Fernando Couto

Fernando Manuel Silva Couto, OIH (Portuguese: [fɨɾˈnɐ̃du ˈko(w)tu]; born 2 August 1969) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a centre back.

For the Portuguese Olympic athlete, see Fernando Couto (runner).
This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Silva and the second or paternal family name is Couto.

Fernando Couto
Couto in 2011
Personal information
Full name Fernando Manuel Silva Couto
Date of birth (1969-08-02) 2 August 1969
Place of birth Espinho, Portugal
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1985–1986 Lourosa
1986–1988 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988 Porto 1 (0)
1988–1989 Famalicão 17 (1)
1989–1990 Académica 23 (2)
1990–1994 Porto 106 (19)
1994–1996 Parma 39 (4)
1996–1998 Barcelona 44 (0)
1998–2005 Lazio 145 (9)
2005–2008 Parma 63 (1)
Total 438 (36)
National team
1989 Portugal U20 4 (0)
1989–1990 Portugal U21 7 (1)
1990–2004 Portugal 110 (8)
Teams managed
2012–2014 Braga (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

During a 21-year professional career, he played in a number of top clubs in Portugal, Spain and Italy (12 seasons in the latter country), appearing in nearly 600 competitive matches and winning the double in each country, as well as three UEFA trophies.

At international level, Couto represented the Portuguese national team in 110 games, taking part in the 2002 World Cup as well as three European Championships.

Club career

Born in Espinho near Porto, Couto joined FC Porto's youth system at the age of 17. On 2 June 1988, he made his first-team – and Primeira Liga – debut, playing 90 minutes in a 1–0 away win against Académica de Coimbra in what would be his only appearance of the season for the national champions. He was then released, spending one year apiece with F.C. Famalicão and Académica.

Couto returned to Porto in 1990, being an instrumental defensive unit in the conquest of six titles during his four-year spell. He subsequently moved to Italy with Parma AC, scoring a career-best four goals in 27 games in his first season and adding the campaign's UEFA Cup, in a 2–1 aggregate victory over fellow Serie A side Juventus F.C..[1][2]

In summer 1996, Couto signed a four-year deal with FC Barcelona, moving alongside former Porto teammate Vítor Baía and English manager Bobby Robson as Luís Figo was also playing for the La Liga club.[3] Regularly used during his early stint, he was less played by the next coach Louis van Gaal, but managed to appear in one of the two European finals the Catalans won, the 1996–97 edition of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.[4]

After two seasons at the Camp Nou, Couto left Barça and joined Rome's S.S. Lazio in late June 1998 as teammate Iván de la Peña.[5] He appeared in 22 matches in his first year to help his team to the second place in the league, and featured one minute in the final of the last Cup Winners' Cup, in a 2–1 win against RCD Mallorca at the Villa Park in Birmingham.[6]

In 2001, Couto failed a doping test for the steroid nandrolone. He denied having taken forbidden substances, but his "B" test confirmed the finding and he eventually served four months out of a nine-month worldwide ban for the offence.[7] He continued to appear regularly for Lazio in the following seasons.

In 2005, aged 36, Couto returned to Parma after 11 years as Lazio was unable to match his wage demands for a contract renewal. After two seasons of regular use he played just 17 matches in 2007–08, with the Emilia-Romagna side also suffering top-flight relegation; as his contract expired, he decided to retire from football.

In June 2010, two years after his retirement, Couto was named general manager at S.C. Braga.[8] He was appointed the club's assistant manager for the 2012–13 campaign,[9] leaving in February 2014.[10]

International career

As a member of Famalicão in the third division, Couto appeared in four matches as Portugal won the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship,[11] being part of a group of players dubbed the "Golden Generation" of Portuguese football. He made his debut for the senior team on 19 December 1990, in a friendly with the United States played in Maia (1–0 win).

Always as first choice, Couto represented the nation at UEFA Euro 1996[12]– scoring the game's only goal for the eventual quarter-finalists in a group stage fixture against Turkey[13]– Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, partnering former Porto teammate Jorge Costa in the last two tournaments, the latter of which ended in group stage exit.

Couto became the first Portuguese player to reach 100 caps (in a total of 110) on 11 October 2003, in a 5–3 friendly defeat of Albania.[14] He was selected as captain for Euro 2004, which was played on home soil,[15] starting in the first game against Greece but eventually being relegated to the bench by Ricardo Carvalho;[16][17] Portugal went on to reach the final of the tournament, in which the team suffered a defeat against the same opponent.[18]

Style of play

Couto usually played as a centre-back in zonal-marking system during his time with Porto, where he earned a reputation for being a tough and physical defender, with an aggressive and hard-tackling playing style. He was also known for his ability in the air, as well as his capacity to start quick attacking plays after winning back the ball. During his time in Italy, he also adapted himself to different tactical systems; under his Parma manager Nevio Scala, he featured as a man-marking centre-back – or stopper – on occasion, or even as a sweeper behind the back-line.[19][20]

Career statistics

Club
Sources:[21][22][23]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other[lower-alpha 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Porto 1987–88 Primeira Divisão 1000——10
Famalicão 1988–89 ——
Académica 1989–90 Segunda Divisão 23210——242
Porto 1990–91 Primeira Divisão 243604000343
1991–92 322504030442
1992–93 264307220386
1993–94 231509020391
Total 105101902427015512
Parma 1994–95 Serie A 2749281—447
1995–96 120002010150
Total 3949210110597
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 260514100352
1997–98 180205000250
Total 440719100602
Lazio 1998–99 Serie A 222508010362
1999–00 140507000260
2000–01 180408000300
2001–02 2912040—351
2002–03 15040121—311
2003–04 2334140—413
2004–05 243003010283
Total 14592414612021711
Parma 2005–06 Serie A 23010——240
2006–07 2311020—261
2007–08 17010——180
Total 6313020—681
Career total 4202662491510058335
  1. Includes the Supercoppa Italiana, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and UEFA Super Cup

International
Source:[24]
Portugal
YearAppsGoals
199010
199150
199260
199381
199421
199570
1996113
199760
199851
199970
2000140
200160
2002110
2003121
200471
Total1108

International goals
Source:[24]
List of international goals scored by Fernando Couto
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
124 February 1993Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal Italy1–21–31994 World Cup qualification
218 December 1994Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal Liechtenstein5–08–0Euro 1996 qualifying
324 January 1996Parc des Princes, Paris, France France0–13–2Friendly
414 June 1996City Ground, Nottingham, England Turkey1–01–0UEFA Euro 1996
59 November 1996Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal Ukraine1–01–01998 World Cup qualification
618 November 1998Estádio do Bonfim, Setúbal, Portugal Israel1–02–0Friendly
710 June 2003Estádio Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal Bolivia2–04–0Friendly
85 June 2004Estádio do Bonfim, Setúbal, Portugal Lithuania1–04–1Friendly

Honours

Club

Porto

Parma

Barcelona

Lazio

International

Portugal U-20

Portugal

See also

References
  1. Mocciaro, Gaetano (17 May 2018). "17 maggio 1995, il Parma vince la Coppa UEFA battendo in finale la Juve" [17 May 1995, Parma win UEFA Cup beating Juve in the final] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  2. Ruggiero, Michele (18 May 1995). "Il Parma si rifà in Europa" [Parma redeem themselves in Europe]. L'Unità (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2002.
  3. "El Barça ficha al defensa portugués Fernando Couto por cuatro años" [Barça sign Portuguese defender Fernando Couto for four years]. El País (in Spanish). 23 August 1996. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  4. Campos, Ciro (10 April 2013). "Depois de 16 anos, PSG tem chance de revanche contra o" [16 years later, PSG have a chance at revenge against Barcelona]. O Estado de S. Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  5. "Lazio: presi De la Pena e Couto. Inter: Torricelli e' vicino" [Lazio: De la Pena and Couto acquired. Inter: Torricelli almost done]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 25 June 1998. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  6. Segurola, Santiago (20 May 1999). "El Mallorca pierde con orgullo" [Mallorca lose proudly]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  7. "Davids and Couto hit with FIFA bans". The Daily Telegraph. 31 May 2001. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  8. "Fernando Couto é manager do SC Braga" [Fernando Couto is SC Braga manager] (in Portuguese). SC Braga. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
  9. "Fernando Couto adjunto de Peseiro" [Fernando Couto Peseiro's assistant]. Record (in Portuguese). 4 June 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  10. "Sp. Braga confirma nova equipa técnica sem Fernando Couto" [Sp. Braga confirm new technical staff without Fernando Couto] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  11. Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo (3 March 2014). "Riade, 25 anos: como foi e onde estão os campeões" [Riyadh, 25 years ago: how did it go and where are the champions] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  12. Hodgson, Guy (1 June 1996). "The rising force in Europe counting on their foreign legion; CHAMPIONSHIP COUNTDOWN: No 9 Portugal". The Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  13. "Portugal get just reward against Turkey". UEFA. 6 October 2003. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  14. Breda, Rui (13 October 2003). "Century and counting for Couto". UEFA. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  15. Fernandes, Nuno (11 June 2019). "15 anos depois do Euro2004 Ronaldo continua em grande. E os outros 22 onde param?" [15 years after Euro2004 Ronaldo is still at the top. And what of the other 22?]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  16. Pierrend, José Luis. "Fernando Manuel Silva Couto – Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  17. "Chelsea land Carvalho". BBC Sport. 28 July 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  18. Szreter, Adam (4 July 2004). "Greece kings of Europe". UEFA. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  19. "Couto a testa alta 'Mi rispetterete'" [Couto with his head held up high 'You will respect me']. La Repubblica (in Italian). 27 July 1994. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  20. Egidio, Giovanni (14 February 1995). "Grun o Brolin | Se la classe è penalizzata" [Grun or Brolin | If class is penalised]. La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  21. Fernando Couto at ForaDeJogo
  22. "Fernando Couto". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  23. "Fernando Manuel Silva Couto" (in Italian). Lega Serie A. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  24. "Fernando Couto". European Football. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
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