Fernando Couto

Fernando Manuel Silva Couto (fɨɾˈnɐ̃du ˈkotu; born 2 August 1969) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a centre back.

During a 21-year professional career, he played in a number of top clubs in Portugal, Spain and Italy (12 seasons in the latter country), appearing in nearly 600 competitive matches and winning the double in each country, as well as three UEFA trophies.

At international level, Couto represented the Portugal national team in 110 games, taking part in the 2002 World Cup as well as three European Championships.

Club career

Born in Espinho near Porto, Couto joined FC Porto's youth system at the age of 17. On 2 June 1988, he made his first-team – and Primeira Liga – debut, playing 90 minutes in a 1–0 away win against Académica de Coimbra in what would be his only appearance of the season for the national champions. He was then released, spending one year apiece with F.C. Famalicão and Académica.

Couto returned to Porto in 1990, being an instrumental defensive unit in the conquest of six titles during his four-year spell. He subsequently moved to Italy with Parma AC, scoring a career-best four goals in 27 games in his first season and adding the campaign's UEFA Cup, in a 2–1 aggregate victory over fellow Serie A side Juventus FC^[1][2]

In summer 1996, Couto signed a four-year deal with FC Barcelona, moving alongside former Porto teammate Vítor Baía and English manager Bobby Robson as Luís Figo was also playing for the La Liga club.^[3] Regularly used during his early stint, he was less played by the next coach Louis van Gaal, but managed to appear in one of the two European finals the Catalans won, the 1996–97 edition of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.^[4]

After two seasons at the Camp Nou, Couto left Barça and joined Rome's SS Lazio in late June 1998 as teammate Iván de la Peña.^[5] He appeared in 22 matches in his first year to help his team to the second place in the league, and featured one minute in the final of the last Cup Winners' Cup, in a 2–1 win against RCD Mallorca at the Villa Park in Birmingham.^[6]

In 2001, Couto failed a doping test for the steroid nandrolone. He denied having taken forbidden substances, but his "B" test confirmed the finding and he eventually served four months out of a nine-month worldwide ban for the offence.^[7] He continued to appear regularly for Lazio in the following seasons.

In 2005, aged 36, Couto returned to Parma after 11 years as Lazio was unable to match his wage demands for a contract renewal. After two seasons of regular use he played just 17 matches in 2007–08, with the Emilia-Romagna side also suffering top-flight relegation; as his contract expired, he decided to retire from football.

In June 2010, two years after his retirement, Couto was named general manager at S.C. Braga.^[8] He was appointed the club's assistant manager for the 2012–13 campaign,^[9] leaving in February 2014.^[10]

International career

As a member of Famalicão in the third division, Couto appeared in four matches as Portugal won the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship,^[11] being part of a group of players dubbed the "Golden Generation" of Portuguese football. He made his debut for the senior team on 19 December 1990, in a friendly with the United States played in Maia (1–0 win).

Always as first choice, Couto represented the nation at UEFA Euro 1996^[12]– scoring the game's only goal for the eventual quarter-finalists in a group stage fixture against Turkey^[13]– Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, partnering former Porto teammate Jorge Costa in the last two tournaments, the latter of which ended in group stage exit.

Couto became the first Portuguese player to reach 100 caps (in a total of 110) on 11 October 2003, in a 5–3 friendly defeat of Albania.^[14] He was selected as captain for Euro 2004, which was played on home soil,^[15] starting in the first game against Greece but eventually being relegated to the bench by Ricardo Carvalho;^[16][17] Portugal went on to reach the final of the tournament, in which the team suffered a defeat against the same opponent.^[18]

Style of play

Considered as one of the greatest Portuguese defenders ever, Couto usually played as a centre-back in zonal-marking system during his time with Porto, where he earned a reputation for being a tough and physical defender, with an aggressive and hard-tackling playing style. He was also known for his ability in the air, as well as his capacity to start quick attacking plays after winning back the ball. During his time in Italy, he also adapted himself to different tactical systems; under his Parma manager Nevio Scala, he featured as a man-marking centre-back – or stopper – on occasion, or even as a sweeper behind the back-line.^[19][20]

Career statistics

Club

1. ^ Includes the Supercoppa Italiana, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and UEFA Super Cup

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Couto goal.

Honours

Porto

• Primeira Divisão: 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93
• Taça de Portugal: 1990–91, 1993–94
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1991, 1993

Parma

• UEFA Cup: 1994–95^[1]

Barcelona

• La Liga: 1997–98
• Copa del Rey: 1996–97, 1997–98
• Supercopa de España: 1996
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
• UEFA Super Cup: 1997

Lazio

• Serie A: 1999–2000
• Coppa Italia: 1999–2000, 2003–04
• Supercoppa Italiana: 1998, 2000
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99
• UEFA Super Cup: 1999

Portugal U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1989^[11]

Portugal

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2004^[15]

Orders

• Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)

See also

• List of footballers with 100 or more caps
• List of doping cases in sport

References

1. ^ Mocciaro, Gaetano (17 May 2018). "17 maggio 1995, il Parma vince la Coppa UEFA battendo in finale la Juve" [17 May 1995, Parma win UEFA Cup beating Juve in the final] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
2. ^ Ruggiero, Michele (18 May 1995). "Il Parma si rifà in Europa" [Parma redeem themselves in Europe] (in Italian). L'Unità. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2002.
3. ^ "El Barça ficha al defensa portugués Fernando Couto por cuatro años" [Barça sign Portuguese defender Fernando Couto for four years] (in Spanish). El País. 23 August 1996. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
4. ^ Campos, Ciro (10 April 2013). "Depois de 16 anos, PSG tem chance de revanche contra o" [16 years later, PSG have a chance at revenge against Barcelona] (in Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
5. ^ "Lazio: presi De la Pena e Couto. Inter: Torricelli e' vicino" [Lazio: De la Pena and Couto acquired. Inter: Torricelli almost done] (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 25 June 1998. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
6. ^ Segurola, Santiago (20 May 1999). "El Mallorca pierde con orgullo" [Mallorca lose proudly] (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
7. ^ "Davids and Couto hit with FIFA bans". The Daily Telegraph. 31 May 2001. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
8. ^ "Fernando Couto é manager do SC Braga" [Fernando Couto is SC Braga manager] (in Portuguese). SC Braga. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
9. ^ "Fernando Couto adjunto de Peseiro" [Fernando Couto Peseiro's assistant] (in Portuguese). Record. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
10. ^ "Sp. Braga confirma nova equipa técnica sem Fernando Couto" [Sp. Braga confirm new technical staff without Fernando Couto] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
11. ^ Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo (3 March 2014). "Riade, 25 anos: como foi e onde estão os campeões" [Riyadh, 25 years ago: how did it go and where are the champions] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
12. ^ Hodgson, Guy (1 June 1996). "The rising force in Europe counting on their foreign legion; CHAMPIONSHIP COUNTDOWN: No 9 Portugal". The Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
13. ^ "Portugal get just reward against Turkey". UEFA. 6 October 2003. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
14. ^ Breda, Rui (13 October 2003). "Century and counting for Couto". UEFA. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
15. ^ Fernandes, Nuno (11 June 2019). "15 anos depois do Euro2004 Ronaldo continua em grande. E os outros 22 onde param?" [15 years after Euro2004 Ronaldo is still at the top. And what of the other 22?] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
16. ^ Pierrend, José Luis. "Fernando Manuel Silva Couto – Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
17. ^ "Chelsea land Carvalho". BBC Sport. 28 July 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
18. ^ Szreter, Adam (4 July 2004). "Greece kings of Europe". UEFA. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
19. ^ "Couto a testa alta 'Mi rispetterete'" [Couto with his head held up high 'You will respect me'] (in Italian). La Repubblica. 27 July 1994. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
20. ^ Egidio, Giovanni (14 February 1995). "Grun o Brolin | Se la classe è penalizzata" [Grun or Brolin | If class is penalised] (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
21. ^
22. ^ "Fernando Manuel Silva Couto" (in Italian). Lega Serie A. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
23. ^ "Fernando Couto". European Football. Retrieved 7 October 2015.

External links

• PortuGOAL profile Archived 18 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• Parma official profile 30 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine