Search GKGrades.com

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

World Cup GK Profile: Eduardo (Portugal)

Eduardo
Full Name: Eduardo dos Reis Carvalho
Squad: Portugal
Squad No: 1
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 27
Birth Date: Sep 19, 1982
Birth Place: Mirandela, Portugal
Height: 6' 2" (1.87m)
Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
Club: Braga (POR)
International Caps: 14

Club History
Braga (POR): 2008-
Vitória Setúbal (POR): 2007-2008
SC Beira-Mar (POR): 2007-2007
Sporting Braga (POR): 2003-2006



from Wikipedia (full wiki)
After UEFA Euro 2008, Eduardo was called for new national team coach Carlos Queiroz for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Denmark, where he played understudy to Quim.

He made his full debut on 11 February 2009, in a friendly match with Finland, playing the first 60 minutes in a 1–0 home win, and remained the starter throughout the remainder of the qualifying campaign.


from ESPN SoccerNet
Something of a late bloomer at international level, Eduardo failed to make the cut for the Euro 2008 final party and he started the 2010 World Cup qualifiers behind first choice starter Quim in Carlos Queiroz's Seleccao plans.

He only made his international debut in February of last year, but quickly established himself as the Portugal No.1 and he heads to South Africa in that role after playing in eight of the fixtures that secured his nation a place in the World Cup finals.

Eduardo has played European club football with Braga, but accepts this summer's football festival will be a big test of his credentials. "I appreciate that the coach is putting his faith in me and my job has to be to prove him right," says Eduardo. "Until I perform in a major tournament, it's natural that people will question whether I can do the job."

from FIFA.com
In football, things can change almost overnight. The career of goalkeeper Eduardo is a testament to the unpredictable nature of the beautiful game. Less than two years ago, he was involved in a struggle for the No1 jersey at Braga, and then forced to go out on loan to prove his ability at the top level. After a successful spell at Setubal in 2007/08, opportunity finally came calling, and the experienced shot-stopper got the chance he had been craving for so many years.

He was recalled to Braga, immediately installed as first-choice keeper at the start of the 2008/09 season, and has never looked back. His outstanding performances in the league, and especially in the UEFA Cup, have earned him widespread admiration in his homeland, and served perhaps as a salutary lesson to others that patience in football is often a virtue. And he has gone on to reap even greater rewards: his excellent form for the Minho club brought him to the attention of national coach Carlos Queiroz, and he now finds himself on the verge of turning FIFA World Cup™ dreams into reality.

He won his first call-up to the senior squad during Portugal’s difficult qualifying campaign, and precisely at a time when the Equipa das Quinas was struggling for form and consistency. Eduardo’s authoritative presence between the sticks helped get the team back on track and, in eight qualifying matches, the new number one conceded a paltry total of two goals, winning over the sceptics in the process.

Now firmly installed as first-choice for both club and country, it seems as though Eduardo is ready to write his name into the annals of Portuguese football history. In four previous FIFA World Cup campaigns, only once has the country’s number one come from a club other than the so-called big three, namely Benfica, Porto and Sporting. That man was Jose Pereira, from Belenenses, who starred for his country in the 1966 finals. Forty-four years on, Braga will proudly break with footballing tradition, as Eduardo attempts to emulate the achievements of his illustrious predecessors.

Portugal Soccer T-shirt, Portuguese World Cup Soccer T-Shirt, One Size Fits Most
Portugal Soccer Team - World Cup South Africa 2010 FIFA Keychain (2"x1")
World Cup 2010 Portugal iPhone Cover


No comments:

Post a Comment

Popular Posts