Rúben Pinto

Rúben Rafael de Melo Silva Pinto (born 24 April 1992) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga Portugal 2 club S.C.U. Torreense.

Rúben Pinto

Pinto in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Rúben Rafael de Melo Silva Pinto[1]
Date of birth	(1992-04-24) 24 April 1992 (age 32)[1]
Place of birth	Odivelas, Portugal
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Torreense
Number	6
Youth career
2001–2004	Odivelas
2004–2011	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2012	Benfica	0	(0)
2012–2015	Benfica B	59	(10)
2015	→ Paços Ferreira (loan)	16	(1)
2015–2017	Belenenses	33	(2)
2016–2017	→ CSKA Sofia (loan)	27	(2)
2017–2020	CSKA Sofia	79	(7)
2020–2024	Fehérvár	48	(0)
2024–	Torreense	8	(0)
International career
2007–2008	Portugal U16	7	(0)
2008–2009	Portugal U17	17	(2)
2009–2010	Portugal U18	7	(3)
2009–2011	Portugal U19	26	(6)
2012	Portugal U20	5	(0)
2013–2015	Portugal U21	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:45, 30 January 2025 (UTC)

Club career

Benfica

Born in Odivelas, Lisbon metropolitan area, Pinto joined S.L. Benfica's youth system in 2004, aged 12. He was promoted to the first team for the 2011–12 season,^[2] being limited to a sole bench presence in that first year; in June 2011 he signed his first professional contract, running until 2015 with a €30 million clause.^[3]

Pinto made his senior debut in the 2012–13 campaign, competing with the reserves in the Segunda Liga. He made his first appearance in the competition on 28 April 2013, starting and playing 73 minutes in the 1–1 home draw against F.C. Arouca.^[4]

Pinto scored his first goal in the second division on 26 August 2013, in a 3–0 home win over Portimonense SC.^[5] On 25 January of the following year, he was again an unused substitute for the main squad, in a game against Gil Vicente F.C. in the group stage of the Taça da Liga.^[6]

On 7 January 2015, F.C. Paços de Ferreira signed Pinto on a loan deal until the end of the season.^[7] He scored his first goal in the Primeira Liga on 4 May, playing the full 90 minutes and helping to a 2–2 home draw with S.C. Braga.^[8]

Belenenses

On 18 June 2015, Pinto joined C.F. Os Belenenses on a four-year contract.^[9] He made his league debut on 15 August, scoring in the 3–3 home draw against Rio Ave FC.^[10]

Pinto played ten matches in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League (qualifying rounds included, all starts), helping his team to the group phase.

CSKA Sofia

Pinto playing for CSKA Sofia in 2017

In the beginning of August 2016, Pinto joined PFC CSKA Sofia on loan with an option to make the move permanent afterwards.^[11] On 15 June 2017, the Bulgarian club activated the clause^[12] and he agreed to a three-year deal three days later.^[13]

In August 2019, Pinto saw himself removed from the first team (alongside Nikolay Bodurov) by manager Ljupko Petrović, reportedly for disciplinary reasons.^[14]

International career

Pinto earned 65 caps for Portugal across six youth levels. On 2 June 2013 he made his debut with the under-21s, coming on midway through the second half of the 2–0 friendly defeat of Croatia.^[15]

Career statistics

As of 15 May 2022^[16][17]

Club	Season	Domestic League		Domestic Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Benfica	2011–12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Benfica B	2012–13	5	0	—		—		—		5	0
	2013–14	34	4	—		—		—		34	4
	2014–15	20	6	—		—		—		20	6
	Total	59	10	—		—		—		59	10
Paços Ferreira	2014–15	16	1	0	0	0	0	—		16	1
	Total	16	1	0	0	0	0	—		16	1
Belenenses	2015–16	31	2	3	0	1	1	10	0	45	3
	2016–17	2	0	0	0	0	0	—		2	0
	Total	33	2	3	0	1	1	10	0	47	3
CSKA Sofia (loan)	2016–17	27	2	1	0	—		—		28	2
CSKA Sofia	2017–18	27	4	4	0	—		—		31	4
	2018–19	33	2	4	3	—		6	0	43	5
	2019–20	19	1	5	0	—		2	0	26	1
	Total	106	9	14	3	—		8	0	128	12
Fehérvár	2020–21	18	0	6	0	—		0	0	24	0
	2021–22	9	0	2	0	—		0	0	11	0
	Total	27	0	8	0	—		0	0	35	0
Career Total		241	22	25	3	1	1	18	0	285	26