João_Pica
João Pica
Portuguese footballer (born 1986)
João Miguel Passos Manuel Pica (born 8 April 1986) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for AD Castro Daire as a central defender.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | João Miguel Passos Manuel Pica[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-04-08) 8 April 1986 (age 38)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Moura, Portugal[1] | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Castro Daire | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–2003 | Moura | ||
| 2003–2004 | Desportivo Beja | ||
| 2004–2005 | Vitória Setúbal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2007 | Vitória Setúbal B | 3 | (0) |
| 2007 | Elvas | ||
| 2008–2009 | Ribeirão | 43 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Varzim | 21 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Moreirense | 16 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | → Tondela (loan) | 26 | (2) |
| 2012–2017 | Tondela | 103 | (6) |
| 2017–2022 | Académico Viseu | 81 | (2) |
| 2022– | Castro Daire | 19 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:32, 25 November 2023 (UTC) | |||
Pica was born in Moura, Alentejo. Until the age of 23, he alternated between the third and fourth divisions of Portuguese football, representing Vitória de Setúbal B, O Elvas C.A.D. and G.D. Ribeirão.
In the summer of 2009, Pica signed for Segunda Liga club Varzim S.C. and, on 8 August, made his professional debut in a 1–0 home win against C.D. Fátima in the first round of the Taça da Liga.[2] In January 2011, he moved to fellow league side Moreirense FC.[3]
In June 2012, after spending one season with C.D. Tondela in division three on loan, Pica agreed to a permanent deal after helping to promotion to the second tier. In the 2014–15 campaign, he contributed 19 games and one goal[4] as his team reached the Primeira Liga for the first time in their history[5] and, subsequently, renewed his expiring contract for a further year.[6]
Pica played his first match in the top flight on 20 December 2015, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–3 home loss to Vitória de Setúbal.[7][8] Initially fourth or fifth-choice stopper, he was an everpresent figure in the season's final stretch,[9] scoring three goals in seven games as Tondela avoided relegation in the last matchday.[10][11][12]
On 27 June 2017, Pica joined Académico de Viseu F.C. of the second division.[13]
- "Varzim 1–0 Fátima" (in Portuguese). SAPO. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- "Reforço Pica estreia-se nos convocados" [Addition Pica makes squad for the first time]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 January 2011. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
- "Tondela-Chaves, 2–2: Empate adia decisões para a última jornada" [Tondela-Chaves, 2–2: Draw postpones decisions to last round]. Record (in Portuguese). 17 May 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Freamunde-Tondela, 1–1: Golo nos descontos carimbou subida" [Freamunde-Tondela, 1–1: Injury time goal sealed promotion]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 May 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
- "João Pica renova por mais um ano" [João Pica renews for one more year]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 June 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- "Petit estreia Pica e Jaquité na receção ao Vitória de Setúbal" [Petit hands debuts to Pica and Jaquité in reception to Vitória de Setúbal]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 20 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- "Não há quem marque penaltis" [No penalty scorers]. O Beirão (in Portuguese). 21 December 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- Barros, Carlos José (4 April 2016). "«Dragões» dizem adeus ao titulo ao perder com último" ["Dragons" say goodbye to title after losing to bottom-placed] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- Esteves, Adérito (20 March 2016). "Pica: «O golo foi uma alegria enorme, mas podia ter sido mais cedo»" [Pica: "Goal was an incredible joy, but it could have come sooner"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- Esteves, Adérito (26 April 2016). "Pica fechou as «linhas aéreas» na revolução de abril do Tondela" [Pica closed "airlines" in Tondela's April revolution] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- "Rio Ave na Europa, Tondela assegura permanência" [Rio Ave in Europe, Tondela confirm survival] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- "Pica é reforço" [Pica is addition]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 June 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
