Rui Patrício

Football player infobox
playername= Rui Patrício
height= height|m=1.88
fullname = Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1988|2|15
cityofbirth = Marrazes
countryofbirth = Portugal
currentclub = Sporting CP
position = Goalkeeper
clubnumber = 1
youthyears = ?-2006
youthclubs = Sporting CP
years = 2006–
clubs = Sporting CP
caps(goals) = 21 (0)
nationalyears = 2008–
nationalteam = fb|Portugal
nationalcaps(goals) = 00 (0)
pcupdate = 08:26, June 2nd 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = August 22, 2008

Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício (born February 15, 1988 in Marrazes) is a Portuguese football goalkeeper who plays for Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Club career

Patrício played as a striker at a young age. Reportedly, a Sporting Lisbon scout was in the area and saw the youngster play in goal; the scout was very impressed and signed him to the Sporting youth academy. He made his debut in November 19, 2006, in a 1-0 away win against Marítimo in the 10th round of the Portuguese league where, subbing in for Portuguese international and Sporting first-choice Ricardo, he saved a penalty kick 15 minutes before the end of the game. In 2007-08, after Ricardo's departure to Real Betis, Patrício beat competition from Sporting veteran Tiago and new signing Vladimir Stojkovic to become the undisputed starter. On November 27, 2007, he made his debut in UEFA Champions League, in a 2-1 away loss against Manchester United.

He has been recently subject of a rumored transfer to the Italian giants F.C. Internazionale Milano. [cite web |url= http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=791670&idCanal=24 |title=Rui Patrício por Toldo |accessdate=2008-06-17 |publisher=Jornal Record ]

International career

On January 29 2008, national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari called Patrício for a 3-1 friendly defeat against Italy in Zürich, although he did not leave the bench. On May 12 Patrício was called up to the national squad for the European Championship, but did not play in the tournament. He is an U-21 international.

Honours

*Portuguese Cup 2007,2008
*SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira 2007,2008

References