Paulo Ferreira
From TheChels.info - The Chelsea Football Club Wiki
| Paulo Ferreira | |
| |
| Full Name | Paulo Renato Rebocho Ferreira |
| Date of Birth | 18 January 1979 |
| Place of Birth | Cascais, Portugal |
| Position | Full back |
| Chelsea career | 2004 - 2013 |
| Debut | 15 August 2004 |
| Games (goals) | 217 (2) |
| Other clubs | Estoril-Praia Vitória de Setúbal Porto |
Paulo Renato Rebocho Ferreira (born 18 January 1979 in Cascais, Portugal) is a Portuguese international full back who played for Chelsea from 2004-2013. Primarily a right back, he was also very occasionally used at left back and in central defence. An unspectacular but consistent performer, Ferreira was once described by José Mourinho as "a player who will never be man of the match but will always score 7/10 for his individual display". His time at Chelsea coincided with the most successful period in the club's history to date. Ferreira won nine major honours with the Blues, including three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, the League Cup and both major European trophies.
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Before Chelsea
Ferreira started his career in the Portuguese second division for Estoril-Praia. He then moved to Vitória de Setúbal at the start of the 2000-01 season. Following excellent performances in the Portuguese first division, he moved to FC Porto in the summer of 2002, signed by then-coach José Mourinho. Ferreira was previously a right-side midfielder Mourinho coverted the young player into a right back at Porto. The following season, he won the League and Cup double, and the UEFA Cup following victory over Celtic in Seville. The next season brought another Portuguese Liga title, and he played every minute of Porto's victorious UEFA Champions League campaign.
Chelsea career
In 2004, José Mourinho left Portugal to become Chelsea manager, and signed Ferreira for £13.2 million from his former club, with fellow Porto defender Ricardo Carvalho also joining the Blues. Ferreira impressed greatly in his debut season, playing 29 Premier League matches before injury ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign [1], with Chelsea going on to win the league for the first time in 50 years. He continued his fine form into the following campaign, making 32 appearances, among which he scored his first Chelsea goal in the 3-1 victory over Colchester United in the FA Cup fourth round. He won his second Premier League winners' medal as Chelsea retained the league title.
Despite becoming a regular on the manager's team sheet, Ferreira suffered from a lack of confidence in the 2006-07 season and eventually lost his place first to Khalid Boulahrouz, and then to midfielder Geremi. The emergence of young French midfielder Lassana Diarra further reduced the playing time for Ferreira, as Mourinho saw it fit to play the French international in the full back position. However, Ferreira did play the full 120 minutes of Chelsea's 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester United.
Following Mourinho's departure, he was the second choice right back for Chelsea during the 2007-08 season, behind Michael Essien and Juliano Belletti under Avram Grant. When played, Ferreira was his usual consistent self, putting in unspectacular, workman-like performances. Ferreira signed a new five-year deal with Chelsea on 18 February 2008 [2], which would keep him at the club until 2013. He suffered an injury late in the 2008-09 season, one game short of his 100th Premier League appearance.
Ferreira returned to the Chelsea side for a League Cup match against west London rivals Queens Park Rangers on 23 September 2009. In December 2009, he scored just his second ever Chelsea goal, a late equaliser in extra-time in the League Cup quarter-final against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the dying moments, however, Chelsea went on to lose on penalties. Following injuries to full backs Ashley Cole, José Bosingwa and Branislav Ivanovic during the 2009-10 season, Ferreria went on to make a total of 20 appearances, including the 7-1 win against Aston Villa and the crucial 2-1 victory against Manchester United. His 13 Premier League appearances earned Ferreira his third Premier League winners medal, and as an unused substitute for the 2010 FA Cup Final he earned his second FA Cup winners' medal, having missed out in 2009.
Ferreria was by now very much a squad player, but with Branislav Ivanović suffering injury problems at the beginning of the 2010-11 season, and José Bosingwa still to return from a long term injury, Ferreira appeared for Chelsea at right back in the opening four games of the season, including one substitute appearance. He went on to make 28 appearances during the season, continuing to provide able cover in defence. Ferreira made considerably fewer appearances during the 2011-12 season, making five starts and four substitute appearances over the course of the campaign. He was also an unused substitute on twenty occasions, including the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals, earning winners' medals in both.
The 2012-13 season would be Ferreira's last at the club, and fittingly it would end with silverware. The Portuguese defender made seven appearances over the course of the season, most as a substitute, but his popularity with the players and fans was clear as his long spell at Stamford Bridge drew to a close. Having picked up a ninth major honour in a Chelsea shirt as an unused substitute in the UEFA Europa League Final, he made a final appearance as a substitute on the final day of the season; a 2-1 win over Everton, a match during which his name was periodically chanted throughout, and thanked the fans and his team mates on the pitch after the match.
International
Having accumulated 27 caps for Portugal U-21s, Ferreira represented Portugal 62 times before announcing his international retirement on 30 August 2010, having appeared in Euro 2004 and 2008, and the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals.
Career statistics
| Season | Prem | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| 2004-05 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| 2005-06 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 |
| 2006-07 | 24 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| 2007-08 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| 2008-09 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2009-10 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| 2010-11 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| 2011-12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2012-13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | 141 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 217 | 2 |
Goals
| # | Season | Date | Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Result | Venue |
| 1 | 2005-06 | 19 February | 2006 | FA Cup | Colchester United | 1-1 | 3-1 | Stamford Bridge |
| 2 | 2009-10 | 02 February | 2010 | League Cup | Blackburn Rovers | 3-3 | 3-3 | Ewood Park |
Career honours
Porto
- Portuguese Liga: 2002-03, 2003-04
- Taça de Portugal: 2003
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2003, 2004
- UEFA Champions League: 2004
- UEFA Cup: 2003
