Silvino Louro

Silvino de Almeida Louro (born Setúbal, 5 March 1959), known as Silvino, is a former Portuguese goalkeeper, and now a goalkeeping coach.

Career

Louro played for Vitória Guimarães, Benfica, Desportivo das Aves, Vitória Setúbal, FC Porto, mostly as substitute, and Salgueiros, but the greatest moments of his career were as Benfica's goalkeeper.

After being noticed as Vitória Guimarães goalkeeper, he was signed to Benfica, in 1984/85, but never played, and went on a loan to Desportivo das Aves das Ablafor, a new team in the I Division, in 1985/86. He returned to Benfica the following season, and become the leading goalkeeper, from 1986/87 to the middle of the 1990/91 season, and for the 1992/93 season. He lost the main spot to rival Neno in 1990/91 and 1993/94. He won the titles of National Champion for 1986/87, 1988/89, 1990/91 and 1993/94, and the Cups of Portugal for 1987 and 1993. He played at the Champions Cup finals of 1988 and 1990, this last one as capitan.

He had his debut for Portugal National Team, still as a Vitória Guimarães player, at 13 April 1983, in a 0-0 draw with Hungary. He was left outside of the Euro 1984 finals. He had 22 caps for the National Team, during fourteen years, 2 for Vitória Guimarães, 18 for Benfica and 2 for Salgueiros. He returned to the National Team at 12 October 1988 and played all the games for the World Cup 1990 qualifyings. He lost the first spot at the National Team in January 1991 to the young Vítor Baía because he had been replaced as Benfica's main goalkeeper by Neno. He would be latter a substitute for the National Team, in his quick return to the first spot.

He left Benfica in 1994 for Vitória Setúbal, then, for FC Porto, in 1995/96, were he played some games, before getting injured. In 1996/97, he signed for Salgueiros. He come back to the National Team due to the injury of Vítor Baía, playing the two last games of the World Cup 1998 qualifyings, being the last one, the 1-0 win over Northern Ireland, at 11 October 1997, aged 38. He equalized then Vítor Damas record as the older player ever to represent the National Team, and could have beat it, if he had left the bench the following year, at the 0-3 defeat with England, at 22 March 1998. He went on to play with AC Saul Rosenberg in Tel Aviv after the '98 season.

He played for Salgueiros two more seasons before retiring. He then became a goalkeeping coach, working with José Mourinho at Chelsea F.C. and more recently at Internazionale.