- Paíto
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Paíto Personal information Full name Martinho Martins Mukana Date of birth July 5, 1982 Place of birth Maputo, Mozambique Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) Playing position Left back Club information Current club Neuchâtel Xamax Number 5 Youth career Sporting CP Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2001–2003 Sporting B 52 (2) 2003–2005 Sporting CP 24 (0) 2006 → Vitória Guimarães (loan) 16 (1) 2006–2007 Mallorca 0 (0) 2006–2007 → Braga (loan) 4 (0) 2007–2010 Sion 77 (3) 2010– Neuchâtel Xamax 29 (0) National team‡ 2002– Mozambique 32 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 June 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 July 2011Martinho Martins Mukana, aka Paíto (born 5 July 1982), is a Mozambican footballer who plays for Neuchâtel Xamax in Switzerland, as a left defender.
Contents
Club career
Born in Maputo, Paíto began his professional career at Sporting Clube de Portugal, in 2002–03. He became a regular in his third year and, on January 26, 2005, scored his only goal for the Lions, in a 3–3 Portuguese Cup draw against Sport Lisboa e Benfica (penalty shootout loss), in a solo effort.[1]
After the arrival in January 2006, on loan from Valencia CF, of Portuguese international Marco Caneira, Paíto was deemed surplus to requirements and left, also loaned, to Vitória de Guimarães where he was an undisputed starter as the Minho side eventually dropped down a level.
Purchased by La Liga side RCD Mallorca, Paíto immediately returned to Portugal, being loaned to Sporting de Braga for the campaign's duration.[2] Released by the Balearic Islands without making any official appearances, he joined FC Sion.
After three solid seasons in the Swiss Super League, Paíto stayed in Switzerland, signing with fellow league side Neuchâtel Xamax.
International career
Paíto started representing Mozambique at age 20. He was recalled in April for the 2002 COSAFA Cup, nearly two years after his last international.[3] Additionally, he took part in the 2003 COSAFA Cup,[4] the 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006 World Cup qualification, the 2004 COSAFA Cup,[5] 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification and the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
References
- ^ Paíto...o golo da sua vida! (Paíto...a goal of a lifetime!); at Zerozero
- ^ Paíto in pact with Braga; UEFA.com, 3 July 2006
- ^ "Mozambique shaken up". BBC Sport. 4 April 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/1911237.stm. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ "Mozambique take no chances". BBC Sport. 18 March 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/2860657.stm. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ "Mozambique triumph over Malawi". BBC Sport. 13 June 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3798177.stm. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
External links
- Stats and profile at Zerozero
- Stats at ForaDeJogo (Portuguese)
- Paíto at National-Football-Teams.com
- Paíto – FIFA competition record
Mozambique squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations 
Categories:- 1982 births
- Living people
- People from Maputo
- Mozambican footballers
- Association football defenders
- Primeira Liga players
- Sporting Clube de Portugal footballers
- Vitória S.C. players
- S.C. Braga players
- RCD Mallorca footballers
- Swiss Super League players
- FC Sion players
- Neuchâtel Xamax players
- Mozambique international footballers
- 2010 Africa Cup of Nations players
- Mozambican expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Portugal
- Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
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