António Lima Pereira

{{Infobox football biography

| name = António Lima Pereira

| image =

| fullname = António José Lima Pereira

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1952|2|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|1|22|1952|2|1|df=yes}}

| death_place = Portugal

| height = 1.87 m

| position = Centre-back

| youthyears1 = 1968–1971 | youthclubs1 = Varzim

| years1 = 1971–1978 | clubs1 = Varzim | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1978–1989 | clubs2 = Porto | caps2 = 187 | goals2 = 8

| years3 = 1989–1991 | clubs3 = Maia | caps3 = 38 | goals3 = 2

| totalcaps = 225 | totalgoals = 10

| nationalyears1 = 1981–1985 | nationalteam1 = Portugal | nationalcaps1 = 20 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}

{{medal|Country|{{fb|POR}}}}

}}

António José Lima Pereira (1 February 1952 – 22 January 2022) was a Portuguese footballer who played as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Póvoa de Varzim, Lima Pereira started playing professionally with his hometown club Varzim, making his Primeira Liga debut in the 1976–77 season at the age of 24. Two years later he signed for Porto, where he would remain the following 11 campaigns.{{cite news|url=https://ominho.pt/morreu-lima-pereira-campeao-europeu-pelo-fc-porto/|title=Morreu Lima Pereira, campeão europeu pelo FC Porto|trans-title=Death of Lima Pereira, European champion for FC Porto|newspaper=O Minho|language=pt|date=22 January 2022|access-date=23 January 2022}}

Lima Pereira appeared in 265 competitive games during his spell at the Estádio das Antas, winning four national championships, two domestic cups and four Supercups. He also reached the final of the 1983–84 European Cup Winners' Cup as his team lost to Juventus 2–1.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/geral/09-10-2001/f-c-porto-juventus-o-registo-da-final-de-ha-17-anos|title=F.C. Porto-Juventus: o registo da final de há 17 anos|trans-title=F.C. Porto-Juventus: records of the final held 17 years ago|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=9 October 2001|access-date=24 January 2022}} Aged already 34/35, he was also part of their victorious campaign in the European Cup in 1986–87, although he did not play the decisive match against Bayern Munich due to injury.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/ausencias/fc-porto/baixas-em-viena-fraturei-a-tibia-e-o-peronio-mas-marquei-golo|title=Baixas em Viena: "Fraturei a tíbia e o perónio, mas marquei golo"|trans-title=Out for Vienna: "I fractured both the tibia and the fibula, but I scored"|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro Jorge|last=Da Cunha|language=pt|date=27 May 2017|access-date=24 January 2022}}

In 1989, Lima Pereira left Porto and joined another northern side, Maia of Segunda Liga,{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/crise-no-fc-porto/eduardo-luis/1988-89-fc-porto-sem-trofeus-e-dez-campeoes-europeus-a-chorar|title=1988/89: FC Porto sem troféus e dez campeões europeus a chorar|trans-title=1988/89: FC Porto without trophies and ten European champions crying|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro Jorge|last=Da Cunha|language=pt|date=28 April 2014|access-date=11 May 2016}} retiring after two seasons at 39.

International career

Lima Pereira won 20 caps for Portugal, the first arriving in 1981 at the age of 29. He was a participant at UEFA Euro 1984, helping the national team to reach the semi-finals in France.{{cite web|url=https://pt.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7b39da609a-09bc665112af-1000--platini-faz-a-diferenca-em-meia-final-de-sonho-no-euro-1984/|title=Platini faz a diferença em meia-final de sonho|trans-title=Platini makes the difference in dream semi-final|publisher=UEFA|language=pt|date=4 October 2003|access-date=18 April 2017}}

Personal life and death

Lima Pereira's younger brothers, António (born 1966) and Paulo (1967), were also professional footballers and defenders. Both started their careers at Varzim, and their second main clubs were Felgueiras and Rio Ave, amassing top-division totals of 33 and 113 matches respectively.{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/futebol-nacional/interior/amp/academico-de-felgueiras-o-herdeiro-que-emergiu-da-crise-1219848.html|title=Académico de Felgueiras, o 'herdeiro' que emergiu da crise|trans-title=Académico de Felgueiras, the 'heir' who emerged from the crisis|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|first=José Pedro|last=Gomes|language=pt|date=3 May 2009|access-date=18 April 2017}} His nephew Tiago also represented Varzim.{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/2--liga/cova-da-piedade/detalhe/nova-geografia-desafia-tiago-lima-pereira|title=Nova geografia desafia Tiago Lima Pereira|trans-title=New geography challenges Tiago Lima Pereira|newspaper=Record|first=Flávio Miguel|last=Silva|language=pt|date=23 June 2017|access-date=22 October 2019}}

On 22 January 2022, Lima Pereira died at the age of 69.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/selecao-nacional/morreu-o-antigo-defesa-internacional-lima-pereira-aos-69-anos_d1378812|title=Morreu o antigo defesa internacional Lima Pereira aos 69 anos|trans-title=Death of former international defender Lima Pereira at the age of 69|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|language=pt|date=22 January 2022|access-date=22 January 2022}}