João Vieira Pinto
| Date of birth | 19 August 1971 |
| Place of birth | Bairro Falcão - Porto, |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Weight | 62 kg |
| Height | 1.71 m |
| Position | Forward |
Full name is: Joao Manuel Vieira Pinto.
A product of the Boavista youth system, he made his debut for the team in 1989.
He could not break into the first team on a regular basis however and was sold to Spanish side Atletico Madrid in 1990.
He was loaned out to the nursery seeing Atletico Madrileno but could not settle and returned home to play for Boavista where he stayed for one season before joining Benfica in 1992.
He began the first player to win the world youth cup twice in a row when Portugal won the titles in 1989 and 1991.
He made his full international debut in the same match as Luis Figo in October 1991 against Luxembourg and became a regular member of the team.
At club level, he stayed at Benfica despite strong interest from Liverpool, but had his contract cancelled in the summer of 2000 allowing him to sign for bitter rivals Sporting Lisbon for free.
He played at the 1996 and 2000 European Championship Finals and, despite his many critics, boasts an excellent scoring record at international level.
He can play as an out and out striker or in the withdrawn role, able to take on defenders or split the defence with his passing ability.
He was sent-off in the 1-0 defeat by the Korea Republic as Portugal went out of the 2002 World Cup at the first round stage.
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | Sporting Clube Portugal | Portuguese First Division | 30 | 1 |
6 |
5
|
1
|
| 2000-01 | Sporting Clube Portugal | UEFA Champions League | 5 |
1
|
|||
| 2001-02 | Sporting Clube Portugal | Portuguese First Division | 16 | 3 |
7
|
||
| 2001-02 | Sporting Clube Portugal | UEFA Cup | 5 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2006-07 | Sporting Braga | UEFA Cup | 2 |
1
|
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 Mar 2007 | Sporting Braga v Tottenham Hotspur | L | 2-3 | UEFA Cup | Round of 16 1st leg |
| 14 Mar 2007 | Tottenham Hotspur v Sporting Braga | L |
3-2 Agg: 6-4 |
UEFA Cup | Round of 16 2nd leg |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-89 | Portugal | World Youth Cup | 5 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 1989-90 | Portugal | UEFA Under-18 | 1 | ||||
| 1990-91 | Portugal | OLY Under-21 | 1 | ||||
| 1991-92 | Portugal | International Friendly | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 1991-92 | Portugal | UEFA European Championship | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 1991-92 | Portugal | US Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 1992-93 | Portugal | FIFA World Cup | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 1992-93 | Portugal | International Friendly | 1 |
||||
| 1992-93 | Portugal | UEFA Under-21 | 1 |
||||
| 1993-94 | Portugal | FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 |
|||
| 1993-94 | Portugal | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
| 1993-94 | Portugal | UEFA Under-21 | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 1994-95 | Portugal | UEFA European Championship | 4 | 3 |
|||
| 1995-96 | Portugal | International Friendly | 3 | ||||
| 1995-96 | Portugal | UEFA European Championship | 6 | 1 |
|||
| 1996-97 | Portugal | FIFA World Cup | 7 | 2 |
|||
| 1996-97 | Portugal | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Portugal | FIFA World Cup | 3 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Portugal | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Portugal | International Friendly | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 1998-99 | Portugal | UEFA European Championship | 7 | 7 |
|||
| 1999-00 | Portugal | International Friendly | 3 | 2 |
1 |
||
| 1999-00 | Portugal | UEFA European Championship | 6 | 1 |
2 |
3
|
|
| 2000-01 | Portugal | FIFA World Cup | 3 | 2 |
2 |
||
| 2000-01 | Portugal | International Friendly | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 2001-02 | Portugal | FIFA World Cup | 6 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2001-02 | Portugal | International Friendly | 5 | 1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Feb 1989 | Czechoslovakia v Portugal | W | 0-1 | World Youth Cup | Group A |
| 20 Feb 1989 | Nigeria v Portugal | W | 0-1 | World Youth Cup | Group A |
| 22 Feb 1989 | Saudi Arabia v Portugal | L | 3-0 | World Youth Cup | Group A |
| 25 Feb 1989 | Portugal v Colombia | W | 1-0 | World Youth Cup | Quarter-final |
| 28 Feb 1989 | Portugal v Brazil | W | 1-0 | World Youth Cup | Semi-final |
| 03 Mar 1989 | Portugal v Nigeria | W | 2-0 | World Youth Cup | Final |
| 01 Nov 1989 | Italy v Portugal | W | 0-2 | UEFA Under 18 | Group 4 |
| 28 Aug 1990 | Portugal v Germany | D | 1-1 | OLY Under-21 | |
| 12 Oct 1991 | Luxembourg v Portugal | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 20 Nov 1991 | Portugal v Greece | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 15 Jan 1992 | Portugal v Spain | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 12 Feb 1992 | Portugal v Netherlands | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 31 May 1992 | Italy v Portugal | D | 0-0 | US Cup | |
| 03 Jun 1992 | USA v Portugal | L | 1-0 | US Cup | |
| 07 Jun 1992 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | L | 2-0 | US Cup | |
| 02 Sep 1992 | Austria v Portugal | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 23 Jan 1993 | Malta v Portugal | W | 0-2 | UEFA U21 | Group 1 |
| 24 Jan 1993 | Malta v Portugal | W | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 1 |
| 19 Jun 1993 | Portugal v Malta | W | 4-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 1 |
| 05 Sep 1993 | Estonia v Portugal | W | 0-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 1 |
| 13 Oct 1993 | Portugal v Switzerland | W | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 1 |
| 10 Nov 1993 | Portugal v Estonia | W | 3-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 1 |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Italy v Portugal | L | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 1 |
| 19 Jan 1994 | Spain v Portugal | D | 2-2 | International Friendly | |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Portugal v Spain | W | 2-0 | UEFA U21 | Semi-final |
| 20 Apr 1994 | Italy v Portugal | L | 1-0 | UEFA U21 | Final |
| 09 Oct 1994 | Latvia v Portugal | W | 1-3 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 13 Nov 1994 | Portugal v Austria | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 18 Dec 1994 | Portugal v Liechtenstein | W | 8-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 26 Apr 1995 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | L | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 11 Oct 1995 | Austria v Portugal | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 15 Nov 1995 | Portugal v Republic of Ireland | W | 3-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 6 |
| 12 Dec 1995 | England v Portugal | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 27 Mar 1996 | Portugal v Greece | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 May 1996 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | W | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 09 Jun 1996 | Denmark v Portugal | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Finals Group D |
| 14 Jun 1996 | Portugal v Turkey | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Finals Group D |
| 19 Jun 1996 | Croatia v Portugal | W | 0-3 | UEFA European Championship | Finals Group D |
| 23 Jun 1996 | Portugal v Czech Republic | L | 0-1 | UEFA European Championship | Finals quarter-final |
| 31 Aug 1996 | Armenia v Portugal | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 05 Oct 1996 | Ukraine v Portugal | L | 2-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 09 Oct 1996 | Albania v Portugal | W | 0-3 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 09 Nov 1996 | Portugal v Ukraine | W | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 14 Dec 1996 | Portugal v Germany | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 22 Jan 1997 | Portugal v France | L | 0-2 | International Friendly | |
| 19 Feb 1997 | Greece v Portugal | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 Mar 1997 | Northern Ireland v Portugal | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 07 Jun 1997 | Portugal v Albania | W | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 20 Aug 1997 | Portugal v Armenia | W | 3-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 06 Sep 1997 | Germany v Portugal | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 11 Oct 1997 | Portugal v Northern Ireland | W | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 9 |
| 22 Apr 1998 | England v Portugal | L | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 19 Aug 1998 | Portugal v Mozambique | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 06 Sep 1998 | Hungary v Portugal | W | 1-3 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 10 Oct 1998 | Portugal v Romania | L | 0-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 14 Oct 1998 | Slovakia v Portugal | W | 0-3 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 10 Feb 1999 | Portugal v Netherlands | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 26 Mar 1999 | Portugal v Azerbaijan | W | 7-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 31 Mar 1999 | Liechtenstein v Portugal | W | 0-5 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 05 Jun 1999 | Portugal v Slovakia | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 09 Jun 1999 | Portugal v Liechtenstein | W | 8-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 18 Aug 1999 | Portugal v Andorra | W | 4-0 | International Friendly | |
| 04 Sep 1999 | Azerbaijan v Portugal | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 08 Sep 1999 | Romania v Portugal | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 10 Oct 1999 | Portugal v Hungary | W | 3-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 7 |
| 23 Feb 2000 | Belgium v Portugal | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 29 Mar 2000 | Portugal v Denmark | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 26 Apr 2000 | Italy v Portugal | L | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 02 Jun 2000 | Portugal v Wales | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 12 Jun 2000 | Portugal v England | W | 3-2 | UEFA European Championship | Finals Group A |
| 17 Jun 2000 | Romania v Portugal | W | 0-1 | UEFA European Championship | Finals Group A |
| 24 Jun 2000 | Portugal v Turkey | W | 2-0 | UEFA European Championship | Finals quarter-final |
| 28 Jun 2000 | France v Portugal | L | 2-1 | UEFA European Championship | Finals semi-final |
| 16 Aug 2000 | Portugal v Lithuania | W | 5-1 | International Friendly | |
| 03 Sep 2000 | Estonia v Portugal | W | 1-3 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 07 Oct 2000 | Portugal v Republic of Ireland | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 15 Nov 2000 | Portugal v Israel | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 28 Feb 2001 | Portugal v Andorra | W | 3-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 02 Jun 2001 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 06 Jun 2001 | Portugal v Cyprus | W | 6-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 15 Aug 2001 | Portugal v Moldova | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 01 Sep 2001 | Andorra v Portugal | W | 1-7 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 05 Sep 2001 | Cyprus v Portugal | W | 1-3 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 06 Oct 2001 | Portugal v Estonia | W | 5-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 14 Nov 2001 | Portugal v Angola | W | 5-1 | International Friendly | |
| 13 Feb 2002 | Spain v Portugal | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 27 Mar 2002 | Portugal v Finland | L | 1-4 | International Friendly | |
| 17 Apr 2002 | Portugal v Brazil | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 25 May 2002 | China PR v Portugal | W | 0-2 | International Friendly | |
| 05 Jun 2002 | USA v Portugal | L | 3-2 | FIFA World Cup | Finals Group D |
| 10 Jun 2002 | Portugal v Poland | W | 4-0 | FIFA World Cup | Finals Group D |
| 14 Jun 2002 | Portugal v Korea Republic | L | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Finals Group D |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.