Pedro Pacheco (soccer, born 1984)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Pedro Pacheco

| image =

| fullname = Pedro Miguel Salgadinho Pacheco de Melo{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/p-pacheco/santa-clara/1602-63-18822|title=P. Pacheco|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|access-date=25 March 2020}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|6|27|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ponta Delgada, Portugal

| height = {{convert|1.79|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Defensive midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1995–2001

| youthyears2 = 2002

| youthclubs1 = Santa Clara

| youthclubs2 = Vitória Pico

| years1 = 2002–2003

| years2 = 2003–2004

| years3 = 2004–2005

| years4 = 2005–2007

| years5 = 2007–2009

| years6 = 2009–2010

| years7 = 2010–2019

| years8 = 2019–2020

| years9 = 2020–2021

| years10 = 2021–2023

| clubs1 = Vitória Pico

| clubs2 = Santa Clara

| clubs3 = Lusitânia

| clubs4 = Operário

| clubs5 = Santa Clara

| clubs6 = Nacional

| clubs7 = Santa Clara

| clubs8 = Ideal

| clubs9 = Rabo de Peixe

| clubs10 = Micaelense

| caps1 = 23

| caps2 = 2

| caps3 = 35

| caps4 = 47

| caps5 = 44

| caps6 = 5

| caps7 = 274

| caps8 = 23

| caps9 = 19

| caps10 = 26

| totalcaps = 498

| goals1 = 4

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 3

| goals4 = 5

| goals5 = 1

| goals6 = 0

| goals7 = 18

| goals8 = 3

| goals9 = 0

| goals10 = 4

| totalgoals = 38

| nationalteam1 = Canada

| nationalyears1 = 2010–2014

| nationalcaps1 = 18

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update =

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Pedro Miguel Salgadinho Pacheco de Melo (born 27 June 1984), known as Pacheco, is a former professional soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder.

He played 312 games in the Segunda Liga over 11 seasons, mainly at the service of Santa Clara (19 goals). In the Primeira Liga, he appeared for that club as well as Nacional.

Born in Portugal, Pacheco was a Canadian international, earning 18 caps in four years.

Club career

Born in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island, Azores to Portuguese parents, Pacheco began his senior career in the regional leagues, playing with Vitória Pico da Pedra. In the following year he moved to arguably the biggest club in the territory, C.D. Santa Clara, but appeared in only two Segunda Liga matches in the 2003–04 campaign.

After three seasons in the third division with two sides from his native region (S.C. Lusitânia and CD Operário), Pacheco returned to Santa Clara who still competed in the second tier,{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-betclic/santa-clara/detalhe/pedro-pacheco-garantido|title=Pedro Pacheco garantido|trans-title=Pedro Pacheco confirmed|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=9 June 2007|access-date=7 February 2025}} and began featuring regularly for the first team, starting a total of 26 games over the course of two seasons.

In the last minute of the 2009 August transfer window, Pacheco moved to the island of Madeira, signing with C.D. Nacional. He made his Primeira Liga debut on 5 October, playing one minute in the 2–0 home win against Vitória de Guimarães,{{cite news|url=http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/v--guimaraes/detalhe/nacional-guimaraes-2-0--edgar-9-gp-26-gp.html|title=Nacional-Guimarães, 2–0 (Edgar 9' G.P., 26' G.P.)|trans-title=Nacional-Guimarães, 2–0 (Edgar 9' P.K., 26' P.K.)|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=5 October 2009|access-date=28 September 2017}} but could only make eight competitive appearances in his first year (two in the Taça da Liga and one in the UEFA Europa League – 15 minutes of the 5–1 home victory over FK Austria Wien in the group stage).{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01e0-0e738ebc424f-fe315e1533c0-1000--nacional-blow-lightweight-austria-away/|title=Nacional blow lightweight Austria away|publisher=UEFA|date=16 December 2009|access-date=6 April 2022}}

Pacheco returned to Santa Clara in the summer of 2010, being immediately appointed captain by manager Bruno Moura.{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-bwin/santa-clara/detalhe/pedro-pacheco-e-o-capitao-455648|title=Pedro Pacheco é o capitão|trans-title=Pedro Pacheco is the captain|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=5 August 2010|access-date=6 April 2022}} In early June 2013, after finishing the second-division campaign with four goals in 37 games, he signed a contract extension with the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/06/11/canadian-exports-will-ex-houston-dynamo-defender-andre-hainault-extend-his-s|title=Canadian exports: Will ex-Houston Dynamo defender Andre Hainault extend his stay in Scotland?|publisher=Major League Soccer|first=Gavin|last=Day|date=11 June 2013|access-date=30 June 2013}}

In August 2019, after nine years at the Estádio de São Miguel, the 35-year-old Pacheco left and joined S.C. Ideal of the Portuguese third tier.{{cite web|url=https://tvi24.iol.pt/pedro-pacheco/14-08-2019/historico-do-santa-clara-deixa-o-clube|title=Histórico do Santa Clara deixa o clube|trans-title=Santa Clara historic leaves the club|publisher=TVI 24|language=pt|date=14 August 2019|access-date=15 August 2019}} He spent the following season with C.D. Rabo de Peixe in the same league.{{cite web|url=https://www.futebol365.pt/artigo/231146-mercado-antigo-capitao-do-santa-clara-assina-pelo-rabo-de-peixe/|title=Mercado: Antigo capitão do Santa Clara assina pelo Rabo de Peixe|trans-title=Market: Former Santa Clara captain signs for Rabo de Peixe|publisher=Futebol 365|first=Henrique|last=Linhares|language=pt|date=18 May 2020|access-date=7 February 2025}}

International career

Pacheco opted to represent Canada internationally, as he lived there as a child. On 14 May 2010, he was picked for the friendlies against Argentina and Venezuela;{{cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/news/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=4253|title=La sélection de joueurs pour les matchs en Amérique du Sud voit le grand jour|trans-title=Player selection for matches in South America finally unveiled|publisher=Canadian Soccer Association|language=fr|date=14 May 2010|access-date=28 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924153106/http://canadasoccer.com/news/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=4253|archive-date=24 September 2010}} after playing six minutes from the bench in the first game (a 5–0 loss),{{cite news|url=https://as.com/futbol/2010/05/24/mas_futbol/1274652070_850215.html|title=Argentina 5 Canadá 0|trans-title=Argentina 5 Canada 0|newspaper=Diario AS|language=es|date=24 May 2010|access-date=28 September 2017}} he started on the 1–1 draw on the 29th.{{cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/le-canada-marque-un-but-la-derni-re-minute-possible-contre-le-venezuela-p145944|title=Canada claims point with last-minute goal in South America|publisher=Canadian Soccer Association|date=29 May 2010|access-date=28 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rtp.pt/acores/desporto/pacheco-concretiza-sonho-e-convence-critica_15236#|title=Pacheco concretiza sonho e convence crítica|trans-title=Pacheco fulfills dream and convinces critics|publisher=RTP Açores|first=Acácio|last=Mateus|language=pt|date=1 June 2010|access-date=28 September 2017}}

On 27 June 2013, Pacheco was listed as part of the confirmed 23-man squad for Colin Miller's Canada squad for that year's CONCACAF Gold Cup, making it his second consecutive tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-finalizes-roster-for-gold-cup-announces-friendly--p154281|title=Canada finalizes roster for Gold Cup, announces friendly|publisher=Canadian Soccer Association|date=27 June 2013|access-date=30 June 2013}}