Heurelho Gomes facts for kids
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Gomes at Watford in 2015
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Full name | Heurelho da Silva Gomes | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 February 1981 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | João Pinheiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.91 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Democrata SL | ||||||||||||
| 2001 | Cruzeiro | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Cruzeiro | 59 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | PSV | 128 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2008–2014 | Tottenham Hotspur | 95 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2013 | → 1899 Hoffenheim (loan) | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2014–2020 | Watford | 144 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2021 | Democrata SL | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||
| Total | 435 | (0) | |||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Brazil U23 | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2003–2010 | Brazil | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||
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Honours
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Heurelho da Silva Gomes (born on 15 February 1981) is a former professional footballer from Brazil. He was a goalkeeper, known for his quick reflexes and strong presence in goal.
Gomes played for well-known clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Watford in the Premier League in England. Before that, he became famous playing for the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
He also played 11 times for the Brazilian national team between 2003 and 2010. He was part of Brazil's team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting at Cruzeiro
Gomes actually started playing football as a forward! He only became a goalkeeper when he was 19 years old. He began his professional career in Brazil with Cruzeiro. He played 59 games for them between 2001 and 2004. During his time there, a scout named Piet de Visser noticed his talent. In July 2004, Gomes moved to Europe to play for PSV Eindhoven.
Time at PSV Eindhoven
Gomes played his first game for PSV on 11 August 2004. Even though he let in two goals in his first league game, he quickly became the team's main goalkeeper. He played a big part in PSV winning four league titles in a row in the Eredivisie (the top Dutch league).
In his first season, PSV reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. This was a huge achievement for the club. In the next few seasons, PSV always made it out of the group stage in the Champions League. Gomes was known for his amazing saves and how far he could throw the ball to start attacks.
Joining Tottenham Hotspur
On 27 June 2008, Gomes joined Tottenham Hotspur in England. He played his first friendly game for them on 19 July 2008.
Gomes needed a special permit to play in the United Kingdom. Even though he hadn't played in 75% of Brazil's games in the last two years, he still got the permit. He played his first home game for Tottenham on 10 August 2008, where he helped the team win 5–0 without letting in any goals.
Early in his time at Tottenham, Gomes had some tough moments. He let in a few goals that were considered "soft" or easy to save. This led to some worries about his form. However, he worked hard and soon showed his true skills. He made many important saves in big games, helping Tottenham get good results against strong teams like Manchester United and West Ham United.
In the 2009–10 season, Gomes got injured but came back strong. He made an incredible save against Portsmouth that was compared to a famous save by legendary goalkeeper Gordon Banks. On 3 April 2010, he saved two out of three penalties in a game against Sunderland. A few weeks later, he played a key role in Tottenham beating Arsenal for the first time in 21 league meetings. He also made crucial saves in a win against Chelsea. His amazing performances helped Tottenham qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever!
In the 2010–11 Champions League, Gomes received a red card early in a game against Inter Milan. Later that season, he had a couple of difficult moments with goals against Real Madrid and Chelsea. After these games, Tottenham signed another experienced goalkeeper, Brad Friedel, to create more competition for the starting spot. Gomes then became the second-choice goalkeeper, and later the third-choice after Hugo Lloris joined the club.
Loan to 1899 Hoffenheim
In January 2013, Gomes went on loan to 1899 Hoffenheim, a German club. He quickly became an important player, even becoming the team captain by his third match! Sadly, his loan ended early when he broke his hand in April 2013 and needed surgery.
Back at Tottenham
After his injury, Gomes returned to Tottenham. However, he remained the third-choice goalkeeper behind Hugo Lloris and Brad Friedel. In May 2014, Tottenham announced that Gomes would leave the club when his contract ended.
Playing for Watford
On 24 May 2014, Gomes signed a one-year contract with Watford, who were then in the Football League Championship. In his first season, he played 44 games and helped Watford win promotion to the Premier League!
After Watford moved up to the Premier League, Gomes signed a new three-year contract in May 2015. In April 2016, he was a hero in a game against West Bromwich Albion, saving two penalties to help Watford win 1–0. He played in every league game during the 2015–16 season and was even named the club's Player of the Season! He continued to be Watford's main goalkeeper in the 2016–17 season, helping them stay in the Premier League.
On 27 July 2020, Gomes announced that he was leaving Watford after they were relegated back to the Championship. He officially retired from football in October, saying he didn't want to play for any other club after his time at Watford.
Short Stint at Democrata SL
In June 2021, Gomes briefly returned to Brazil and signed with Democrata SL. However, he left the club a month later without playing any games because of paperwork delays.
International Career for Brazil
Gomes first played for Brazil in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Even though it was a tournament for senior teams, Brazil sent an under-23 squad. Gomes played in five games as Brazil reached the final, finishing second.
He was part of the Brazilian squad that won the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, but he didn't play in any matches. He was also not chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup team.
However, a new Brazil coach, Dunga, gave Gomes more chances to play in friendly games. He played in a 1–1 draw against Norway, a 3–0 win against rivals Argentina, and a 2–0 victory over Wales. He also played in a 2–1 win against Ecuador.
On 11 May 2010, it was announced that Gomes would be part of the Brazilian squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was one of three goalkeepers chosen for the tournament.
Honours and Awards
Gomes won many trophies during his career:
Cruzeiro
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2003 (Brazilian League)
- Copa do Brasil: 2003 (Brazilian Cup)
- Campeonato Mineiro: 2002, 2003, 2004 (State Championship)
PSV
- Eredivisie: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08 (Dutch League)
- KNVB Cup: 2004–05 (Dutch Cup)
Tottenham Hotspur
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2008–09
Watford
- Football League Championship runner-up: 2014–15 (Promoted to Premier League)
- FA Cup runner-up: 2018–19
Brazil
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009
- CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2003
Images for kids
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Gomes celebrates winning the 2007–08 Eredivisie with PSV
See also
In Spanish: Heurelho da Silva Gomes para niños
