Zé Castro facts for kids
Castro playing for Rayo Vallecano in 2014
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Eduardo Rosa Vale de Castro | ||
| Date of birth | 13 January 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Coimbra, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–2002 | Académica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2004 | Académica B | 53 | (9) |
| 2003–2006 | Académica | 55 | (0) |
| 2006–2009 | Atlético Madrid | 30 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) | 29 | (1) |
| 2009–2013 | Deportivo La Coruña | 67 | (0) |
| 2013–2017 | Rayo Vallecano | 92 | (2) |
| 2017–2022 | Académica | 80 | (6) |
| Total | 406 | (20) | |
| International career | |||
| 2003–2004 | Portugal U20 | 11 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Portugal U21 | 15 | (1) |
| 2005–2006 | Portugal B | 2 | (0) |
| 2009 | Portugal | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zé Castro, whose full name is José Eduardo Rosa Vale de Castro, is a former professional footballer from Portugal. He was born on January 13, 1983. Zé Castro played as a central defender, which is a key position in football defense.
He started his football journey and ended his career with his hometown club, Académica. However, he spent 11 years playing in Spain for big clubs like Atlético Madrid, Deportivo, and Rayo Vallecano. He played many games in La Liga, which is Spain's top football league. Overall, he played 168 matches and scored five goals in La Liga.
Zé Castro also represented Portugal in youth teams, playing 26 games. This included 15 games for the under-21 team. He made his first appearance for the main Portugal national team in 2009.
Contents
Zé Castro's Club Career Highlights
Starting at Académica
Zé Castro was born in Coimbra, Portugal. He joined the youth academy of his local club, Académica de Coimbra, when he was a child. He made his first team debut in Portugal's top league, the Primeira Liga, on October 5, 2003. Even though he was young, he quickly became a regular player and even the captain of his team.
Playing for Atlético Madrid
In May 2006, Zé Castro moved to Spain and signed with Atlético Madrid. He joined them on a free transfer, which means no money was paid for him. In his first year, he played in 22 La Liga matches and scored two goals. One of his goals was a late winner against CA Osasuna in January 2007. He played less often in his second season with the club.
Time with Deportivo
In 2008, Zé Castro joined another Spanish team, Deportivo de La Coruña, on a loan. This meant he played for them for one season, and they had the option to buy him permanently. Because some teammates were injured, Zé Castro got to play in most of the games that season. Deportivo decided to make his move permanent.
However, Zé Castro played fewer games in the following seasons. In 2011, there was a small incident where he was supposed to be a last-minute substitute for a match but did not show up.
Later Years in Football
After Deportivo faced some ups and downs, including being relegated from the top league and then promoted back, Zé Castro returned to Madrid in 2013. He signed a one-year deal with Rayo Vallecano, another team in Spain's top division. He stayed with Rayo Vallecano for several years, extending his contract in 2015.
In September 2017, Zé Castro returned to his first club, Académica, after being away for 11 years. He continued to play for them until April 2022. After Académica was relegated to the third division, Zé Castro announced his retirement from professional football.
Zé Castro's International Career
Soon after starting his career with Académica, Zé Castro became an important player for the Portugal under-21 team. He played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which was held in Portugal. He played all three matches in the tournament, but his team did not make it past the group stage. He even scored an own goal in one of the games.
On June 10, 2009, Zé Castro finally made his debut for the main Portugal squad in a friendly match against Estonia. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. In 2010, he was included in a group of players considered for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he was not chosen for the final squad after another player, Pepe, recovered from an injury.
Honours and Achievements
Zé Castro achieved some notable successes during his career, especially with Deportivo:
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008
- Segunda División (Spain's second division): 2011–12
See also
In Spanish: Zé Castro para niños
