Rui Pedro (footballer, born 1998) explained

Rui Pedro
Fullname:Rui Pedro da Silva e Sousa[1]
Birth Date:20 March 1998
Birth Place:Castelo de Paiva, Portugal
Height:1.82 m
Position:Forward, winger
Currentclub:Hatayspor
Clubnumber:14
Youthyears1:2009–2012
Youthclubs1:Sporting Paivense
Youthyears2:2012–2017
Youthclubs2:Porto
Youthyears3:2013–2014
Youthclubs3:Padroense (loan)
Years1:2015–2018
Caps1:23
Goals1:5
Years2:2016–2020
Caps2:9
Goals2:2
Years3:2017–2018
Clubs3:Boavista (loan)
Caps3:19
Goals3:1
Years4:2019
Clubs4:Varzim (loan)
Caps4:13
Goals4:1
Years5:2019–2020
Clubs5:Granada B (loan)
Caps5:14
Goals5:2
Years6:2020
Clubs6:Leixões (loan)
Caps6:2
Goals6:0
Years7:2020–2021
Caps7:13
Goals7:1
Years8:2021–2022
Caps8:40
Goals8:4
Years9:2022–2024
Caps9:46
Goals9:16
Years10:2024–
Caps10:11
Goals10:0
Nationalyears1:2013
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2013–2014
Nationalcaps2:15
Nationalgoals2:3
Nationalyears3:2014–2015
Nationalcaps3:11
Nationalgoals3:4
Nationalyears4:2015–2016
Nationalcaps4:5
Nationalgoals4:3
Nationalyears5:2016–2017
Nationalcaps5:11
Nationalgoals5:5
Nationalyears6:2017
Nationalcaps6:2
Nationalgoals6:0
Club-Update:16:48, 28 May 2024 (UTC)

Rui Pedro da Silva e Sousa (born 20 March 1998), known as Rui Pedro, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Turkish Süper Lig club Hatayspor.

Club career

Born in Castelo de Paiva, Aveiro District, Rui Pedro joined Porto's youth system in 2012, aged 14. On 24 January 2015, at the age of 16, he made his professional debut with their B team, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 away loss against Oliveirense in the Segunda Liga.[2]

On 3 December 2016, whilst still a junior, Rui Pedro first appeared in the Primeira Liga with the main squad; after replacing Óliver Torres 15 minutes from the end of the home fixture against Braga, he scored the only goal in injury time, ending the club's negative run of 520 minutes without finding the net.[3] Four days later, also from the bench, he played his first match in the UEFA Champions League, as the hosts defeated already qualified Leicester City 5–0 to also reach the knockout stage;[4] late in the year, UEFA.com selected him as their "weekly wonderkid".[5]

Rui Pedro went on to serve four loans during his spell at the Estádio do Dragão, starting out at Boavista (top division),[6] then moving to Varzim (second tier),[7] Granada B (Spanish Segunda División B)[8] and Leixões (division two).[9] In September 2020, he signed a permanent two-year contract with the latter.[10]

From January 2021 to June 2022, Rui Pedro continued competing in his country's second division with Penafiel,[11] but he only managed to score five times in all competitions during his tenure. In August 2022, he agreed to a deal at Olimpija Ljubljana of the Slovenian PrvaLiga.[12] He claimed the double in his first season at the latter,[13] contributing six goals in the league.[14] [15]

Rui Pedro was deemed surplus to requirements by manager Zoran Zeljković in January 2024 due to contract issues, in spite of leading the team and league in scoring and having been voted Player of the Month for the previous November.[16] [17] [18] [19] He moved to Turkey on 9 February, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal with Süper Lig club Hatayspor.[20]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Porto B2014–15Segunda Liga3030
2015–16LigaPro1010
2016–17LigaPro165165
2018–19LigaPro3030
Total235235
Porto2016–17Primeira Liga92003010132
Boavista (loan)2017–18Primeira Liga1911000201
Varzim (loan)2018–19LigaPro1310000131
Granada B (loan)2019–20Segunda División B142142
Leixões (loan)2019–20LigaPro20000020
Leixões2020–21Liga Portugal 213121152
Total1512100172
Penafiel2020–21Liga Portugal 216200162
2021–22Liga Portugal 22422041303
Total4042041465
Olimpija Ljubljana2022–23Slovenian PrvaLiga2764000316
2023–24Slovenian PrvaLiga1910101423412
Total4616501426518
Career total179321017115221136

Honours

Porto B

2015–16[21]

Olimpija Ljubljana

2022–23[22]

2022–23[23]

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rui Pedro. Mais Futebol. pt. 27 September 2020.
  2. News: Oliveirense-FC Porto B, 1–0: Golo de Rui Lima vale liderança. Oliveirense-FC Porto B, 1–0: Rui Lima goal equals first place. Record. pt. 24 January 2015. 29 June 2017.
  3. News: Rui Pedro acordou o Dragão, 520 minutos depois. Rui Pedro awoke the Dragon, 520 minutes later. Diário de Notícias. pt. 3 December 2016. 29 June 2017.
  4. Web site: Porto punish Leicester to reach round of 16. UEFA. Paul. Bryan. Simon. Hart. 7 December 2016. 3 May 2022.
  5. Web site: UEFA.com's weekly wonderkid: Rui Pedro. UEFA. 24 December 2016. 29 June 2017.
  6. Web site: FC Porto empresta Rui Pedro ao Boavista. FC Porto loan Rui Pedro to Boavista. SAPO. pt. 31 August 2017. 18 August 2019.
  7. News: Avançado Rui Pedro emprestado ao Varzim pelo FC Porto. Forward Rui Pedro loaned to Varzim by FC Porto. Diário de Notícias. pt. 31 January 2019. 18 August 2019.
  8. Web site: FC Porto: Rui Pedro emprestado... ao Granada B. FC Porto: Rui Pedro loaned... to Granada B. Mais Futebol. Sérgio. Pereira. Vítor. Maia. pt. 16 August 2019. 18 August 2019.
  9. News: FC Porto empresta avançado ao Leixões. FC Porto loan forward to Leixões. O Jogo. pt. 31 January 2020. 4 September 2022.
  10. News: Rui Pedro: depois do adeus ao FC Porto, a oficialização no Leixões. Rui Pedro: following goodbye to FC Porto, he is made official at Leixões. O Jogo. pt. 4 September 2020. 4 September 2022.
  11. Web site: Rui Pedro (ex-FC Porto) é reforço do Penafiel. Rui Pedro (ex-FC Porto) is addition to Penafiel. Mais Futebol. pt. 25 January 2021. 4 September 2022.
  12. News: Rui Pedro muda-se para a Eslovénia. Rui Pedro moves to Slovenia. Record. Pedro. Marques dos Santos. pt. 13 August 2022. 4 September 2022.
  13. News: Portugueses do Olimpia Liubliana conquistam 'dobradinha'. Slovenia Olimpija Ljubljana's Portuguese conquer 'double'. A Bola. pt. 7 May 2023. 30 April 2024.
  14. Web site: Domžale prek Olimpije na prag Evrope, zadnji v zadnji minuti zabil Mariboru. Domžale knocking on Europe's door through Olimpija, Maribor concede goal in last minute. Siol. sl. 14 May 2023. 30 April 2024.
  15. Web site: Campeões de Portugal: os portugueses que festejaram fora de portas. Champions of Portugal: the Portuguese who celebrated abroad. Mais Futebol. Ricardo. Gouveia. pt. 8 June 2023. 30 April 2024.
  16. Web site: Rui Pedro preživlja sanjsko obdobje svoje kariere: Vodilni strelec Prve lige Telemach izbran še za naj nogometaša meseca novembra. Rui Pedro experiencing dream moment in his career: the Telemach First League's top scorer voted best player for the month of November. Planet Nogomet. sl. 29 November 2023. 30 April 2024.
  17. Web site: Karničnik in Rui Pedro soglasno v najboljši enajsterici. Karničnik and Rui Pedro an unanimous All-Star selection. Radiotelevizija Slovenija. Jože. Pepevnik. sl. 19 December 2023. 30 April 2024.
  18. Web site: Vitoria Guimaraes target Rui Pedro reconsiders future at Olimpija amid contract extension talks. Nogomania. 16 January 2024. 30 April 2024.
  19. News: Rui Pedro: «Na Eslovénia puseram-me à parte mesmo sendo o goleador da Liga». Rui Pedro: "They sidelined me in Slovenia in spite of me being the League's top scorer". Record. Gonçalo. Vasconcelos. pt. 20 February 2024. 30 April 2024.
  20. News: Mercado (oficial): ex-FC Porto confirmado no Hatayspor. Market (official): ex-FC Porto confirmed at Hatayspor. A Bola. pt. 9 February 2024. 10 February 2024.
  21. News: Equipa B entrega troféu da 2.ª Liga a Pinto da Costa. B team give 2nd League trophy to Pinto da Costa. Record. André. Monteiro. pt. 12 May 2016. 3 May 2022.
  22. Web site: Neverjetno, kaj je uspelo Portugalcu proti Mariboru!. Portuguese pulled up impressive feat against Maribor!. Siol. Rok. Plestenjak. sl. 16 April 2023. 17 April 2023.
  23. Web site: Olimpija po drami v 130. minuti do dvojne krone, zanimiv niz Maribora je končan. 130-minute drama for Olimpija's double crown, Maribor's interesting run is over. Sportklub. Rok. Viškovič. sl. 6 May 2023. 7 May 2023.
  24. Web site: Technical report. UEFA. 5 October 2017.