Maniche

Maniche

Personal information
Full name	Nuno Ricardo Oliveira Ribeiro
Date of birth	11 November 1977 (1977-11-11) (age 33)
Place of birth	Lisbon, Portugal
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Sporting CP
Youth career
1986–1995	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1995–1996	Benfica	0	(0)
1996–1999	Alverca	78	(10)
1999–2002	Benfica	54	(11)
2002–2005	Porto	80	(16)
2005–2006	Dynamo Moscow	12	(2)
2006	→ Chelsea (loan)	8	(0)
2006–2009	Atlético Madrid	64	(7)
2008	→ Inter (loan)	8	(1)
2009–2010	Köln	26	(2)
2010–	Sporting CP
National team
1997–1998	Portugal U21	11	(0)
2003–2009	Portugal	53	(7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 June 2010. † Appearances (Goals).

Nuno Ricardo de Oliveira Ribeiro, OIH (born 11 November 1977 in Lisbon), commonly known as Maniche (Portuguese pronunciation: [maˈniʃɨ], or less commonly [maˈnik(ɨ)]), is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Sporting Clube de Portugal, as a central midfielder.

Known for his teamwork, stamina, and powerful shot, the Portuguese international received his nickname after Sport Lisboa e Benfica's 1980s legendary Danish forward Michael Manniche. He is amongst the players who have competed in all four major European leagues.

Club career

Portugal

Maniche began his career in the junior teams of Sport Lisboa e Benfica. After a stint with F.C. Alverca, he returned to Benfica in 1999, where he initially played as a winger.

Following disciplinary problems at Benfica, he was signed by José Mourinho, then manager of F.C. Porto. Mourinho made Maniche a key member of his team, reconverting him to centre midfielder.

Maniche enjoyed a successful period at Porto, winning both the UEFA Cup in 2003 and the UEFA Champions League in 2004.

Abroad

Maniche was sold to FC Dynamo Moscow in 2005, for €16 million.^[1] Unsettled, as the vast majority of foreign players bought by new team owner Alexei Fedorychev, he left the side on January 2006, loaned to Premier League side Chelsea.^[2]

Maniche played a significant role in Chelsea's 2006 championship run, the second consecutive for the club, though it was not the sort of involvement he would have hoped for. Making his first start for Chelsea in a home game against West Ham United, he failed to stop opponent James Collins from putting the Hammers ahead on 14 minutes, had an opportunity to score an equaliser but smashed his shot against the crossbar, and was then shown an immediate red card three minutes later for a challenge on Lionel Scaloni. However, Chelsea went on to secure an improbable 4–1 victory.

However, Maniche did not make enough appearances in the league to earn a winners' medal. Chelsea had the option of making the transfer permanent at the end of the season, for £5 million ($9 million), but the player eventually returned to Dynamo Moscow.^[3]

Maniche was subsequently signed by Atlético Madrid in late August 2006.^[4]

Following a run-in with Atlético coach, Mexican Javier Aguirre,^[5] Maniche was cut from the squad, and agreed to join F.C. Internazionale Milano on a January loan, running for the second part of 2007–08.^[6] 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, 2–1 home defeat against Juventus, also hitting the post in stoppage time.

On 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. However, he was ousted in late February 2009 after a new quarrel with the management, now led by former club goalkeeper Abel Resino.^[7]

According to additional reports in the Spanish press, Maniche was told to be 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 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.^[8]

On 20 July 2009, Maniche moved to the German Bundesliga with 1. FC Köln, signing a two-year contract and rejoining former Benfica and Portugal teammate Petit.^[9]

Return to Portugal

After only one season in Germany, Maniche, aged 32, was released from contract and, on 16 June 2010 returned to his country, signing a one-year deal (plus an option for two extra seasons) with the club he still had not represented in the Portuguese Big Three, Sporting Clube de Portugal.^[10]

International career

Maniche played for his country in their second-place finish at UEFA Euro 2004, having just made his debut the previous year. He scored from long-range against the Netherlands in the semi-final, in a 2–1 win.

On 21 June 2006, in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Portugal played Mexico, in the nation's final group game. Maniche scored in the 6th minute, and Portugal went on to win 2–1, progressing as group-winners.^[11] On 25 June, in the round-of-16, as the national side faced the Netherlands once again, he netted the only goal in the game,^[12] and was the only Portuguese player to feature on Adidas' Golden Ball shortlist.^[13]

After appearing significantly during the qualifying stages for Euro 2008, he was surprisingly left out of the nation's final squad, although younger brother, left back 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.

Club statistics

^[14]

Honours

• Porto:
  • UEFA Cup: 2002–03
  • UEFA Champions League: 2003–04
  • Intercontinental Cup: 2004
  • Portuguese League: 2002–03, 2003–04
  • Portuguese Cup: 2002–03
  • Portuguese Supercup: 2003, 2004

• Chelsea:
  • English League: 2005–06

• Inter:
  • Italian League: 2007–08

Orders

• Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)^[15]

Personal life

Jorge Ribeiro, Maniche's younger brother, is also a footballer; mainly a left midfielder, he also represented, amongst many other clubs, Benfica.

References

External links

• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo (Portuguese)
• PortuGOAL profile
• BDFutbol profile

Portugal Squad 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: Scolari