0	0	0	7	0	0	0	52	6
Inter Milan	2007–08	Serie A	8	1	3	0	–		0	0	–		11	1
Atlético Madrid	2008–09	La Liga	21	1	2	0	–		9	1	–		32	2
1. FC Köln	2009–10	Bundesliga	26	2	4	1	–		0	0	–		30	3
Sporting CP	2010–11	Primeira Liga	17	1	1	0	0	0	9	3	–		27	3
Career total			347	50	28	4	3	0	65	10	4	0	449	64

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name=EU>Template:Eu-Football.info</ref>

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Portugal	2003	7	0
	2004	13	3
	2005	7	0
	2006	12	3
	2007	6	1
	2008	5	0
	2009	2	0
Total		52	7

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Maniche goal.<ref name=EU/>

Template:Ig matchTemplate:Ig matchTemplate:Ig matchTemplate:Ig matchTemplate:Ig matchTemplate:Ig matchTemplate:Ig match

List of international goals scored by Maniche

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition

Honours

Porto

• Primeira Liga: 2002–03, 2003–04<ref name=Trophy>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Taça de Portugal: 2002–03<ref name=Trophy/>
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2003<ref name=Trophy/>
• UEFA Champions League: 2003–04<ref name=UCL/>
• UEFA Cup: 2002–03<ref name=UC/>
• Intercontinental Cup: 2004<ref name=RSSSF/>

Inter Milan

• Serie A: 2007–08<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Portugal

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2004<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Individual

• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2004<ref name=TOT/>
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2004<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Intercontinental Cup Man of the Match: 2004<ref name=RSSSF/>

Orders

• Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)

External links

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