Ricardinho



Ricardinho playing for Japanese
Futsal club Nagoya Oceans

Ricardo Filipe da Silva Braga, more commonly known as Ricardinho, currently plays for Japanese champions Nagoya Oceans and the Portuguese National Futsal team.

An All-Round outfield player possessing unbelievable flair and acrobatic skill, Ricardinho is deadly to any opposing defence and a great addition to any side he plays in. An accurate passer of the ball and master of control, Ricardinho primarily plays the role of a playmaker. Lightning fast and capable of finding a way out of the tightest of situations, his endless array of tricks never fails to surprise spectators and opponents. Over the past years Ricardinho has earned himself total sponsorship by Nike and is regarded by many as the world's greatest Futsal player.

Ricardinho started his professional career at Portuguese club Miramar at the age of 17 in 2001 and was signed by SL Benfica two years later. During the seven years Ricardinho spent at SL Benfica, he helped the club win four domestic league titles, three national cups and four supercups, as well as the UEFA Futsal Cup in April 2010. Shortly after the historic UEFA Futsal Cup win that saw Benfica proclaimed as the first Portuguese club to ever win the tournament, Ricardinho transfered to Japanese Futsal champions Nagoya Oceans.

Ricardinho playing for Portuguese Futsal club SL Benfica

It was at the 2007 UEFA Futsal Championships, which were held in Portugal, that Ricardinho's talent was fully recognised around the world. Ricardinho scored a total of 4 goals in the tournament, falling just one short of getting the Adidas Golden Shoe award, but claimed the UEFA Golden Player award for proving crucial to his side's progress within the tournament, entertaining fans with a multitude of tricks and, most noteably, for his spectacular bicycle-kick goal against Spain in the Semi Final of the tournament. Portugal finished 4th after losing 3 - 2 to Russia in the Match for Third Place, but Ricardinho proved his worth and was offered contracts by European greats MFK Dinamo Moskva and Interviú Madrid.

Only a year later, at the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil, Ricardinho sought out to erase the bitter-sweet memory of the previous year's European Championships and once again showed his talent, scoring another four goals, but Portugal failed to make it past the Group Phase at the hands of Italy, who went on to finish 3rd in the tournament.

Having missed the 2010 edition of the UEFA Futsal Championships in Hungary due to injury, Ricardinho watched on as his side progressed to the Final but lost 4 - 2 to Spain, the title being Spain's third consecutive in the European competition. Many were convinced that, had Ricardinho been on the team, Portugal would have won their first European title.



Ricardinho playing for Portugal in the
2012 UEFA Futsal Championship
 Qualifying Round against Macedonia

Things however turned from the worst possible to the absolute best for Ricardinho as he led SL Benfica to a UEFA Futsal Cup win after eliminating Italian champions Luparense Calcio a 5 in the Semi Final, crushing them 8 - 4, Ricardinho scoring twice. In the Final, Benfica defeated Interviú Madrid 3 - 2 after extra time. One of Ricardinho's best ever performances, the Potruguese international was unstoppable as he assisted two of Benfica's goals and left fans on the edges of their seats, creating many chances for his side and helping Benfica claim victory on home soil (the Knockout Tournament was played in Lisbon).

Ricardinho will make a return to playing for the Portguese National side in 2012 as Portugal look to claim their first UEFA Futsal Euro and FIFA Futsal World Cup titles.