Michael Simões Domingues

Mika

Personal information
Full name	Michael Simões Domingues
Date of birth	8 March 1991 (1991-03-08) (age 20)
Place of birth	Yverdon, Switzerland
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Benfica
Number	39
Youth career
2002–2006	Sporting Pombal
2006–2010	União Leiria
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2010–2011	União Leiria	4	(0)
2011–	Benfica
National team‡
2010–2011	Portugal U20	17	(0)
2011–	Portugal U21	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 October 2011

Michael Simões Domingues (born 8 March 1991 in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland), aka Mika, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Mika joined União de Leiria's youth ranks in 2006, aged 15. He was promoted to the main team for the 2009–10 season, as third-choice. On 26 February 2010, in an home match against Vitória de Guimarães, he made his top division debut, replacing forward Carlão after Hélder Godinho received a red card for committing a foul inside the box; he was not able to prevent Andrezinho from scoring the game's only goal in the subsequent penalty kick.

The following season, Mika was still a backup, but two of his three appearances were against Sporting Clube de Portugal (0–0 away draw) and S.L. Benfica (3–3, also away). On 7 July 2011, whilst on international duty with the Portuguese under-20s, he signed a five-year contract with Benfica, for €500.000.^[1]

International career

Mika was Portugal's starter at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. He helped the national team reach the final without conceding a single goal, before losing to Brazil 2–3 in the decisive match: in the quarterfinals against Argentina, he saved three penalties in the shootout. In the following game, against France, he broke the record for number of minutes without conceding a goal in U-20 World Cup history, in a 2–0 win,^[2] and was eventually voted as best goalkeeper in the tournament.

Subsequently, Mika was chosen by under-21 manager Rui Jorge as first-choice for the 2013 UEFA European Football Championship qualification campaign.

Club statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2009–10	Leiria	Primeira Liga	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2010–11			3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
2011–12	Benfica

Honours

Country

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Runner-up 2011

Individual

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Golden Glove 2011

References

1. ^ Benfica: guarda-redes Mika garantido por 500 mil euros (Benfica: Goalkepper Mika confirmed for 500.000 euros); DN Desporto, 7 July 2011 (Portuguese)
2. ^ Portugal see off France to reach final; FIFA.com, 17 July 2011

External links

• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo (Portuguese)

Persondata
Name	Michael Simoes Domingues
Alternative names	Mika
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	8 March 1991
Place of birth	Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland
Date of death
Place of death