Zé António

Zé António
Zé António with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2006
Personal information
Full name José António dos Santos Silva[1]
Date of birth (1977-03-14) 14 March 1977 (age 47)[1]
Place of birth Torres Vedras, Portugal[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1987–1994 Torreense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1998 Torreense 100 (14)
1998–2000 Porto 0 (0)
1998–1999 → Leça (loan) 13 (0)
1999–2000 → Alverca (loan) 0 (0)
2000–2002 Alverca 50 (2)
2002–2003 Varzim 15 (5)
2003–2005 Académica 67 (2)
2005–2008 Borussia Mönchengladbach 64 (3)
2008 → Manisaspor (loan) 13 (1)
2008–2009 Racing Santander 0 (0)
2010–2011 União Leiria 43 (1)
2012–2015 Porto B 86 (5)
Total 451 (33)
International career
1997–1998 Portugal U20 8 (2)
1998–1999 Portugal U21 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

José António dos Santos Silva (born 14 March 1977), known as Zé António, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 175 games and ten goals over eight seasons, representing in the competition Alverca, Varzim, Académica and União de Leiria. He added 145 matches and 12 goals in the Segunda Liga, in a 21-year senior career.

Zé António also played in Germany, Turkey and Spain.

Club career

Born in Torres Vedras, Lisbon District, Zé António began playing football for hometown's S.C.U. Torreense, being acquired in 1998 by Primeira Liga club FC Porto. However, he never represented the latter officially, going on to have loan spells at Leça F.C. and F.C. Alverca[2] and being definitively sold to Alverca in summer 2000.

After another top-division campaign, with Varzim SC (ended in relegation), Zé António joined Académica de Coimbra[3] and played there from 2003 to 2005, forming an interesting defensive partnership with Tonel – later of Sporting CP – in his first year.[4][5]

Avoiding relegation with Académica at the end of 2004–05, Zé António took advantage of his expiring contract to sign for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the German Bundesliga, on an initial two-year deal.[6][7] An undisputed starter throughout the 2005–06 campaign,[8] he opened his scoring account in his fourth league match, heading the winner in a 2–1 home win over MSV Duisburg on 10 September;[9] Borussia suffered relegation in 2007.[10][11]

In January 2008, having made no appearances in 2007–08 (2. Bundesliga), Zé António moved on loan to Turkey's Vestel Manisaspor for six months.[12] At the end of June, he switched to Spain and signed a two-year contract with La Liga side Racing de Santander.[13][14]

In early December 2009, after having appeared only in one Copa del Rey match for the Cantabrians, against Real Murcia CF,[15] his spell also including a demotion to the B team and legal action undertaken by the player,[16][17] Zé António terminated his link. He returned to his country in January 2010, joining U.D. Leiria on a one-and-a-half-year deal.[18]

Zé António only missed one game in the 2010–11 season, as Leiria once again managed to retain their top-division status. In June 2011 the 34-year-old left the club, returning to action after one year out of football with Porto's reserves in the Segunda Liga.[19]

International career

Aged 29, Zé António received his first callup for the Portugal national team, being selected by Luiz Felipe Scolari for UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Poland.[20] He eventually failed to earn a full cap, but did represent the under-20s at the 1998 Toulon Tournament, scoring in the 1–0 group-stage win over Germany[21] in a third-place finish.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Zé Antonio" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  2. ^ Antão, Vasco (29 July 1999). "José António no Alverca" [José António to Alverca]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  3. ^ Teixeira, Olga (6 July 2003). "José António (ex-Varzim) reforça a Académica" [José António (ex-Varzim) bolsters Académica] (in Portuguese). Televisão Independente. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  4. ^ "José António: «Empate já seria positivo»" [José António: "A draw would be a positive thing for starters"]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 February 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  5. ^ Frederico, Francisco (26 June 2008). "Académica interessada em Zé António (ex-Monchengladbach)" [Académica interested in Zé António (ex-Mönchengladbach)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  6. ^ "José António vai jogar na Bundesliga" [José António will play in the Bundesliga]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 June 2005. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Decision of Dispute Resolution Chamber 210093" (PDF). FIFA. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
  8. ^ Straubler, Max (3 May 2006). "Köppel-Elf verliert – Ze Antonio zur WM" [Köppel men lose – Zé António about WC]. Rheinische Post (in German). Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Borussia M'gladbach 2–1 MSV Duisburg". ESPN Soccernet. 10 September 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Ziege sauer auf Zé Antonio" [Ziege mad at Zé Antonio] (in German). Kicker. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Gladbach bejubelt Aufstieg" [Gladbach celebrate promotion] (in German). Stern. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Alemanha: Zé António rescinde com Borussia Monchengladbach" [Germany: Zé António cuts ties with Borussia Mönchengladbach] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  13. ^ "El Racing ficha al central portugués Ze Antonio" [Racing sign Portuguese stopper Ze António]. Sport (in Spanish). 27 June 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Racing roared on by Sepsi signing". UEFA. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  15. ^ "El Racing acaba pagando su exceso de confianza" [Racing finally pay for overconfidence]. Marca (in Spanish). 29 October 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  16. ^ "¿Qué pasa con Ze Antonio?" [What's up with Ze António?]. El Diario Montañés (in Spanish). 17 September 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  17. ^ "Ze Antonio demandará al Racing para rescindir su contrato" [Ze António to take Racing to court to terminate his contract]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 October 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  18. ^ Frederico, Francisco (9 January 2010). "U. Leiria: Zé António acerta contrato segunda-feira" [U. Leiria: Zé António will agree to contract on Monday] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  19. ^ Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo (26 June 2013). "F.C. Porto B: Zé António, o veterano, vai continuar" [F.C. Porto B: Zé António, the veteran, will continue] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Portugal try out José António". UEFA. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  21. ^ "Brasil empata com China e é eliminado do Torneio de Toulon" [Brazil draw with China and are out of Toulon Tournament] (in Portuguese). Universo Online. 19 May 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  22. ^ Garin, Erik; Tabeira, Martín; Jordan, Tony. "Tournoi Espoirs de Toulon 1998". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 October 2024.