# Ricardo Santos (footballer, born 1995)

Ricardo Alexandre Almeida Santos (born 18 June 1995) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL League One club Bolton Wanderers.

## Career

Santos was a youth team player at Dagenham & Redbridge, making one appearance in the matchday squad, before he was released and signed by Thurrock manager Mark Stimson, following a spell at Dover Athletic where he made no appearances. He impressed for the Isthmian League club, making 24 appearances, and was signed by Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson on a three-and-a-half-year contract in February 2014. Peterborough paid £8000 for him. He made his League One debut on 3 May in a 0–0 draw with Port Vale at London Road. Santos scored his first goal for the club when he scored a late winner against Doncaster Rovers on 19 March 2016.
On 1 January 2017, Santos joined Barnet for a fee of £100,000. He made his debut on the following day in a 1–0 win over Plymouth Argyle. He left the club at the end of the 2019–20 season having spent two and a half seasons with the Bees, making 94 appearances, scoring six goals.

### Bolton Wanderers

Santos signed for Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal on 3 August 2020. His debut came on 5 September in Bolton's first match of the season, a 2–1 home defeat against Bradford in the first round of the EFL Cup. On 1 March 2021, Santos signed a new contract with Bolton until 2023. He was named as EFL League Two Player of the Month for February 2021. On 21 May 2021, following the team's direct promotion to the EFL League One, he was announced to have been voted as Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Year for the 2020–21 season. Plus, he was named in the league's Team of the Year, together with his team-mate Eoin Doyle.
On 22 October 2021, following the sudden departure of Antoni Sarcevic to Stockport County, Santos was appointed by manager Ian Evatt as Bolton's new captain. He was named in the Team of the Year for the second consecutive year, this time in League One, for the 2021–22 season. On 26 May 2022, Santos signed a new three-year deal with Bolton Wanderers which would keep him at the club until 2025.
On 11 February 2023, Santos scored his first goals for Bolton with a brace in a 5–0 win at his former team Peterborough United, Bolton's 5000th league game. On 2 April, he started in the 2023 EFL Trophy final which Bolton won 4–0 against Plymouth Argyle. He was named in both the EFL and PFA Teams of the Season for the 2022–23 season, the third season in a row he had been named in Teams of the Year. A year later, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year again, his fourth consecutive appearance. On 21 September 2024, Santos was replaced as captain by George Thomason.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 29 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 2012–13 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billericay Town (loan) | 2012–13 | Conference South | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Thurrock | 2013–14 | IL Division One North | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Peterborough United | 2013–14 | League One | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Peterborough United | 2014–15 | League One | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Peterborough United | 2015–16 | League One | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 1 |
| Peterborough United | 2016–17 | League One | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Peterborough United | Total | Total | 63 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 75 | 1 |
| Barnet | 2016–17 | League Two | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Barnet | 2017–18 | League Two | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 3 |
| Barnet | 2018–19 | National League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Barnet | 2019–20 | National League | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Barnet | Total | Total | 84 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 94 | 6 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2020–21 | League Two | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2021–22 | League One | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2022–23 | League One | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 39 | 3 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2023–24 | League One | 34 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 45 | 2 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2024–25 | League One | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Bolton Wanderers | Total | Total | 160 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 193 | 6 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 330 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 389 | 14 |
* ↑ Appearances in FA Trophy
* 1 2 3 4 5 Appearances in EFL Trophy
* ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy, two appearances in National League playoffs
* ↑ Five appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in League One play-offs
* ↑ Three appearances in EFL Trophy, three appearance in League One play-offs

## Honours

Bolton Wanderers
* EFL League Two third-place promotion: 2020–21
* EFL Trophy: 2022–23
Individual
* EFL League Two Player of the Month: February 2021
* PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 League Two, 2021–22 League One, 2022–23 League One, 2023–24 League One
* Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2020–21
* EFL League One Team of the Season: 2022–23