Manuel Curto

Manuel José da Luz Correia Curto (born 9 July 1986) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Manuel Curto

Personal information
Full name	Manuel José da Luz Correia Curto
Date of birth	(1986-07-09) 9 July 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Torres Vedras, Portugal
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1994–1998	Torreense
1998–2005	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2006	Benfica B	20	(3)
2006	Cerro Reyes	8	(0)
2007	Torreense	10	(1)
2007	Pinhalnovense	6	(0)
2007–2008	Rio Maior	22	(6)
2008–2010	Estoril	36	(2)
2010–2011	Naval	18	(2)
2011–2012	União Leiria	20	(1)
2013	Taraz	13	(4)
2014	Zagłębie Lubin	12	(1)
2014–2015	Lierse	6	(0)
2016	Atlético	13	(2)
2017	Torreense	6	(0)
Total		190	(22)
International career
2002−2003	Portugal U17	15	(10)
2005	Portugal U19	4	(3)
2006	Portugal U20	1	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA European U17 Championship Winner 2003 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Torres Vedras, Lisbon District, Curto spent seven years in S.L. Benfica's youth system, where he operated as a forward. In the following years, however, he played in a more defensive position.^[1][2]

After several seasons in the lower leagues, Curto joined G.D. Estoril Praia in the Segunda Liga. In the 2010–11 campaign he made his Primeira Liga debut with Associação Naval 1º de Maio,^[3] his first match in the competition occurring on 24 September 2010 as he played nine minutes in a 3–1 away loss against S.C. Braga.^[4]

On 20 March 2011, Curto scored twice from the penalty kick spot to help hosts Naval come from behind 2–0 to earn a 2–2 draw with S.C. Beira-Mar,^[5] but the Figueira da Foz club eventually suffered relegation, returning to the second division after a six-year stay.^[6] He met the same fate in 2011–12 with his following team, U.D. Leiria.^[7][8]

International career

Curto was part of the Portugal squad that won the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He scored in group-stage wins over Denmark (3–2) and Austria (1–0),^[9][10] then featured 21 minutes for the hosts in the 2–1 final defeat of Spain.^[11]

In the FIFA U-17 World Cup held that same year in Finland, Curto scored a hat-trick in a 5–5 draw against Cameroon in the group phase.^[12] The tournament's top scorer alongside Cesc Fàbregas and Carlos Hidalgo at five,^[13] he also found the net in the quarter-finals, but Portugal lost 5–2 to Spain.^[14]

Honours

Portugal U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2003^[15]

References

1. "Manuel Curto sonha com chamada à equipa principal" [Manuel Curto dreams of call-up to the first team]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 February 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
2. Frederico, Francisco (14 January 2011). "Naval: Manuel Curto sem saudades dos tempos de avançado" [Naval: Manuel Curto does not miss days as a forward] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
3. Frederico, Francisco (22 July 2010). "Naval: Manuel Curto assinou por três épocas" [Naval: Manuel Curto signed for three seasons] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
4. "Sporting de Braga quebra período negro e "afunda" Naval" [Sporting de Braga break dark spell and "sink" Naval] (in Portuguese). TSF. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
5. "Naval reduzida à matemática" [Naval reduced to maths] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
6. "Naval perde em Leiria e desce de divisão" [Naval lose in Leiria and are relegated] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
7. "Manuel Curto e Tiago Terroso contratados" [Manuel Curto and Tiago Terroso signed]. Público (in Portuguese). 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
8. "União de Leiria – SAD exige ser ressarcida por danos causados pela rescisão de 13 jogadores" [União de Leiria – PLSC demands compensation for damage caused by rescission of 13 players]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 4 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
9. "Europeu de sub-17: Portugal vence Dinamarca (3–2)" [Under-17 Euro: Portugal beat Denmark (3–2)]. Público (in Portuguese). 7 May 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
10. "Europeu sub-17: Portugal vence Áustria" [Under-17 Euro: Portugal beat Austria]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 May 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
11. Soares, Ana (17 May 2003). "Sub-17 campeões europeus: Portugal vence Espanha (2–1)" [Under-17 European champions: Portugal beat Spain (2–1)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
12. "Sub-17: Portugal da goleada ao empate e o apuramento no limite (5–5)" [Under-17: Portugal from rout to draw and qualification on the line (5–5)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 20 August 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
13. "Brasil obtém tri no Mundial sub-17" [Brazil get third in under-17 World Cup]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 31 August 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
14. "España y Brasil a semifinales en Mundial Sub 17" [Spain and Brazil to the semi-finals in Under 17 World Cup]. El Mercurio (in Spanish). 24 August 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
15. Soares, Ana (17 May 2003). "Sub-17 campeões europeus: Portugal vence Espanha (2–1)" [Under-17 European champions: Portugal beat Spain (2–1)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 9 July 2024.

External links

• Manuel Curto at ForaDeJogo (archived)
• Manuel Curto at BDFutbol
• Manuel Curto national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
• Manuel Curto at Soccerway