João Ricardo Pereira Batalha dos Santos Ferreira

João Ricardo Pereira Batalha dos Santos Ferreira known with the name João Ricardo was born on the 7^th January 1970 in Sa da Bandeira. He is a retired Angolan retired footballer who played the role of a goalkeeper for the country.

source of picture: www.vebidoo.de

João Ricardo is the son of Portuguese settlers in Angola. He went back to Portugal in the year 1974, at the age of four together with the family to Leirria, and it was there that bhe started his youth football career, playing his first senior team game with the same team, amateurs Sport ClubeLeiria e Marrazes.

João Ricardo joined Academico de Viseu Fc in the year 1993 ad he was with the club for 4 seasons in the second division level and one season with the club in the third division. His first top level experience was with the club, SC Salgueiros, though he only played just a match for the club in three seasons.

He went back to the 2^nd division in the year 2001 with the club, Moreirense FC, appearing in all games for the club in his first season with the club and the club that was led by Manuel Machado gained promotion to the top flight football of the country. He maintained his first choice status with the club in the next two years with the club with the club suffering relegation in the year 2005.

After over a year with no club, the 37-years old went back to his country to sign for AtleticoPetroleos de Luanda, and he was among the team of the club that played in the 2007 CAF Champions League. He retired from football in the following year at the age of 38, but went back to football after three year for a short stint with Semarang United Fc in Indonesia.

International Career

João Ricardo opted to play for the Angolan national team in the international level, playing his first match for the country in the year 1996 at the age of 26. After 10 years, he played in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

João Ricardo was among the players of the national team that played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He started in all the three games for the country in the tournament. Since his debut in the year 1996, João Ricardo played the total of 30 games for the national team of the country.