Luís Rocha (footballer, born 1986) explained

Luís Rocha
Fullname:Luís Carlos Rocha Rodrigues[1]
Birth Date:13 August 1986
Birth Place:Guimarães, Portugal
Height:1.860NaN0
Position:Centre-back
Currentclub:Santa Clara
Clubnumber:13
Youthyears1:1997–2005
Youthyears2:2001–2002
Youthclubs2:Amigos Urgeses (loan)
Years1:2005–2006
Caps1:18
Goals1:3
Years2:2006–2007
Years3:2007–2009
Caps3:31
Goals3:6
Years4:2009–2011
Caps4:55
Goals4:5
Years5:2011–2012
Caps5:27
Goals5:2
Years6:2012–2013
Caps6:27
Goals6:2
Years7:2013–2014
Caps7:36
Goals7:2
Years8:2014–2016
Caps8:72
Goals8:4
Years9:2016–2018
Caps9:42
Goals9:5
Years10:2018
Caps10:5
Goals10:1
Years11:2019–2020
Caps11:10
Goals11:2
Years12:2019–2020
Clubs12:Farense (loan)
Caps12:24
Goals12:3
Years13:2020–2022
Caps13:59
Goals13:7
Years14:2022–2023
Caps14:30
Goals14:1
Years15:2023–
Caps15:31
Goals15:1
Club-Update:15:24, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Luís Carlos Rocha Rodrigues (born 13 August 1986), known as Rocha, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for C.D. Santa Clara as a central defender.

Having played in the lower levels until the age of 26, he spent most of his professional career in the second tier, making over 250 appearances in service of seven clubs and winning promotion at Famalicão, Farense, Chaves, Moreirense and Santa Clara.[2] He also recorded 42 Primeira Liga games for Feirense and had a brief spell in the Belarusian Premier League at Dinamo Minsk.

Club career

Early career

Born in Guimarães, Rocha competed in lower league and amateur football until the age of 26, starting out at . In 2013 he signed with Segunda Liga club S.C. Covilhã, making his debut in the competition on 11 August of that year in a 1–0 away loss against C.S. Marítimo B.[3] He scored his first goal on 5 October, as the visitors defeated FC Porto B 2–1.[4]

Feirense

On 9 June 2016, after a further two seasons in the second tier with S.C. Freamunde, Rocha joined C.D. Feirense on a one-year contract.[5] His first match in the Primeira Liga took place on 15 August, when he played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away win over G.D. Estoril Praia.[6] He added a further 17 appearances until the end of the campaign, helping to an eighth-place finish.

Rocha scored his first goal in the Portuguese top flight on 24 September 2017, but in a 1–4 home loss to C.F. Os Belenenses.[7] With his second, the hosts won 1–0 but he was also sent off in the 36th minute of the fixture against Rio Ave FC.[8]

On 15 June 2018, 31-year-old Rocha moved abroad for the only time in his career, to FC Dinamo Minsk of the Belarusian Premier League.[9] He made nine appearances for the team from the capital city – including his only four European appearances in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers – and scored once to open a 1–1 home draw with FC Dynamo Brest on 28 October.

Second-tier regular

At the end of January 2019, Rocha reached a mutual agreement to end his time in Minsk,[10] and he returned to his country's second tier on a 2-year deal at F.C. Famalicão.[11] Having contributed ten games and two goals to their promotion as runners-up, he remained at that level by being loaned to S.C. Farense in August.[12]

On 5 June 2020, after a second consecutive promotion, Rocha moved to G.D. Chaves.[13] He scored five goals in his first season with the Trás-os-Montes club, starting with the opener on 15 October as his team began the campaign with a 4–0 victory at Feirense;[14] on 24 January 2021 he netted both goals of a 2–1 home win over F.C. Arouca.[15]

Having won another promotion, Rocha again opted to remain in the second tier in June 2022, signing for newly relegated Moreirense F.C. on a one-year deal.[16] He won the league in the ensuing season,[17] scoring one goal to open a 3–1 home defeat of F.C. Penafiel on 10 March 2023.[18]

Rocha also achieved promotion as champion in the 2023–24 campaign, with C.D. Santa Clara.[19] [2]

Honours

Moreirense

2022–23[17]

Santa Clara

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Luís Rocha. Mais Futebol. pt. 14 January 2021.
  2. News: Luís Rocha ainda é o 'senhor subida'. Luís Rocha is still 'mister promotion'. Record. André. Martins. pt. 15 May 2024. 31 May 2024.
  3. News: Marítimo B-Sp. Covilhã, 1–0: Edivândio resolveu. Marítimo B-Sp. Covilhã, 1–0: Edivândio decided it. Record. pt. 11 August 2013. 11 February 2018.
  4. Web site: FC Porto B perde no último lance do jogo. FC Porto B lose in game's last play. FC Porto. pt. 5 October 2013. 11 February 2018.
  5. Web site: Feirense: Luís Rocha (ex-Freamunde) contratado para a defesa. Feirense: Luís Rocha (ex-Freamunde) hired for defence. Mais Futebol. Bruno José. Ferreira. pt. 9 June 2016. 11 February 2018.
  6. News: Feirense vence no regresso à I Liga. Feirense win in return to I League. O Jogo. pt. 15 August 2016. 11 February 2018.
  7. Web site: Feirense-Belenenses, 1–4 (crónica). Feirense-Belenenses, 1–4 (match report). Mais Futebol. Vítor. Maia. pt. 24 September 2017. 11 February 2018.
  8. News: VÍDEO Vermelhos, golo anulado e nove contra nove: o acidentado Feirense-Rio Ave. VIDEO Reds, disallowed goal and nine against nine: the rocky Feirense-Rio Ave. O Jogo. pt. 21 October 2017. 11 February 2018.
  9. Web site: Luís Rocha deixa o Feirense e ruma à Bielorrússia. Luís Rocha leaves Feirense and heads to Belarus. Notícias ao Minuto. Fábio. Aguiar. pt. 15 June 2018. 8 August 2022.
  10. Web site: Made in: Dínamo Minsk e Luís Rocha rescindem contrato. Made in: Dinamo Minsk and Luís Rocha rescind contract. Mais Futebol. pt. 29 January 2019. 8 August 2022.
  11. News: Luís Rocha oficializado como reforço do Famalicão. Luís Rocha confirmed as Famalicão addition. Record. Pedro. Morais. pt. 30 January 2019. 8 August 2022.
  12. News: Defesa-central Luís Rocha reforça Farense. Central defender Luís Rocha bolsters Farense. Record. Armando. Alves. pt. 3 August 2019. 8 August 2022.
  13. News: Luís Rocha reforça defesa do Chaves. Luís Rocha bolsters Chaves defence. Record. Diogo. Matos. pt. 5 June 2020. 8 August 2022.
  14. Web site: Chaves vence Feirense em jogo em atraso da II Liga. Chaves defeat Feirense in delayed II League game. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. pt. 16 October 2020. 8 August 2022.
  15. News: Chaves-Arouca, 2–1: regresso às vitórias com bis de Luís Rocha. Chaves-Arouca, 2–1: return to winning ways with brace from Luís Rocha. Record. pt. 5 June 2020. 8 August 2022.
  16. News: Oficial: Luís Rocha é reforço do Moreirense. Official: Luís Rocha is Moreirense addition. Record. Diogo. Matos. pt. 17 June 2022. 8 August 2022.
  17. News: Moreirense abrilhantou festa de campeão com reviravolta frente ao Leixões. Moreirense lit up the champions' party with comeback against Leixões. O Jogo. pt. 14 May 2023. 5 June 2023.
  18. Web site: Moreirense sólido na liderança vence Penafiel em casa. Comfortable leaders Moreirense win at home to Penafiel. Antena Minho. pt. 10 March 2023. 5 June 2023.
  19. News: Ricardo Pacheco, presidente do Santa Clara: 'Vamos para a Primeira Liga para lá ficar.'. Ricardo Pacheco, Santa Clara president: 'We go to the First League to stay there.'. The Herald News. João. Gonçalves. pt. 24 May 2024. 31 May 2024.
  20. Web site: Luís Rocha no 11 do ano da Liga Portugal SABSEG. Luís Rocha in Liga Portugal SABSEG's XI of the Year. Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. pt. 21 June 2023. 14 October 2023.