Zé Beto Explained

Zé Beto
Fullname:José Alberto Teixeira Ferreirinha
Birth Date:21 February 1960
Birth Place:Matosinhos, Portugal
Death Place:Porto, Portugal
Height:1.81 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthclubs1:Pasteleira
Youthyears2:1977–1978
Youthclubs2:Porto
Years1:1978–1990
Caps1:120
Goals1:0
Years2:1979–1980
Clubs2:Beira-Mar (loan)
Caps2:24
Goals2:0
Totalcaps:144
Totalgoals:0
Nationalyears1:1979
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1986–1987
Nationalcaps2:3
Nationalgoals2:0

José Alberto Teixeira Ferreirinha (21 February 1960 – 4 February 1990), known as Zé Beto, was a Portuguese footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He spent almost his entire career with Porto, his life being cut short at 29 in a road accident.

Club career

Born in Matosinhos, Zé Beto arrived at FC Porto at the age of 17, making his Primeira Liga debut two years later on loan to S.C. Beira-Mar. After three more seasons as a backup, he was made first-choice for the 1983–84 campaign.[1]

Zé Beto was the starter when Porto lost 2–1 against Juventus FC in the final of the 1983–84 European Cup Winners' Cup, in controversial manner: losing his temper, the player assaulted the assistant referee with his own flag, being suspended by UEFA for a period of two years.[1]

In the following seasons, Zé Beto kept an interesting battle for first-choice status with Pole Józef Młynarczyk (signed in January 1986), eventually losing his position and being further demoted after the emergence of 18-year-old Vítor Baía.[2] [3] He was on the substitutes bench for the northerners' wins in both the European Cup and Intercontinental Cup, in 1987.[4]

Zé Beto died 17 days shy of his 30th birthday, in a car crash in Porto.[1]

International career

After the defection of most of the Portugal national team following the Saltillo Affair at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Zé Beto earned three caps during the rest of that year and the following. He made his debut on 12 October 1986, in a 1–1 home draw against Sweden for the UEFA Euro 1988 qualifiers.[5] [6]

Previously, Zé Beto played three out of four games at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship in Japan, as the under-20s reached the last-eight.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zé Beto. Estrelas do FCP. Paulo. Moreira. pt. 23 August 2009. 3 September 2015.
  2. News: Zé Beto, a irreverência na baliza. Zé Beto, irreverence in goal. Record. pt. 4 February 2015. 9 December 2022.
  3. News: Vítor Baía: Momentos de um guarda-redes único. Vítor Baía: Moments of a one-of-a-kind goalkeeper. Jornal de Notícias. Sofia. Esteves Teixeira. pt. 11 September 2018. 9 December 2022.
  4. News: Campeões de Viena emocionados com homenagem. Vienna champions overwhelmed with homage. Record. pt. 28 May 2007. 9 December 2022.
  5. Web site: Zé Beto morre em acidente de viação. Zé Beto dies in car crash. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. pt. 5 February 1990. 8 February 2023.
  6. Web site: Lista completa dos internacionais portugueses. Complete list of Portuguese internationals. Mais Futebol. pt. 18 February 2004. 9 December 2022.
  7. News: Portugal no Mundial Sub-20: quem, quando e onde? Um guia para a competição. Portugal at the Under-20 World Cup: who, when and where? A guide for the competition. Observador. Bruno. Roseiro. pt. 20 May 2017. 8 February 2023.