Heurelho Gomes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Heurelho Gomes

Gomes at Watford in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Heurelho da Silva Gomes
Date of birth	(1981-02-15) 15 February 1981 (age 44)
Place of birth	João Pinheiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	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)
International career
2003–2004	Brazil U23	14	(0)
2003–2010	Brazil	11	(0)
Medal record Representing  Brazil FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2005 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Heurelho da Silva Gomes (born 15 February 1981) is a Brazilian former professional goalkeeper. He is known for playing for Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Watford. Before that, he became famous playing for the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

Gomes played 11 times for the Brazil national team between 2003 and 2010. He was also part of Brazil's team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Club Career Highlights

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 career in Brazil with Cruzeiro. He played 59 games for them between 2001 and 2004. A scout named Piet de Visser noticed his talent. In July 2004, Gomes moved to Europe to play for PSV.

Success with PSV Eindhoven

Gomes made his first appearance for the Eindhoven club on 11 August 2004. This was against a Serbian team called Red Star Belgrade. In his first league game, he let in two goals, but PSV still won 5–2. He quickly became the main goalkeeper for PSV. He helped them win 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 big achievement, as they had not gone past the group stage in 14 tries before. In the next few seasons, PSV always made it out of the group stage. Gomes was known for his amazing reflexes, which saved many points for PSV. He could also throw the ball very far into the other team's half.

Joining Tottenham Hotspur

Gomes joined Tottenham Hotspur on 27 June 2008. The transfer fee was about £7.8 million. He played his first game for Tottenham in a friendly match on 19 July 2008. Tottenham won that game 4–2.

He got permission to play in the United Kingdom, even though he hadn't played enough games for Brazil. Gomes played his first home game for Tottenham on 10 August 2008. He kept a clean sheet (meaning he didn't let in any goals) in a 5–0 win.

At first, Gomes had some difficult moments in goal. He even had an own goal in a game against Fulham. But he worked hard and improved a lot. He made some great saves against West Ham United and Manchester United.

Key Moments at Tottenham

In the 2009–10 season, Gomes got injured but came back strong. He made some incredible saves, including one that was compared to a famous save by Gordon Banks in the 1970 World Cup. On 3 April 2010, he saved two out of three penalties in a game against Sunderland.

A few weeks later, Gomes helped Tottenham beat Arsenal for the first time in 21 league games. He made many important saves in that match. He also played a big part in Tottenham beating Chelsea 2–1. His excellent goalkeeping helped Tottenham finish fourth in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the very first time!

Gomes (in green) during a game against Arsenal in November 2010

In the Champions League, Gomes received a red card early in a game against Inter Milan. Tottenham lost that match 4–3. Later, he had a couple of moments where the ball slipped past him against Real Madrid and Chelsea. After these games, Tottenham signed another goalkeeper, Brad Friedel, to compete for the starting spot. Gomes eventually became the third-choice goalkeeper behind Friedel and Hugo Lloris.

Loan to 1899 Hoffenheim

In January 2013, Gomes joined the German team 1899 Hoffenheim on loan. He made his debut on 2 February, helping his new team win 2–1. His manager praised him for his strong performance. By his third game, he was even the captain of the team! However, his season ended early in April 2013 when he broke his hand.

Leaving Tottenham

After his injury, Gomes returned to Tottenham. He remained the third-choice goalkeeper. On 22 May 2014, Tottenham announced that Gomes would leave the club when his contract ended the following month.

Time at Watford

Gomes signed a one-year contract with Championship team Watford on 24 May 2014. In his first season, he played 44 games and helped Watford get promoted to the Premier League.

Gomes warming up for Watford.

After Watford's promotion, Gomes signed a new three-year contract in May 2015. On 16 April 2016, he saved two penalties in one game against West Bromwich Albion, helping Watford win 1–0. He played in every league game in the 2015–16 season and won the Player of the Season award. He continued to be a key player for Watford, helping them stay in the Premier League.

On 27 July 2020, Gomes announced on Instagram that he was leaving Watford. He later confirmed his retirement from football in October, saying he didn't want to play for any other club after Watford.

Brief Return to Democrata SL

In June 2021, Gomes returned to Brazil and signed with Democrata SL. However, he left the club in July without playing any games. This was because of paperwork delays that stopped him from being registered in time for the season.

International Career with Brazil

Gomes playing in a friendly game for Brazil against Wales in 2006.

Gomes first played for Brazil in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Brazil sent an under-23 team to this competition. Gomes played in five games as Brazil reached the final, finishing second.

He was part of the Brazilian team that won the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was the third-choice goalkeeper but did not play in any matches. He was also not chosen for Brazil's team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Gomes started getting more playing time for Brazil after Dunga became the new coach in 2006. Dunga wanted to give younger players a chance. On 3 September 2006, Gomes played in Brazil's 3–0 win over rivals Argentina. A few days later, he kept another clean sheet in a 2–0 win against Wales.

On 11 May 2010, it was announced that Gomes would be part of the Brazilian team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was one of three goalkeepers, along with Júlio César and Doni. Gomes played in a World Cup warm-up game before the tournament.

Personal Life and Interests

Gomes has shared that he plans to become a pastor and a football agent. He has been offered coaching jobs, but he turned them down. He said he felt that coaching would not leave him enough time for his pastoral life, as he feels a special calling from God. Gomes was raised Catholic but later became a Pentecostal.

Career Statistics

Honours and Achievements

Gomes celebrates winning the 2007–08 Eredivisie with PSV

Cruzeiro

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2003
• Copa do Brasil: 2003
• Campeonato Mineiro: 2002, 2003, 2004

PSV

• Eredivisie: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
• KNVB Cup: 2004–05

Tottenham Hotspur

• Football League Cup runner-up: 2008–09

Watford

• Football League Championship runner-up: 2014–15
• FA Cup runner-up: 2018–19

Brazil

• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009
• CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2003

See also

In Spanish: Heurelho da Silva Gomes para niños