- Nuno Valente
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Nuno Valente Personal information Full name Nuno Jorge Pereira Silva Valente Date of birth 12 September 1974 Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) Playing position Left back Youth career Portimonense 1986–1993 Sporting CP Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1993–1994 → Portimonense (loan) 26 (1) 1994–1999 Sporting CP 36 (1) 1996–1997 → Marítimo (loan) 30 (0) 1999–2002 União Leiria 87 (2) 2002–2005 Porto 58 (0) 2005–2009 Everton 45 (0) Total 282 (4) National team 1996 Portugal U21 1 (0) 2002–2008 Portugal 33 (1) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Nuno Jorge Pereira da Silva Valente, OIH (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈnunu vɐˈlẽt(ɨ)]; born 12 September 1974) is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a left defender.
After settling with a club in his late 20's with F.C. Porto - he started out his career with Sporting, but never imposed there - he moved at 31 to England with Everton, where he finally retired after playing regularly in three out of four seasons.
A late bloomer in the international stage, Valente helped Portugal finish second in Euro 2004, a competition which was played in his country. He also participated in the 2006 World Cup.
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Club career
Born in Lisbon, Valente began his career at second division club Portimonense Sporting Clube, loaned by hometown's Sporting Clube de Portugal. However, he found first team chances limited in the capital outfit and, despite success in helping win the Portuguese Cup in 1995, he was loaned for 1996–97 to fellow league side Club Sport Marítimo.
A young José Mourinho recognized Valente's talent and brought him to his then club, União de Leiria. He spent three years at Leiria, helping the club achieve successful seasons. In 2002, when Mourinho left to join F.C. Porto, Valente and teammate Derlei were the first signings made by the coach. Valente repaid Mourinho's faith in him with some good displays as Porto romped to victory in the national league, and won the UEFA Cup against Celtic FC (3–2).
The following season, Valente produced yet another excellent season, helping his club to domestic championship and Champions League wins, as the defender appeared in 11 games during that run, 10 of those complete. At the season's closure, he renewed his contract until 2007.[1]
After Mourinho left for Chelsea, Valente picked up a succession of injuries.[2][3] In total he only played eight games in the entire domestic season, but returned in time to face F.C. Internazionale Milano in the Champions League quarterfinal, but could not prevent his team losing 4–2 on aggregate.
After another poor season, which included an ultimatum by Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa that ordered him to choose between club or national team, eventually leading to a suspension, he was signed by Everton on a three-year deal worth €2.2 million,[4] under recommendation of mentor Mourinho, at the end of August 2005, after the Merseyside club lost regular left-back Alessandro Pistone to injury. Valente took a while to adapt to the hectic pace of the Premier League, but soon became a key feature in the Everton side from then on. In the 2005–06 and 06–07 seasons he was considered first-choice, but faced stiff competition from Scotsman Gary Naysmith. In February 2007, Everton took the option of a one-year extension to Valente's contract, tying him to the club until 2008.[5]
In May 2008, Valente signed another one-year link,[6] but would fall down the pecking order at Everton, usually backing Leighton Baines; furthermore, with centre back Joleon Lescott also being able to play the position, he received little playing time during 2008–09, being released on 12 June 2009 and choosing to retire from playing.
Upon his retirement, Valente was appointed Everton's official scout in Portugal.[7] After one year, he returned to main club Sporting, joining Paulo Sérgio's coaching staff.
International career
A full international since after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Valente was first-choice for the national side during the runner-up campaign at UEFA Euro 2004, in home soil. During 2005, he suffered a thigh strain, but recovered in time to play in the 2006 World Cup, again playing a key part in Portugal's eventual fourth-place finish.
After playing only once during the Euro 2008 qualifiers, Valente retired from international football, in September 2008.[8]
Nuno Valente: International goals Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 31 March 2004 Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga, Portugal 
Italy1–0 1–2 Friendly Club statistics
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Portugal League Taça de Portugal Taça da Liga Europe Total 1993–94 Portimonense 26 1 1994–95 Sporting Portuguese League 9 0 1995–96 9 0 1996–97 Marítimo Portuguese League 30 0 1997–98 Sporting Portuguese League 6 0 1998–99 12 1 1999–00 União Leiria Portuguese League 28 0 2000–01 31 2 2001–02 28 0 2002–03 Porto Portuguese League 21 0 2003–04 27 0 2004–05 8 0 England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total 2005–06 Everton Premier League 20 0 2006–07 14 0 2007–08 9 0 2008–09 2 0 Total Portugal 235 4 England 43 0 Career total 278 4 Honours
Club
- UEFA Champions League: 2003–04
- UEFA Cup: 2002–03
- Intercontinental Cup: 2004
- Portuguese League: 2002–03, 2003–04
- Portuguese Cup: 2002–03
- Portuguese Supercup: 2002, 2003
Country
- UEFA European Football Championship: Runner-up 2004
Orders
- Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)[9]
References
- ^ Nuno Valente stays on
- ^ Porto lose Nuno Valente
- ^ No easy fix for Nuno Valente
- ^ Nuno Valente opts for Everton
- ^ Blues trigger Nuno contract extension
- ^ Valente signs contract extension
- ^ Valente sends out warning to Benfica
- ^ Nuno Valente quits Portugal stage
- ^ "Selecção distinguida pelo Duque de Bragança [National team honoured by Duke of Bragança]" (in Portuguese). Cristiano Ronaldo News. 30 August 2006. http://cristianosantosronaldo.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html. Retrieved 30 August 2006.
External links
- Stats and profile at Zerozero
- Stats at ForaDeJogo (Portuguese)
- Nuno Valente career stats at Soccerbase
Portugal squad – UEFA Euro 2004 Runners-Up 1 Ricardo • 2 Ferreira • 3 Rui Jorge • 4 Andrade • 5 F. Couto (c) • 6 Costinha • 7 Figo • 8 Petit • 9 Pauleta • 10 Rui Costa • 11 Simão • 12 Quim • 13 Miguel • 14 N. Valente • 15 Beto • 16 Carvalho • 17 C. Ronaldo • 18 Maniche • 19 Tiago • 20 Deco • 21 Nuno Gomes • 22 Moreira • 23 H. Postiga • Coach: Scolari
Portugal squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup Fourth Place 1 Ricardo • 2 Ferreira • 3 Caneira • 4 Costa • 5 Meira • 6 Costinha • 7 Figo (c) • 8 Petit • 9 Pauleta • 10 H. Viana • 11 Simão • 12 Quim • 13 Miguel • 14 N. Valente • 15 Boa Morte • 16 Carvalho • 17 C. Ronaldo • 18 Maniche • 19 Tiago • 20 Deco • 21 Nuno Gomes • 22 Santos • 23 H. Postiga • Coach: ScolariCategories:- 1974 births
- Living people
- People from Lisbon
- Portuguese footballers
- Association football defenders
- Primeira Liga players
- Sporting Clube de Portugal footballers
- Portimonense S.C. players
- C.S. Marítimo players
- U.D. Leiria players
- F.C. Porto players
- Premier League players
- Everton F.C. players
- Portugal international footballers
- UEFA Euro 2004 players
- 2006 FIFA World Cup players
- Portuguese expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in England
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