Henrique Hilário

Henrique Hilário Meireles Alves Sampaio (born October 21, 1975 in São Pedro da Cova, Gondomar, Porto), simply Hilário, is a Portugal Association footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper (football) and currently plays for Premier League side Chelsea F.C..

Club career

Having joined Portuguese Liga powerhouse FC Porto in 1996, Hilário found opportunities hard to come by and served several loan stints in the country. In three seasons (the first still on loan) with Madeira's Clube Desportivo Nacional, Henrique Hilário developed as a topflight goalkeeper.

Hilário joined Chelsea FC on July 1, 2006 from Nacional, joining former Porto boss José Mourinho, the two having coincided there for a brief period, in the 2003–04 pre-season. Henrique Hilário was originally signed as third-choice goalkeeper, as backup to Petr Čech and Carlo Cudicini,but was handed a run in the first team after both Čech and Cudicini sustained injuries in Chelsea's game against Reading F.C. on October 14, 2006.Hilário made Henrique Hilário Chelsea debut four days later against FC Barcelona at Stamford Bridge (stadium), keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win. Henrique Hilário made Henrique Hilário English Premier League on the 21st, against Portsmouth F.C..

Hilário's run in the side saw Henrique Hilário make a total of 18 appearances in 2006-07 in English football, even saving a penalty kick in the away game against Sheffield United F.C.. Čech's return to fitness in February 2007 saw Henrique Hilário relegated to the substitute's bench again, and Henrique Hilário was an unused replacement in Chelsea's Football League Cup Final 2007 win over Arsenal F.C.. On the 2006-07 Chelsea season review DVD bonus features, there was a segment titled Top Ten Saves of the Season. Several of the saves were Hilario's.

In the start of 2007-08, Hilário found himself again third-choice to both Čech and Cudicini, but made a substitute appearance against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, after the Czech Republic suffered a hip injury. Henrique Hilário then went on to start against Newcastle United and Fulham F.C., as Chelsea won both contests 2-1. On April 8, 2008, Henrique Hilário made a substitute appearance against Fenerbahçe S.K., due to injury to Cudicini, in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League 2007-08, and kept a clean sheet. Portuguese newspapers subsequently hinted at a possible call-up to the Portuguese national football team.

On January 26, 2009, Cudicini left Chelsea for Tottenham Hotspur, leaving the Portuguese as second-choice, and promoting reserve keeper Rhys Taylor to first team. On February 7, Hilário made Henrique Hilário first Premier League 2008-09 start after an injury to Čech, against Hull City, and kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.

Honours

- Chelsea FC:
- - FA Cup: FA Cup 2006-07, FA Cup 2008-09
- - Football League Cup: Football League Cup 2006-07