Sérgio Pinto (footballer, born 1980)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Sérgio Pinto

| image = Sergio-Pinto.jpg

| caption = Pinto with Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2014

| fullname = Sérgio Ricardo da Silva Pinto

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|10|16|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/sergio-pinto/levante/1927-7-22176|title=Sérgio Pinto|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=Portuguese|accessdate=11 October 2021}}

| birth_place = Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

| height = 1.76 m

| position = Winger

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1989–1993 | youthclubs1 = Porto

| youthyears2 = 1993–1995 | youthclubs2 = TuS Haltern

| youthyears3 = 1995–1999 | youthclubs3 = Schalke 04

| years1 = 1999–2004 | clubs1 = Schalke 04 | caps1 = 23 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2000–2004 | clubs2 = Schalke 04 II | caps2 = 87 | goals2 = 35

| years3 = 2004–2007 | clubs3 = Alemannia Aachen | caps3 = 87 | goals3 = 10

| years4 = 2007–2013 | clubs4 = Hannover 96 | caps4 = 160 | goals4 = 19

| years5 = 2013–2014 | clubs5 = Levante | caps5 = 18 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2014–2016 | clubs6 = Fortuna Düsseldorf | caps6 = 21 | goals6 = 1

| totalcaps = 396 | totalgoals = 65

}}

Sérgio Ricardo da Silva Pinto (born 16 October 1980) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a right winger.

Having spent more than one decade playing in Germany, mainly with Schalke 04 and Hannover 96, he possessed dual nationality. He amassed Bundesliga totals of 212 matches and 21 goals over ten seasons.{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/sergio-pinto-um-desconhecido-com-sete-anos-de-bundesliga|title=Sérgio Pinto: um desconhecido com sete anos de Bundesliga|trans-title=Sérgio Pinto: unknown with seven years of Bundesliga|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro Jorge|last=Da Cunha|language=Portuguese|date=7 April 2010|accessdate=11 October 2021}}

Club career

=Early years and Schalke=

Born in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto District, Pinto played four years with Porto's youth teams, moving to Germany at the age of 12 with his family and settling in the North Rhine-Westphalia town of Haltern am See. He then continued his football development at TuS Haltern.{{cite news|url=http://www.aachener-nachrichten.de/sport/alemannia-aachen/sergio-pinto-ein-bad-boy-auf-schmusekurs-1.362413|title=Sergio Pinto: Ein "Bad Boy" auf Schmusekurs|trans-title=Sergio Pinto: A "Bad Boy" is sweet-talking|newspaper=Aachener Zeitung|first=Benjamin|last=Jansen|language=German|date=1 October 2010|accessdate=9 October 2013}}

In 1999, Pinto made his Bundesliga debut with Schalke 04 after four years at the club as a youth, appearing twice for the first team in the 1999–2000 season, the first game being a 3–2 away loss against Bayer Leverkusen on 11 September. Most of his spell, however, was spent with the reserves, as he only took part in 21 matches more in four seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/sergio-pinto---slomkas-kleiner-giftzwerg-565236/artikel|title=Sergio Pinto – Slomkas kleiner Giftzwerg|trans-title=Sérgio Pinto – Slomka's little mischief|publisher=Kicker|first=Michael|last=Richter|language=German|date=28 February 2012|accessdate=28 October 2024}}

=Alemannia Aachen=

Pinto signed for Alemannia Aachen of the 2. Bundesliga for 2004–05, for a transfer fee of €125,000.{{cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/hecking-setzt-vorne-weiterhin-auf-meijer-315529/artikel|title=Hecking setzt vorne weiterhin auf Meijer|trans-title=Hecking still bets on Meijer in the offensive|publisher=Kicker|language=German|date=26 May 2005|accessdate=26 May 2012}} He totalled 58 league appearances in his first two years while scoring eight goals, achieving promotion in his second;{{cite web|url=https://www.11freunde.de/bundesliga/stern-des-nordens-a-0aa2bdf7-0004-0001-0000-000000415272|title=Stern des Nordens|trans-title=Star of the North|publisher=11 Freunde|first=Alex|last=Raack|language=German|date=25 August 2011|accessdate=28 October 2024}} on 25 November 2005, after helping to a 2–1 home win over SC Paderborn, he received the Tor des Monats (Goal of the Month) award from the ARD.{{cite web|url=http://www1.sportschau.de/sportschau_specials/tordesmonats/tor_des_monats/html/popup.php5?show=details&id=425&cb=chronik|title=November 2005|publisher=Sportschau|language=German|accessdate=23 December 2012}}

In the subsequent top-flight campaign, Pinto appeared regularly for the North Rhine-Westphalia side, netting in a 2–0 victory at Energie Cottbus on 10 March 2007,{{cite news|url=http://www.rp-online.de/sport/fussball/bundesliga/aachen-gewinnt-in-unterzahl-aid-1.1658511|title=Aachen gewinnt in Unterzahl|trans-title=Aachen win undermanned|newspaper=Rheinische Post|language=German|date=10 March 2007|accessdate=10 February 2014}} but the team eventually finished second-bottom and suffered relegation. In the ensuing summer, he reunited with former Aachen coach Dieter Hecking at Hannover 96, joining on a three-year contract that was previously agreed in February.{{cite news|url=https://rp-online.de/sport/fussball/bundesliga/pinto-folgt-hecking-nach-hannover_aid-11364661|title=Pinto folgt Hecking nach Hannover|trans-title=Pinto follows Hecking to Hannover|newspaper=Rheinische Post|language=German|date=5 February 2007|accessdate=28 October 2024}}

=Hannover 96=

File:Sergio Pinto P1010027.JPG in 2010]]

Pinto played his first official game for his new club on 11 August 2007, starting and being replaced in the second half of a 1–0 home loss against Hamburger SV.{{cite news|url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball/bundesliga/hannover-hamburg-0-1-benjamin-macht-den-erfolg-im-nordderby-perfekt-1461611.html|title=Benjamin macht den Erfolg im Nordderby perfekt|trans-title=Benjamin turns Northern derby success into a perfect affair|newspaper=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung|language=German|date=11 August 2007|accessdate=28 October 2024}} He contributed 31 games and five goals – notably in a 3–1 win over Bayern Munich also at the Niedersachsenstadion{{cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/hannover-gegen-bayern-2011-bundesliga-1013462/analyse|title=Krafts Patzer bremst die Bayern aus|trans-title=Kraft's blunder thwarts Bayern|publisher=Kicker|language=German|date=5 March 2011|accessdate=10 February 2014}}– in the 2010–11 season as Hannover finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League, where he netted twice from 14 appearances in a quarter-final exit.{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01f6-0e7a865d1d2c-d65c0d3d492d-1000--fck-leave-it-late-to-deny-hannover/|title=FCK leave it late to deny Hannover|publisher=UEFA|first=David|last=Sharp|date=20 October 2011|accessdate=28 October 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/de/match/77159/hannover-96-vs-standard-l%C3%BCttich/player-ratings|title=Einzelkritik Hannover 4:0 Lüttich – Abdellaoue hellwach, Kanu glücklos|trans-title=Individual review Hannover 4:0 Liége – Abdellaoue ebullient, Kanu luckless|publisher=Goal|language=German|date=15 March 2012|accessdate=10 February 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01fc-0e7da8e45ccc-57245c45f2ea-1000--atletico-edge-through-against-dogged-hannover/|title=Atlético edge through against dogged Hannover|publisher=UEFA|first=Andy|last=James|date=5 April 2012|accessdate=28 October 2024}}

In late October 2011, following another league home defeat of Bayern (2–1), Pinto was accused by his opponents of "poor sportsmanship".{{cite news|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/fc-bayern-verliert-in-hannover-pinto-gehoert-nach-la-zur-oscar-verleihung-1.1171529|title=Pinto gehört nach L.A. zur Oscar-Verleihung|trans-title=Pinto belongs in L.A. at the Oscar Ceremony|newspaper=Süddeutsche Zeitung|first=Carsten|last=Eberts|language=German|date=24 October 2011|accessdate=10 February 2014}} He left the Lower Saxony side in June 2013, aged 32 and with 193 competitive appearances to his credit; he added to that 24 goals and 20 assists.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewalkingred.de/pinto/|title="Hannover 96 ist einfach eine Herzens-angelegenheit"|trans-title="Hannover 96 is truly a matter of the heart"|publisher=The Walking Red|first=Tobias|last=Groebner|language=German|date=13 February 2020|accessdate=28 October 2024}}

=Later career=

On 6 July 2013, Pinto moved to Levante from Spain, agreeing to a two-year deal.{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2013/07/06/futbol/equipos/levante/1373116362.html|title=El portugués Sergio Pinto, nuevo refuerzo del Levante|trans-title=Portuguese Sergio Pinto, new Levante signing|newspaper=Marca|language=Spanish|date=6 July 2013|accessdate=10 February 2014}} He played his first La Liga match on 18 August, featuring the first 45 minutes in a 7–0 away loss to Barcelona.{{cite web|url=http://espnfc.com/en/report/373213/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=null|title=Martino's dream start|publisher=ESPN FC|date=18 August 2013|access-date=10 February 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226125429/http://espnfc.com/en/report/373213/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=null|archive-date=26 February 2014}}

Pinto returned to Germany on 9 June 2014, signing a one-year contract with Fortuna Düsseldorf.{{cite web|url=http://www.f95.de/aktuell/news/profis/detail/16238-sergio-pinto-wird-fortune/7bc6ba0668b61922f73279edede0e9da/|title=Sergio Pinto wird Fortune|trans-title=Sergio Pinto becomes a Fortune|publisher=Fortuna Düsseldorf|language=German|date=9 June 2014|accessdate=9 June 2014}} He was released on 30 May 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2016-17/1/22811/tm-spielernews.html|title=Da Silva Pinto verabschiedet sich von der Fortuna|trans-title=Da Silva Pinto cuts ties with Fortuna|publisher=Kicker|language=German|date=30 May 2016|accessdate=9 July 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609105611/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2016-17/1/22811/tm-spielernews.html|archive-date=9 June 2016}}