Ricardo Nunes

Ricardo Nuno dos Santos Nunes (born 18 June 1986) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a left back.

For the Portuguese goalkeeper, see Ricardo Nunes (footballer, born 1982).

This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is dos Santos and the second or paternal family name is Nunes.
Ricardo Nunes
Nunes playing for Žilina in 2012
Personal information
Full name Ricardo Nuno dos Santos Nunes
Date of birth (1986-06-18) 18 June 1986
Place of birth Johannesburg, South Africa
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
1998–2002 Estoril
2002–2005 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Benfica B 23 (1)
2006–2007 Lamia 30 (0)
2007–2008 AEP 25 (2)
2008–2010 Aris Limassol 32 (7)
2010 Olympiakos Nicosia 12 (1)
2010–2011 Trofense 7 (0)
2011–2012 Portimonense 17 (0)
2012–2013 Žilina 51 (2)
2014 Levski Sofia 9 (0)
2014–2020 Pogoń Szczecin 143 (6)
National team‡
2003 Portugal U17 4 (0)
2012–2013 South Africa 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 July 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 June 2013

Club career

The son of Portuguese parents, Nunes was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to Portugal, where he started playing football. He first appeared for G.D. Estoril Praia, joining the club at the age of 12.[1]

After emerging through S.L. Benfica's youth system – he only played for its reserves, spending the 2005–06 campaign in the third division – Nunes continued playing as a senior in the lower leagues of Greece and Cyprus. It was in Cyprus where he had his first taste of top-flight football, appearing in the First Division for AEP Paphos FC and Olympiakos Nicosia.

On 31 January 2012, after one and a half seasons in the Portuguese Segunda Liga,[1] Nunes signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with MŠK Žilina.[2] In February 2014 he moved clubs and countries again, joining Bulgaria's PFC Levski Sofia until June 2015.[3]

Nunes signed with Pogoń Szczecin of the Polish Ekstraklasa in 2014, and made 153 competitive appearances over a six-year spell.[4]

International career

Although Nunes was born in South Africa, he represented Portugal at under-17 level. This meant that he required permission from FIFA before he could switch allegiance to South Africa, after he had spoken with Gordon Igesund.[5]

In early October 2012, Nunes was named in the South Africa squad for friendlies against Poland and Kenya.[6] During this announcement, Igesund said that "Nunes is a very exciting player" and that he is "a specialist free kick taker".[7] He made his debut on the 12th against Poland, a 0–1 loss in Warsaw.[8]

References
  1. "Antigo jogador do Benfica convocado para a África do Sul" [Former Benfica player called by South Africa]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 October 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  2. "Ricardo Nunez [sic] hráčom MŠK Žilina" [Ricardo Nunes a MŠK Žilina player] (in Slovak). MŠK Žilina. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  3. "Пореден скандал на "Герена"" [Another Gerena scandal] (in Bulgarian). Top Sport. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  4. Bekker, Liam (20 July 2020). "Nunes' Pogon Szczecin exit confirmed". Kick Off. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. "Nunes is itching to turn out in his Bafana colours". Sport Live. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  6. "Igesund's travelling Bafana squad". Soccer Laduma. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  7. "Igesund: Nunes is an exciting player". Kick Off. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  8. "Nunes happy with debut". SuperSport. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
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