João Paulo Pinto Ribeiro
Encyclopedia
João Paulo Pinto Ribeiro (born 8 April 1980 in Porto
), known as João Paulo, is a Portuguese
footballer who plays for Apollon Limassol
in Cyprus
, as a centre forward.
of Portuguese football; his debut in the top flight came with Varzim SC.
After being released in June 2005, he had an unassuming stint with Spanish second division
club CD Tenerife
, then returned to Portugal in January 2006, with F.C. Paços de Ferreira. Paulo blossomed as a striker in 2007–08 at fellow first-divisioner União de Leiria (eight league goals and two UEFA Cup
strikes, both against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, on home and away legs).
In January 2008, Paulo moved to Romania
n outfit FC Rapid Bucureşti, while Leiria would eventually rank last at the season's end in Portugal. Late in the same month two years later, after failing to score more than three times in spite of being regularly played, he returned to his country, joining first division strugglers Leixões Sport Club until the end of the season, which ended in relegation.
In June 2010, following Leixões' relegation, João Paulo returned abroad, signing with Olympiakos Nicosia
of Cyprus
. The following season
, the 31-year old switched to another team in the country, Apollon Limassol
.
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
), known as João Paulo, is a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer who plays for Apollon Limassol
Apollon Limassol
Apollon Limassol is a Greek Cypriot sports club, based in Limassol. It has football, basketball and volleyball teams. Founded in 1954, Apollon F.C...
in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, as a centre forward.
Football career
Having grown through the ranks of Boavista FC, Paulo appeared very little for its first team, being loaned five times for the duration of his link, in both the first and second levelsLiga de Honra
The Liga de Honra , known for sponsorship reasons as the Liga Orangina, is the Portuguese second level football league. It was formerly called Segunda Divisão and Segunda Divisão de Honra . When the LPFP took control of the two nationwide levels, it was renamed Segunda Liga, before renaming it...
of Portuguese football; his debut in the top flight came with Varzim SC.
After being released in June 2005, he had an unassuming stint with Spanish second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
club CD Tenerife
CD Tenerife
Club Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
, then returned to Portugal in January 2006, with F.C. Paços de Ferreira. Paulo blossomed as a striker in 2007–08 at fellow first-divisioner União de Leiria (eight league goals and two UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
strikes, both against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, on home and away legs).
In January 2008, Paulo moved to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n outfit FC Rapid Bucureşti, while Leiria would eventually rank last at the season's end in Portugal. Late in the same month two years later, after failing to score more than three times in spite of being regularly played, he returned to his country, joining first division strugglers Leixões Sport Club until the end of the season, which ended in relegation.
In June 2010, following Leixões' relegation, João Paulo returned abroad, signing with Olympiakos Nicosia
Olympiakos Nicosia
Olympiakos Nicosia is a football club in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia. The club was founded in 1931. It is a founding member of the Cyprus Football Association. The club colors are black and green. Olympiakos's home ground is the New GSP Stadium of 23,400 seat capacity...
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. The following season
2011–12 Cypriot First Division
The 2011–12 Cypriot First Division is the 74th season of the Cypriot top-level football league. It will begin on 27 August 2011 and will end on 13 May 2012...
, the 31-year old switched to another team in the country, Apollon Limassol
Apollon Limassol
Apollon Limassol is a Greek Cypriot sports club, based in Limassol. It has football, basketball and volleyball teams. Founded in 1954, Apollon F.C...
.