Ricardo Quaresma

Ricardo Andrade Quaresma Bernardo (born 26 September 1983 in Lisbon) is a Portuguese people Association football partly of Gypsy heritage, who currently plays for F.C. Internazionale Milano and for the Portugal national football team. Quaresma is usually positioned as an attacking winger.

Club career

Ricardo Quaresma's style of play can be defined as one with speed, grace, toughness, and often plays a free role on the pitch. Initially nicknamed "The Mustang (horse)" by former Sporting Clube de Portugal coach Laszlo Bölöni, Ricardo Quaresma nickname in Portuguese is "Cigano", which literally translates from Portuguese language into "Gypsy".

Quaresma is regularly compared to fellow Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo for the similarities both possess in terms of their speed and dribbling abilities, as well as their style of play. Ricardo Quaresma also specialized the "Trivela" shooting technique, which is Ricardo Quaresma ability to swerve and bend the ball perfectly with the outside of Ricardo Quaresma boot when executing crosses, free kicks, and long shots. Ricardo Quaresma is known for Ricardo Quaresma rabonas and trivelas.

At a young age, Quaresma was ranked higher in the pecking order than Ronaldo. Portuguese national manager Carlos Queiroz once stated that Manchester United F.C. had the opportunity to sign Quaresma but opted for Ronaldo.

Sporting CP

While a trainee at Sporting's famed academy, Ricardo Quaresma made Ricardo Quaresma professional debut during the 2000-01 in Portuguese football playing 15 games for the B Team. In the 2001-02 in Portuguese football, Ricardo Quaresma was promoted to the senior squad by then club manager Laszlo Bölöni, playing 28 matches and scoring three goals and was a key player in Sporting's league and cup double triumph.

2002-03 in Portuguese football was a poor season for Sporting, finishing 3rd in the league, which prompted speculation about Quaresma's future at the club.

FC Barcelona

Quaresma was then sold to FC Barcelona for €6 million. Ricardo Quaresma stint with the Catalonia side could be best described as luckless. In Ricardo Quaresma La Liga 2003–04, Ricardo Quaresma made 10 starts and 11 substitute appearances, scoring only one goal. In the final weeks of the season, Ricardo Quaresma injured Ricardo Quaresma right foot badly, forcing Ricardo Quaresma to miss the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

During UEFA Euro 2004, Ricardo Quaresma announced Ricardo Quaresma refusal to play for Barça as long as Frank Rijkaard was in charge, incurring the interest of many other clubs.

Porto

Quaresma signed for F.C. Porto in the summer of 2004 for a fee of €6 million, with Deco going the other way to Barça.

Quaresma started Ricardo Quaresma campaign with Porto on a high note, scoring in Ricardo Quaresma debut game in the 2004 UEFA Super Cup and netting the only goal in Porto's triumph against S.L. Benfica in the SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira. Ricardo Quaresma went on to score five goals in 32 league matches and was ever-present in Porto's run to the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League 2004-05. Ricardo Quaresma also contributed to Porto's dramatic win against Once Caldas in the Intercontinental Cup (football), scoring in a thrilling penalty shoot-out which ended 8-7 in Porto's favour.

Quaresma was heavily criticised during Ricardo Quaresma first year with Porto for being selfish and frequently trying to dribble past defenders rather than making a simple pass. However, Ricardo Quaresma gradually began to incorporate Ricardo Quaresma teammates into the game, and by Ricardo Quaresma third year with Porto, Ricardo Quaresma had become a fan favorite and a key component of the squad. Ricardo Quaresma sublime performances in both the Portuguese Liga and the UEFA Champions League drew interest from various clubs, and despite having a contract with Porto running until 2011, Ricardo Quaresma soon found himself being transferred to a major club for the second time in Ricardo Quaresma career.

Internazionale

On 1 September 2008, Quaresma signed for Italian champions F.C. Internazionale Milano on a reported cash/player exchange fee of €18.6 million with young Portuguese midfielder Vítor Hugo Gomes Passos joining Porto.
Ricardo Quaresma played Ricardo Quaresma first game for the club in a friendly against FC Locarno, playing on the left wing. The game ended 2-2, and Quaresma was voted Man of the Match following an impressive performance.

Ricardo Quaresma was decisive in Ricardo Quaresma first Serie A match against Catania Calcio, with one of Ricardo Quaresma trademark Trivelas resulting in a Giuseppe Mascara own goal. The game finished 2-1 for Inter.

However, Quaresma has since found opportunities in the Inter XI limited as Inter boss José Mourinho stated: "Ricardo Quaresma is a great talent, but the joy I have at seeing the way Ibra Zlatan Ibrahimović works for and with the team I do not yet have with Quaresma. Ricardo Quaresma will have to learn, otherwise Ricardo Quaresma won’t play, and I am sure he'll change and become more tactically disciplined. Ricardo Quaresma likes kicking the ball with the outside of Ricardo Quaresma foot, but if you ask me about Ricardo Quaresma in a few months' time, we'll be talking about a different Quaresma."

Chelsea

Quaresma's omission from Inter's squad for the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League 2008-09 led to speculation of Ricardo Quaresma leaving the club. On 2 February 2009, Transfer window, Ricardo Quaresma signed on loan for Premiership club Chelsea F.C., José Mourinho's former club until the end of the season. Ricardo Quaresma was given the number 18 shirt. On 7 February, Ricardo Quaresma made Ricardo Quaresma debut for Chelsea against Hull City F.C.. Quaresma was mostly been used as a substitute, making noticeable contributions, including providing the cross for Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa to score against Coventry City F.C.. After a disappointing start to life at the San Siro, Quaresma claimed Ricardo Quaresma move to Chelsea had restored Ricardo Quaresma confidence after Ricardo Quaresma struggled to impress José Mourinho at Inter. The 25-year-old Portuguese international told The Star on 29 March 2009: "When I was at Inter, I wasn't feeling very confident. I wasn't playing well and wasn't happy, I already feel more confident here at Chelsea. It has brought the joy back for me, which I didn't have at Inter." Subsequently, with Guus Hiddink's temporary position as Chelsea manager, Quaresma found it hard to find space in the Chelsea line-up and returned to F.C. Internazionale Milano at the end of Ricardo Quaresma loan.

Return to Internazionale

Ricardo Quaresma returned to Inter Milan after Ricardo Quaresma loan at Chelsea F.C. ended.. With the retirement of Figo, Quaresma inherited the 7, and Jose Mourinho has vowed to give Quaresma another chance for the new season..

International career

A UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship winner with Portugal in 2000, Ricardo Quaresma made Ricardo Quaresma full international debut for the Portuguese national football team in June 2003, in a friendly against Bolivia national football team.

Poor form during Ricardo Quaresma time with FC Barcelona and an injury prevented Quaresma from taking part in the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, UEFA Euro 2004 and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. However, sparkling displays with F.C. Porto won Ricardo Quaresma a role in Portugal's 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign and the winger helped Ricardo Quaresma country to a vital 2-0 win against Slovakia national football team. However, Quaresma was left out of the 23-man squad named by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to represent Portugal in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Ricardo Quaresma was later called up to play in a friendly game against Brazil national football team at the Emirates Stadium, where Portugal won 2-0. Quaresma provided two assists and was named Man of the Match. On 24 March 2007, Quaresma scored Ricardo Quaresma first goal for the national team in Portugal's 4-0 win in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group A against Belgium national football team. Ricardo Quaresma was also a member of the 23-man squad for Portugal in UEFA Euro 2008. Ricardo appeared sparingly for Scolari's Portugal during the tournament, but Ricardo Quaresma did start in the Portugal secondary team in a 3rd group stage match, a 2-0 loss to host nation Switzerland national football team where nine of the 11 regular team starters were rested.