Nuno Valente

Nuno Jorge Pereira da Silva Valente, OIH (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈnunu vɐˈlẽt(ɨ)]; born 12 September 1974) is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a left back.
After settling with a club in his late 20s with Porto – he started his career with Sporting, but never imposed there – he moved at 31 to England with Everton, where he finally retired after appearing in 60 competitive games in four seasons.
A late bloomer on the international stage, Valente helped Portugal finish second in Euro 2004. He also participated in the 2006 World Cup.

Early years / Porto

Born in Lisbon, Valente began his career at second division club Portimonense SC, loaned by hometown's Sporting Clube de Portugal. However, he found first-team chances limited in the capital side and, despite success in helping win the Portuguese Cup in 1995, he was loaned for the 1996–97 season to fellow league team C.S. Marítimo.

A young José Mourinho recognized Valente's talent and brought him to U.D. Leiria, and he spent three years with the team, helping it achieve successful seasons. In 2002, when the manager left to join FC Porto, he and teammate Derlei were the first signings, and the former repaid the coach's faith with some good displays as the northerners romped to victory in the national league and won the UEFA Cup against Celtic FC (3–2).

The following campaign Valente produced yet another excellent campaign, helping his club to domestic championship and Champions League wins with the defender appearing in 11 games during the latter competition's run, ten of those complete. At the season's closure, he renewed his contract until 2007.

After Mourinho signed for Chelsea, Valente picked up a succession of injuries. He only played eight matches in the entire domestic campaign but returned in time to face Inter Milan in the Champions League round-of-16, not being able to prevent his team losing 2–4 on aggregate.

Everton

After another poor year, which included an ultimatum by Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa that ordered him to choose between club or national team, eventually leading to a suspension, he was signed by Everton on a three-year deal worth €2.2 million, under recommendation of mentor Mourinho, at the end of August 2005, after the Merseyside club lost regular left-back Alessandro Pistone to injury. He took a while to adapt to the hectic pace of the Premier League, but soon became a key feature in the Everton side from then on – in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons he was considered first-choice, but faced stiff competition from Gary Naysmith; in February 2007, Everton took the option of a one-year extension to his contract, tying him to the club until June of the following year.

In early May 2008 Valente signed another one-year link, but he eventually fell down the pecking order at the Toffees, usually backing Leighton Baines. Furthermore, with centre back Joleon Lescott also being able to play the position, he received little playing time during 2008–09, being released on 12 June 2009 and choosing to retire from playing.

Upon his retirement, Valente was appointed Everton's official scout in Portugal. After one year he returned to main club Sporting. He then played one game as part of being a player coach. Later however he joined Paulo Sérgio's coaching staff and officially stopped playing football.

A full Portuguese international since after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Valente was first-choice for the national side during the runner-up campaign at UEFA Euro 2004, played in home soil. During 2005 he suffered a thigh strain, but recovered in time to play in the 2006 World Cup, again playing a key part in Portugal's eventual fourth-place finish.

After playing only once during the Euro 2008 qualifiers, Valente retired from international football in September 2008.

Nuno Valente: International goals

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	31 March 2004	Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga, Portugal	Italy	1–0	1–2	Friendly

Club

Sporting

• Taça de Portugal: 1994–95

Porto

• UEFA Champions League: 2003–04
• UEFA Cup: 2002–03
• Intercontinental Cup: 2004
• Primeira Liga: 2002–03, 2003–04
• Taça de Portugal: 2002–03
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2002, 2003

Country

• UEFA European Championship: Runner-up 2004

Orders

• Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)

• "Selecção distinguida pelo Duque de Bragança" [National team honoured by Duke of Bragança] (in Portuguese). Cristiano Ronaldo News. 30 August 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2006.