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 | ||
| Playing position | 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) | |
| National team | |||
| 2003–2004 | Portugal U20 | 11 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Portugal U21 | 15 | (1) |
| 2005–2006 | Portugal B | 2 | (0) |
| 2009 | Portugal | 1 | (0) |
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José Eduardo Rosa Vale de Castro (born 13 January 1983), known as Zé Castro, is a Portuguese former footballer. He played as a central defender, which means he helped protect his team's goal.
Zé Castro started and finished his professional football journey with Académica in Portugal. He also spent 11 years playing in Spain for big clubs like Atlético Madrid, Deportivo, and Rayo Vallecano. During his time in Spain, he played 168 matches in La Liga, which is Spain's top football league.
He also represented Portugal in youth teams, playing 26 games. This included 15 games for the under-21 team. He played his first game for the senior Portugal national team in 2009.
Contents
Zé Castro's Football Journey
Starting at Académica
Zé Castro was born in Coimbra, Portugal. He joined his hometown club, Académica de Coimbra, when he was a child. He made his first appearance in Portugal's top league, Primeira Liga, on 5 October 2003. Even though he was young, he quickly became a key player and even the team captain.
Time with Atlético Madrid
In May 2006, Zé Castro moved to Spain and joined Atlético Madrid. He joined them for free, along with another Portuguese player, Costinha. 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 didn't play as much in his second season with the club.
Playing for Deportivo
In 2008, Zé Castro moved to another Spanish team, Deportivo de La Coruña, on a loan. He got to play a lot because one of their regular defenders was injured. His good performance led to Deportivo signing him permanently.
However, Zé Castro played fewer games in the following seasons. In March 2011, he was supposed to be a last-minute substitute for a match but did not show up at the stadium.
Later Career Years
After Deportivo faced some ups and downs, including being promoted and relegated, Zé Castro returned to Madrid in 2013. He signed a one-year deal with Rayo Vallecano, another team in Spain's top league. He stayed with Rayo Vallecano for several years, extending his contract in 2015.
Zé Castro returned to his first club, Académica, in 2017 after 11 years away. In April 2022, after Académica was relegated to the third division, he announced his retirement from football. He shared his thoughts on Portuguese football, saying that people needed to be more open to learning about the sport.
Playing for Portugal
Soon after starting his career with Académica, Zé Castro became an important defender for the Portugal under-21 team. He played in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship held in Portugal. He played all three matches in the group stage, but his team did not make it past that round.
On 10 June 2009, Zé Castro played his first game for the senior Portugal national team. It was a friendly match against Estonia that ended in a 0-0 draw. The next year, he was included in a group of players 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 won some important titles during his career, especially with Deportivo:
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008
- Segunda División: 2011–12 (This means his team won the second division league title)
See also
In Spanish: Zé Castro para niños
