Ricardo Carvalho facts for kids
Carvalho with Real Madrid in 2012
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 18 May 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Amarante, Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1995 | Amarante | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Porto | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2004 | Porto | 73 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | → Leça (loan) | 22 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | → Vitória Setúbal (loan) | 25 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | → Alverca (loan) | 29 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2010 | Chelsea | 135 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Real Madrid | 50 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2016 | Monaco | 95 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Shanghai SIPG | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | 433 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Portugal U21 | 14 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2016 | Portugal | 89 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Marseille (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Portugal (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Honours
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho (born 18 May 1978) is a Portuguese former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender in football. Many people thought he was one of the best defenders of his time.
Carvalho started his football journey at Porto in Portugal. He also played for other teams on loan, like Leça and Vitória de Setúbal. At Porto, he won many important trophies, including European ones, under the coach José Mourinho.
In 2004, Carvalho moved to Chelsea in England. There, he helped the team win the Premier League title two times in a row. He also won the League Cup. In 2008, his teammates voted him their Player of the Year. Later, he helped Chelsea win both the league and the FA Cup in the same year, which was a first for the club.
After six years at Chelsea, he joined Real Madrid in Spain in 2010. He won more trophies there with José Mourinho as his coach. In 2013, he moved to Monaco for free.
For his country, Portugal, Carvalho played in many big tournaments. He was part of the team that won the UEFA Euro 2016 championship. He also played in three UEFA European Championships and two FIFA World Cups.
Contents
Ricardo Carvalho's Football Journey
Starting at Porto (1997–2004)
Ricardo Carvalho joined the youth team of Porto in 1996. He made his first professional appearance while on loan at Leça. He also had loan spells at Vitória de Setúbal and Alverca.
He returned to Porto in 2001. At first, he wasn't a regular player, but he soon became a key part of the team's defense. He played a big role when Porto won the UEFA Cup in 2003. This was his first international trophy. Because of his great play, he was named the best player in the Portuguese league that year.
In the 2003–04 season, Carvalho became known as a top-class player worldwide. His strong defense helped Porto win the Portuguese league again. They also won the biggest club trophy in Europe, the UEFA Champions League. Carvalho played in every Champions League match that season, including the final where Porto won 3–0.
After this amazing season, he was named the best defender in Europe by UEFA. He was also chosen for the UEFA Team of the Year. Many big European clubs wanted to sign him. Chelsea offered a good amount of money, and Porto accepted.
Playing for Chelsea (2004–2010)
In 2004, Carvalho moved to Chelsea in London. He joined his old coach, José Mourinho, and former teammate Paulo Ferreira. He signed a three-year contract.
In his first season, he played very well and helped Chelsea win the Premier League title. This was Chelsea's first league title in 50 years. He also helped them win the League Cup. His partnership with Chelsea's captain, John Terry, in defense was very important for the team's success. They won the Premier League title two years in a row.
In the 2005–06 season, Carvalho scored his first goal of the season in a Champions League game. He also scored a goal against Manchester United which helped Chelsea win the league title for the second time in a row.
During the 2006–07 season, Carvalho scored another important goal against Manchester United. He also scored a long-range goal against Tottenham Hotspur. He signed a new contract with Chelsea, keeping him at the club until 2012. His great performances led to him being nominated for Chelsea's "Player of the Year" award.
In the 2007–08 season, Carvalho continued to play very well. He scored his first goal of the season in his 150th game for Chelsea. He also helped Chelsea reach their first ever Champions League final. They lost the final to Manchester United in a penalty shootout. His teammates voted him Chelsea's "Players' Player of the Year."
In the 2009–10 season, Carvalho scored a header in the 2009 FA Community Shield match against Manchester United. Chelsea won this game on penalties. He also made his 200th appearance for Chelsea. He helped Chelsea win the Premier League title again, which was his third with the club. They also won the FA Cup, completing the club's first ever "Double" (winning two major trophies in one season).
Moving to Real Madrid (2010–2013)
On 10 August 2010, Real Madrid signed Carvalho. He made his first appearance for them in a friendly match. His first league game was a draw, and in the next match, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid.
He continued to play well, bringing a calm and strong presence to the defense. He was a big reason why Real Madrid had a very strong defense in the Champions League that season. He made 48 appearances in all competitions that year.
Carvalho started the 2011–12 season as a regular player. However, a back injury kept him out of action for some time. He returned to play in January. He stayed with Real Madrid until his contract ended in 2013.
Playing for Monaco (2013–2016)
On 28 May 2013, Monaco announced that Ricardo Carvalho would join their team. He moved to the French club on a free transfer after his contract with Real Madrid ended. He signed a one-year contract with an option for a second year.
He played for Monaco for three years. In July 2015, he signed another one-year deal. His time with Monaco ended in August 2016 when his contract was not renewed.
Shanghai SIPG (2017)
In 2017, Carvalho joined Shanghai SIPG in the Chinese Super League. He officially became part of the team on 15 February 2017.
Playing for Portugal
National Team Career
Ricardo Carvalho first played for the Portugal national team on 11 October 2003. This was in a friendly match against Albania. He quickly became a key player for Portugal during the UEFA Euro 2004 championship, which was held in Portugal. He was chosen for the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament.
Carvalho and his defensive partner helped Portugal reach the final of Euro 2004. However, they lost to Greece. He played in all six of Portugal's games in the tournament. Football experts praised him as one of the best defenders in Euro 2004.
He also represented Portugal at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Portugal finished fourth in this tournament. He played in most of his team's matches and was nominated for the World Cup All-Star Team.
Carvalho was part of the Portuguese squad for UEFA Euro 2008. He played in three matches, including the quarter-finals where Portugal lost to Germany. Two years later, he was in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played in all the group stage matches, and Portugal did not let in any goals during that stage. Portugal reached the round of 16, where they lost to Spain.
After a break from the national team, Carvalho was called up again in 2014. On 29 March 2015, he scored his first international goal in over eight years in a qualifying match against Serbia. At 38 years old, he was the oldest outfield player at the UEFA Euro 2016 finals in France. He played in all three group stage matches. Portugal went on to win the tournament, beating the hosts France in the final. This was a huge victory for Portugal and for Carvalho.
International Goals
Ricardo Carvalho scored goals for Portugal in important matches. Here are some of them:
Under–21 Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 25 March 1998 | Estádio Municipal 25 de Abril, Tomar, Portugal |  Belgium |
1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
Senior Team Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 3 September 2005 | Estádio Algarve, Faro, Portugal |  Luxembourg |
2–0 | 6–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 1 September 2006 | Brøndby Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Denmark |
1–1 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 3. | 7 October 2006 | Bessa XXI, Porto, Portugal |  Azerbaijan |
2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification |
| 4. | 7 February 2007 | Emirates Stadium, London, England |  Brazil |
0–2 | 0–2 | Friendly |
| 5. | 29 March 2015 | Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal |  Serbia |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualification |
How Ricardo Carvalho Played
Ricardo Carvalho was a very smart centre-back. He was great at understanding the game and knowing when to challenge for the ball. He was fast, good at heading the ball, and had excellent control and passing skills. People sometimes compared him to the famous Italian defender Franco Baresi.
Even though he wasn't as big or strong as some other defenders, he was known for being tough and making strong tackles. He once said that he loved to make "crazy tackles" and slide on the ground.
Carvalho often played alongside a more physically strong defender, like John Terry at Chelsea. Terry's powerful style worked well with Carvalho's quick thinking, skill, and ability to pass the ball out of defense. Even though he was not the tallest defender (1.83 m), he was very good at winning aerial duels against taller players.
His profile at Real Madrid said he was known for his "perfect positioning, his foresight and his ability to advance the ball." Many football experts believed that Carvalho was one of the best defenders in the world during his best years. He is also seen as one of the greatest defenders in the history of the Premier League.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Ricardo Carvalho became a coach. He was an assistant manager for André Villas-Boas at the French club Marseille. He is currently an assistant coach for the Portugal national team.
Honours and Achievements
Ricardo Carvalho won many trophies and awards during his career:
Porto
- Portuguese League: 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04
- Taça de Portugal: 2002–03
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2003
- UEFA Champions League: 2003–04
- UEFA Cup: 2002–03
Chelsea
- Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10
- FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10
- Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07
- FA Community Shield: 2005, 2009
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2011–12
- Copa del Rey: 2010–11
- Supercopa de España: 2011–12
Portugal
Individual Awards
- UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year: 2003–04
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2004
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2004
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006
- Chelsea Players' Player of the Year: 2008
Orders
Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa
Commander of the Order of Merit
Images for kids
-
Carvalho with Real Madrid in 2012
-
Ricardo Carvalho on tour with Chelsea in 2007.
-
Ricardo Carvalho in a Premier League game against Fulham on 28 December 2009.
-
Carvalho and Alexandre Pato of Milan in a Champions League match in October 2010
-
Carvalho playing for Monaco 2015
-
Left to right: Paulo Ferreira, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho and José Bosingwa, during a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Denmark, on 10 September 2008.
-
Carvalho (right) defending against Zlatan Ibrahimović (left).
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo Carvalho para niños
