Maniche country for sport Portugal
Return to Portugal
Maniche left after only one season in Germany and, on 16 June 2010, returned to his native country, signing a one-year deal (plus an option for two further seasons) with the club he still had not represented in the Portuguese Big Three, Sporting CP. Frequently injured during his spell with the Lions and vastly underperforming, the 33-year-old terminated his contract by mutual consent – even though he had automatically renewed it in December after appearing in his 20th competitive game– on 6 July 2011; in May of the following year, not being able to find a new team, he decided to retire.
On 12 June 2013, Maniche was appointed as assistant at Paços de Ferreira after his former Porto and international teammate Costinha was hired as the manager. Three years later he was hired in the same role alongside the same boss at Segunda Liga side Académica de Coimbra, but left after four months due to personal reasons.International career
Maniche made his debut for the Portugal national team on 29 March 2003, in a 2–1 friendly victory over Brazil. He was a key element in the country's runner-up run at UEFA Euro 2004, scoring in a 2–0 group stage win against Russia and adding another in the semi-finals against the Netherlands, which ended in a 2–1 victory; he was subsequently selected for the Team of the Tournament.On 21 June 2006, in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Portugal played Mexico, in the nation's final group game. Maniche netted in the sixth minute in an eventual 2–1 triumph that sealed the group win. Four days later, in the round-of-16, as the national side faced the Netherlands once again, he scored the only goal in the game, and was the only Portuguese player to feature on Adidas' Golden Ball shortlist.After appearing significantly during the qualifying stages for Euro 2008, he was surprisingly left out of the nation's final squad, although younger brother Jorge Ribeiro would make the final cut. He also featured little during the qualification for the 2010 World Cup, and was subsequently left out of the squad for the final stages by manager Carlos Queiroz.
Nation for athletics Country for sports State for sporting activities Territory for athletic training Land for physical exercise