Beto (footballer, born November 1976)

Gilberto Galdino dos Santos (born 20 November 1976), known as Beto, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Beto
Personal information
Full name Gilberto Galdino dos Santos
Date of birth (1976-11-20) 20 November 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Carpina, Brazil
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+12 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1984–1994 Grêmio Petribu
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995 Grêmio Petribu
1996 Limoeirense
1997–1998 Recife
1998 San Lorenzo
1999 Rampla Juniors
1999–2000 Recife
2000–2004 Paços Ferreira 119 (4)
2004–2005 Beira-Mar 31 (6)
2005–2007 Benfica 30 (0)
2007–2008 Sion 32 (2)
2008–2012 Ergotelis 90 (4)
2013 Ypiranga–PE
Total 302 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He also held a Portuguese passport due to having spent many years in the country, where he even represented, amongst other teams, Benfica. Over the course of seven seasons, he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 180 games and ten goals.

Club career

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Born in Carpina, Pernambuco, Beto started his professional career in 1998, having unassuming stints in Argentina and Uruguay. After five years in Portugal with mid-to-bottom table Primeira Liga clubs F.C. Paços de Ferreira and S.C. Beira-Mar, excelling especially in the latter by scoring a career-best six goals in the 2004–05 season even though the Aveiro side ranked last, he signed a three-year contract with S.L. Benfica in early June 2005.[1]

Despite not being a fans' favourite, Beto was often cast in the first team by manager Ronald Koeman.[2][3] He appeared in 24 league games in his first year, playing the full 90 minutes in half of those. His greatest moment at the Estádio da Luz happened on 7 December 2005 when they defeated Manchester United 2–1 in Lisbon in a UEFA Champions League group stage fixture, sealing the passage to the round of 16 stage – he scored the decider at the 34th-minute mark, netting from outside the area.[4]

Beto's second campaign in Benfica was less notable: with the departure of Koeman and the arrival of manager Fernando Santos and player Kostas Katsouranis (who played in his position), he was relegated to the substitutes bench, playing only six matches in that condition. Thus, he signed a three-year deal with FC Sion from the Swiss Super League on 11 June 2007.[5]

Beto left Sion on 8 December 2008[6] and, earlier the following month, joined Greek club Ergotelis F.C. for one year.[7] He left on 8 May 2012, aged nearly 36.[8]

Honours

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Benfica

References

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  1. ^ Beto heralds new Benfica era; UEFA, 3 June 2005
  2. ^ "No meio está... o problema" [In the middle lies... the problem]. Record (in Portuguese). 25 November 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Não mexe" [Stays put]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 February 2006. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  4. ^ United undone by brilliant Benfica; UEFA, 7 December 2005
  5. ^ "Beto vai jogar no FC Sion" [Beto will play in FC Sion]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 June 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  6. ^ Official, Beto leaves Sion; Transfer Market Web, 8 December 2008
  7. ^ ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ [Announcement] (in Greek). Ergotelis F.C. 3 January 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  8. ^ ΟΛΟΚΛΗΡΩΘΗΚΕ Η ΣΥΝΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΜΠΕΤΟ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΣΑΣΙΑΣΒΙΛΙ [Beto and Sasiasvilli concluded their services] (in Greek). Ergotelis F.C. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  9. ^ "Benfica – V. Setúbal, 1–0: Uma vitória nada super" [Benfica – V. Setúbal, 1–0: A not-super win by all means]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 August 2005. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
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  • Beto at Sambafoot (archived)
  • Beto at ForaDeJogo (archived)