Minervino Pietra

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Minervino Pietra

|image =

|full_name = Minervino José Lopes Pietra

|birth_date = {{birth date|1954|3|1|df=y}}

|birth_place = Lisbon, Portugal

|death_date = {{death date and age|2024|3|7|1954|3|1|df=y}}

|death_place = Portugal

|height = 1.72 m

|position = Right-back

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Belenenses

|years1 = 1971–1976

|clubs1 = Belenenses

|caps1 = 96

|goals1 = 9

|years2 = 1976–1987

|clubs2 = Benfica

|caps2 = 227

|goals2 = 19

|totalcaps = 323

|totalgoals = 28

|nationalyears1 = 1971

|nationalteam1 = Portugal U18

|nationalcaps1 = 2

|nationalgoals1 = 0

|nationalyears2 = 1973–1974

|nationalteam2 = Portugal U21

|nationalcaps2 = 4

|nationalgoals2 = 1

|nationalyears3 = 1973–1983

|nationalteam3 = Portugal

|nationalcaps3 = 28

|nationalgoals3 = 1

|manageryears1 = 1989–1990

|managerclubs1 = Boavista (assistant)

|manageryears2 = 1990–1992

|managerclubs2 = Alverca

|manageryears3 = 1992–1993

|managerclubs3 = Juventude Évora

|manageryears4 = 1994

|managerclubs4 = Boavista (assistant)

|manageryears5 = 1994–1996

|managerclubs5 = Belenenses (assistant)

|manageryears6 = 1996

|managerclubs6 = Boavista (assistant)

|manageryears7 = 1997–1998

|managerclubs7 = Alverca (assistant)

|manageryears8 = 1998–1999

|managerclubs8 = Estoril (assistant)

|manageryears9 = 1999–2000

|managerclubs9 = Estoril

|manageryears10 = 2000–2001

|managerclubs10 = Barreirense

|manageryears11 = 2009–2022

|managerclubs11 = Benfica (assistant)

}}

Minervino José Lopes Pietra (1 March 1954 – 7 March 2024) was a Portuguese footballer who played as a right-back.

He appeared in 323 Primeira Liga games over the course of 16 seasons, with Belenenses and Benfica (28 goals scored). Subsequently, he became a manager, working mainly as an assistant and having spells with both clubs.

Pietra was a Portugal international in the 70s and 80s.

Club career

Born in Lisbon, Pietra started his professional career with local C.F. Os Belenenses, making nearly 150 official appearances with the first team in his five-year Primeira Liga spell and scoring nine goals. In 1976 the 22-year-old signed for S.L. Benfica, where he would remain until his retirement.{{cite web|url=https://www.slbenfica.pt/pt-pt/agora/noticias/2017_2018/01/26/liga-nos-belenenses-benfica-um-campeao-raro-chamado-pietra|title=Belenenses-Benfica: um campeão raro chamado Pietra|trans-title=Belenenses-Benfica: a rare champion called Pietra|publisher=S.L. Benfica|first=João|last=Sanches|language=pt|date=26 January 2018|access-date=30 November 2023}}

With Benfica, Pietra won, always as an important defensive unit, the league in 1977, 1981, 1983 and 1984, adding five Taça de Portugal trophies. In 11 seasons he appeared in 320 games in all competitions, netting on 25 occasions; he also helped the club to the 1982–83 UEFA Cup final, lost to Belgium's R.S.C. Anderlecht (1–0 abroad, 1–1 at home).{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/final-liga-europa-1983-da-euforia-ao-choque|title=Final Liga Europa: 1983, da euforia ao choque|trans-title=Europa League final: 1983, from euphoria to shock|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=12 May 2013|access-date=30 November 2023}}

In the mid-1990s, Pietra began working as a manager, successively with Boavista FC, Belenenses, Benfica, F.C. Alverca (under his former Benfica teammate António Veloso, his fullback counterpart), F.C. Barreirense and G.D. Estoril Praia, the latter two as head coach. After nearly one decade out of the game he returned to Benfica in 2007, acting as match scout for two years then joining Jorge Jesus' coaching staff two years later, remaining with the side for several seasons in the latter capacity.{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/adjunto-do-benfica-suspenso-dez-dias-5538541.html|title=Adjunto do Benfica suspenso dez dias|trans-title=Ten-day suspension for Benfica assistant|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|language=pt|date=6 December 2016|access-date=30 November 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desportos/jorge-jesus-acredito-no-projeto-para-dar-ao-prestigio-internacional-ao-benfica-12491786.html|title=Jorge Jesus para "recuperar prestígio europeu", "jogar o triplo" e "arrasar"|trans-title=Jorge Jesus to "recover European prestige", "play three times more" and "crush"|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|first=Isaura|last=Almeida|language=pt|date=3 August 2020|access-date=30 November 2023}}

International career

Pietra earned 28 caps for Portugal,{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/geral/selecao/lista-completa-dos-internacionais-portugueses|title=Lista completa dos internacionais portugueses|trans-title=Complete list of Portuguese internationals|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=18 February 2004|access-date=30 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/port-recintlp.html|title=Portugal – Record International Players|publisher=RSSSF|first=José Luis|last=Pierrend|access-date=1 March 2010}} his first game being on 14 November 1973 in a 1–1 draw against Northern Ireland for the 1974 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, at the age of only 19. He appeared regularly the following years, but did not attend any major international tournament.

Pietra's last match was on 21 September 1983 in a 5–0 win over Finland for the UEFA Euro 1984 qualification stages. Portugal reached the finals in France, but he was overlooked for the squad that eventually finished third.

{{International goals header|ref=no|above=Minervino Pietra: International goals}}

{{Ig match

| n=1

| d1=14 October 1981

| st=Estádio da Luz (1954)| ci=Lisbon| co=Portugal

| o=Sweden

| sc=1–1

| fr=1–2

| comp=1982 World Cup qualification{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/selecao-nacional/portugal-com-saldo-negativo-mas-com-razoes-para-sorrir-frente-a-suecia_d689649|title=Portugal com saldo negativo, mas com razões para sorrir frente à Suécia|trans-title=Portugal with negative head-to-head, but with reasons to smile against Sweden|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|language=pt|date=21 October 2013|access-date=30 November 2023}}}}

Death

Pietra died on 7 March 2024, shortly after celebrating his 70th birthday.{{cite web|url=https://www.slbenfica.pt/pt-pt/agora/noticias/2024/03/07/clube-benfica-futebol-profundo-pesar-pelo-falecimento-de-minervino-pietra|title=Profundo pesar por Minervino Pietra|trans-title=Deep sorrow for Minervino Pietra|publisher=S.L. Benfica|language=pt|date=7 March 2024|access-date=8 March 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-betclic/benfica/detalhe/morreu-minervino-pietra|title=Morreu Minervino Pietra|trans-title=Minervino Pietra has died|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=7 March 2024|access-date=8 March 2024}}

Honours

Benfica

Primeira Divisão: 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84{{cite magazine|date=April–June 2017|title=Especial 'Tetra'|trans-title='Tetra' special edition|magazine=Mística|publisher=Impresa Publishing|language=pt|location=Portugal|issue=33|page=92|issn=3846-0823}}
Taça de Portugal (5){{cite magazine|date=May 2015|title=Bicampeões para a história|trans-title=Back-to-back champions for the ages|magazine=Visão|publisher=Impresa Publishing|language=pt|location=Portugal|page=54|issn=0872-3540}}
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (2)
Taça de Honra (2)