Paulo Lopes (footballer)

Paulo Jorge Pedro Lopes (born 29 June 1978) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is the current head coach of Benfica's under-23 team.

Paulo Lopes
Personal information
Full name Paulo Jorge Pedro Lopes[1]
Date of birth (1978-06-29) 29 June 1978 (age 46)[1]
Place of birth Mirandela, Portugal[1]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Benfica U23 (coach)
Youth career
1991–1993 Mirandela
1993–1997 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Benfica 0 (0)
1999–2000Gil Vicente (loan) 1 (0)
2000–2001Barreirense (loan) 25 (0)
2001–2002 Benfica B 26 (0)
2002–2004 Salgueiros 62 (0)
2004–2007 Estrela Amadora 33 (0)
2007–2009 Trofense 47 (0)
2009–2012 Feirense 84 (0)
2012–2018 Benfica 4 (0)
Total 282 (0)
International career
1995 Portugal U17 2 (0)
1997 Portugal U20 5 (0)
1997–2000 Portugal U21 10 (0)
2003 Portugal B 1 (0)
Managerial career
2023– Benfica U23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He appeared in 81 Primeira Liga matches over 14 seasons, representing Benfica, Gil Vicente, Estrela da Amadora, Trofense and Feirense. Despite having made only 11 appearances for Benfica, he won seven trophies with the club always as third-choice.[2][3]

Lopes added 150 games in the Segunda Liga, in a 21-year professional career.

Playing career

edit

Born in Mirandela, Bragança District, Lopes joined S.L. Benfica's youth system at the age of 15, being promoted to the first team four years later and going on to serve two loans in his first two years as a senior.[2] On 19 February 2000, while at the service of Gil Vicente FC, he made his Primeira Liga debut, coming on as a second-half substitute in an eventual 1–1 away draw against Sporting CP after Paulo Jorge was sent off.[4][5]

In June 2002, Lopes was released by Benfica. He alternated between the main division and the Segunda Liga the following decade, notably achieving top-tier promotions with C.D. Trofense (2007–08)[6] and C.D. Feirense (2010–11);[7][2] during his stint with the former, on 4 January 2009, he was on goal to help the hosts defeat his parent club 2–0,[8] in a relegation-ending season.[9]

Lopes returned to the Estádio da Luz in the summer of 2012, aged 34.[10] He went on to act as third goalkeeper under several managers, collecting three league winners' medals by appearing in matches after his team had already been crowned champions;[11][12][13] he made his competitive debut on 18 October 2012, in a 4–0 away win over S.C. Freamunde in the third round of the Taça de Portugal.[2]

Coaching career

edit

Lopes retired at the end of the 2017–18 campaign, being immediately appointed goalkeeper coach of Benfica's newly created under-23 team.[14][15] On 16 January 2019, in the same capacity, he joined the reserve side.[16]

On 6 July 2023, Lopes became the new manager of Benfica's under-23.[17]

Personal life

edit

Lopes' son, André, was also a footballer.[18]

Honours

edit

Trofense

Benfica

Individual

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Paulo Lopes". Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Paulo Lopes. Quando esperar é uma virtude" [Paulo Lopes. When waiting is a virtue]. i (in Portuguese). 5 May 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  3. ^ Davis, Matt (18 November 2018). "Paulo Lopes: The most successful third-choice goalkeeper of all time?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  4. ^ Lopes, Octávio (20 February 2000). "Gil Vicente: Carlitos quebra-cabeças" [Gil Vicente: Carlitos the puzzle]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  5. ^ Costa Nunes, Miguel (20 February 2000). "Sporting: Acosta lutador isolado" [Sporting: Acosta the lonesome fighter]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Portimonense-Trofense, 2–2: De novo em festa agora com o título" [Portimonense-Trofense, 2–2: Party time again now with title]. Record (in Portuguese). 12 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  7. ^ "Feirense assegura subida na vitória sobre o Aves" [Feirense confirm promotion in win over Aves] (in Portuguese). TSF. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  8. ^ Cunha, Pedro Jorge (4 January 2009). "Trofense-Benfica, 2–0 (destaques)" [Trofense-Benfica, 2–0 (highlights)]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Belenenses e Trofense despromovidos à Liga de Honra" [Belenenses and Trofense relegated to Honour League]. Expresso (in Portuguese). 23 May 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Guarda-redes Paulo Lopes regressa ao Benfica dez anos depois" [Goalkeeper Paulo Lopes returns to Benfica ten years later]. Público (in Portuguese). 26 June 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  11. ^ a b Ruela, João (10 May 2014). "FC Porto bate Benfica sob avaliação de Lopetegui" [FC Porto beat Benfica as Lopetegui looks on]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  12. ^ a b Geraldo, Inês (15 May 2016). "Benfica campeão nacional pela terceira vez consecutiva" [Benfica crowned national champions for the third consecutive time] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  13. ^ a b Cunha, Pedro Jorge (20 May 2017). "Boavista-Benfica, 2–2 (crónica)" [Boavista-Benfica, 2–2 (match report)]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  14. ^ Ponte, Pedro (9 July 2018). "Paulo Lopes 'oficializado' como treinador de guarda-redes dos sub-23" [Paulo Lopes "officialised" as under-23 goalkeeping coach]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  15. ^ "A mensagem de "despedida" de Paulo Lopes" [Paulo Lopes' "farewell" message]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 31 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  16. ^ "Paulo Lopes na equipa B do Benfica" [Paulo Lopes in Benfica's B team]. Record (in Portuguese). 17 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Experience and Benfiquista DNA with an eye to the future!". S.L. Benfica. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  18. ^ Marques, Valter (28 November 2021). "Filho de ex-jogador do Benfica entre os nove do Belenenses SAD que entraram em campo" [Son of former Benfica player among nine of Belenenses SAD that took the field]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Sulejmani manteve o Benfica vitorioso" [Sulejmani kept Benfica victorious]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Paulo Lopes parte troféu da Supertaça" [Paulo Lopes breaks Supercup trophy] (in Portuguese). SIC Notícias. 11 August 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  21. ^ "Benfica conquista Supertaça" [Benfica conquer Supercup] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Benfica 3–1 Vitória de Guimarães" (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Prémios oficiais: a lista dos premiados" [Official awards: the list of winners] (in Portuguese). Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. 1 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 July 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
edit