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Maniche
Maniche.jpg
Maniche in 2009
Personal information
Full name Nuno Ricardo de Oliveira Ribeiro
Date of birth (1977-11-11) 11 November 1977 (age 47)
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal
Height 1.73 m
Playing position Central midfielder
Youth career
1989–1996 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Benfica 0 (0)
1996–1999 Alverca 78 (10)
1999–2002 Benfica 54 (11)
2002 Benfica B 1 (0)
2002–2005 Porto 80 (16)
2005–2006 Dynamo Moscow 12 (2)
2006 Chelsea (loan) 8 (0)
2006–2009 Atlético Madrid 64 (7)
2008 Inter Milan (loan) 8 (1)
2009–2010 Köln 30 (2)
2010–2011 Sporting CP 17 (1)
Total 347 (43)
National team
1997–1998 Portugal U21 10 (0)
2003–2009 Portugal 52 (7)
Teams managed
2013 Paços de Ferreira (assistant)
2016 Académica (assistant)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Nuno Ricardo de Oliveira Ribeiro OIH (born 11 November 1977), known as Maniche (European Portuguese: [maˈniʃ]), is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

He played top flight football in Portugal, Russia, England, Spain, Italy and Germany, and in 2004 he helped Porto win the Champions League, one of eight trophies conquered with that club. He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 177 matches and 31 goals, during seven seasons. He also experienced success abroad, winning the Serie A with Inter Milan.

Maniche won 52 caps for Portugal, representing the nation at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup and finishing runner-up in the former competition.

Club career

Portugal

Born in Lisbon, Maniche played youth football for local S.L. Benfica. After three seasons with neighbouring F.C. Alverca, who acted as the former's farm team, he returned to Benfica, where he initially played as a winger.

Following disciplinary problems at Benfica, Maniche was signed by José Mourinho for FC Porto. The manager made him a key member of his sides, reconverting him to central midfielder.

Maniche enjoyed a successful period at Porto, winning both the UEFA Cup in 2003 and the UEFA Champions League in 2004 and contributing with 13 goals in 60 matches as the club also managed back-to-back Primeira Liga titles. He was chosen Man of the match in the 2004 Intercontinental Cup, which his team won on penalties against Once Caldas of Colombia.

Abroad

Maniche was sold to FC Dynamo Moscow in May 2005, for 16 million. He was accompanied in that adventure by Porto teammates Giourkas Seitaridis and Costinha (another club player, Derlei, had left for the Russian team in January). Unsettled, as were the vast majority of foreign players bought by new owner Alexey Fedorychev, he left in January 2006 on loan to Premier League side Chelsea.

Maniche was part of Chelsea's 2006 league-winning squad. In his first start, a home game against West Ham United on 9 April, he had an opportunity to score an equaliser from six yards out but smashed his shot against the crossbar, and was shown an immediate red card in the 17th minute for a challenge on Lionel Scaloni; nevertheless, they went on to win it 4–1.

However, Maniche did not make enough appearances in the league to earn a winners' medal, challenged for a central midfield place by Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Claude Makélélé. Chelsea had the option of making the transfer permanent at the end of the season, for £5 million (US$9 million), but the player eventually returned to Dynamo Moscow.

Maniche was signed by Atlético Madrid in late August 2006. Partnering countrymen Costinha and Zé Castro, he scored four goals in 28 La Liga matches in his first season as the capital team finished seventh.

Following a run-in with Atlético coach, Javier Aguirre, Maniche was cut from the squad, and agreed to join Inter Milan on a January loan, running for the second part of 2007–08. Splitting time between the bench and the first eleven in eight Serie A appearances, he managed to score one goal, in a 22 March 2008, 1–2 home defeat against Juventus FC, also hitting the post in stoppage time.

In July 2008, Maniche returned to Atlético Madrid, playing a major part in the Colchoneros' early season, as the club had returned to the UEFA Champions League after a 12-year absence. In late February 2009, however, he was ousted after a new quarrel with the management, now led by former club player Abel Resino.

According to additional reports in the Spanish press, Maniche was deemed surplus to requirements in Madrid after he rejected the club's offer of a new deal, as his contract was going to expire on 30 June 2009.

"We informed Maniche three or four weeks ago that we wanted to renew his contract" said Atlético's general manager Miguel Ángel Gil Marín."

"We really wanted him to accept the conditions and sign the contract. It is a shame for us."

Maniche cologne
Maniche in action for Köln in August 2009

Maniche was released from contract on 6 May, even before the season was over, being left available to sign for any club, with a return to Porto one of the possible destinations.

On 20 July 2009, Maniche moved to the Bundesliga with 1. FC Köln, signing a two-year deal and rejoining former Benfica and Portugal teammate Petit.

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 for personal reasons.

International career

Portugal 2-3 Denmark, Maniche
Maniche playing for Portugal in 2009

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.

Style of play

Known for his teamwork, stamina and powerful shot, Maniche received his nickname after Benfica's 1980s Danish forward Michael Manniche.

Personal life

Jorge Ribeiro, Maniche's younger brother, is also a retired professional footballer. Mainly a left midfielder, he also represented Benfica amongst many other clubs, and the two were teammates at Dynamo Moscow.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Benfica 1995–96 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0
Alverca 1996–97 Segunda Liga 23 2 1 0 24 2
1997–98 29 5 1 1 30 6
1998–99 Primeira Liga 26 3 1 1 27 4
Total 78 10 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 81 12
Benfica 1999–00 Primeira Liga 28 10 1 1 6 1 35 12
2000–01 26 1 4 1 2 0 32 2
2001–02 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 54 11 5 2 0 0 8 1 0 0 67 14
Porto 2002–03 Primeira Liga 29 6 3 1 12 2 44 9
2003–04 31 7 5 1 12 3 2 0 50 11
2004–05 20 3 0 0 8 0 2 0 30 3
Total 80 16 8 2 0 0 32 5 4 0 124 23
Dynamo Moscow 2005 Russian Premier League 12 2 0 0 0 0 12 2
Chelsea 2005–06 Premier League 8 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 11 0
Atlético Madrid 2006–07 La Liga 28 4 2 0 0 0 30 4
2007–08 15 2 0 0 7 0 22 2
Total 43 6 2 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 52 6
Internazionale 2007–08 Serie A 8 1 3 0 0 0 11 1
Atlético Madrid 2008–09 La Liga 21 1 2 0 9 1 32 2
1. FC Köln 2009–10 Bundesliga 26 2 4 1 0 0 30 3
Sporting CP 2010–11 Primeira Liga 17 1 1 0 0 0 9 3 27 3
Career total 347 50 28 4 3 0 65 10 4 0 449 64

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Portugal 2003 7 0
2004 13 3
2005 7 0
2006 12 3
2007 6 1
2008 5 0
2009 2 0
Total 52 7
Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Maniche goal.
List of international goals scored by Maniche
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 June 2004 Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal  Russia 1–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2004
2 30 June 2004 Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal  Netherlands 2–0 2–1 UEFA Euro 2004
3 17 November 2004 Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg  Luxembourg 3–0 5–0 2006 World Cup qualification
4 1 March 2006 Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany  Saudi Arabia 2–0 3–0 Friendly
5 21 June 2006 Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany  Mexico 1–0 2–1 2006 FIFA World Cup
6 25 June 2006 Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany  Netherlands 1–0 1–0 2006 FIFA World Cup
7 8 September 2007 Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal  Poland 1–1 2–2 Euro 2008 qualifying

Honours

Porto

Inter Milan

Portugal

Individual

Orders

  • PRT Ordem de Nossa Senhora da Conceicao de Vila Vicosa Cavaleiro ribbon.svg Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Maniche para niños

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