| Intro | Footballer |
| Is |
Athlete |
| From |
South Africa |
| Type |
Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 18 June 1986, Johannesburg |
| Age: | 34 years |
| Star sign | Gemini |
Ricardo Nuno dos Santos Nunes (born 18 June 1986) is a South African professional footballer who plays for Polish club Pogoń Szczecin as a left back.
Club career
The son of Portuguese parents, Nunes was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and returned to the country of his ancestors where he started playing football. He first represented G.D. Estoril Praia, joining the club at the age of 12.
After unsuccessfully emerging through S.L. Benfica’s youth system – he only represented its reserves, spending the 2005–06 campaign in the third division – Nunes continued playing as a senior in the lower leagues of Greece and Cyprus. It was in the latter country where he had his first taste of top flight football, appearing in the Cypriot First Division for AEP Paphos F.C. and Olympiakos Nicosia.
On 31 January 2012, after playing one 1/2 seasons in the Portuguese second level, Nunes signed a two and a half year contract with MŠK Žilina. In February 2014 he moved clubs and countries again, joining Bulgaria’s PFC Levski Sofia until June 2015.
International career
Although Nunes was born in South Africa, he represented Portugal at under-17 level. This meant that he required permission from FIFA before he could switch allegiances to South Africa, after he had spoken with Gordon Igesund: “Coach Gordon Igesund phoned me [last month] and asked me if I would be interested to play for South Africa. My answer immediately was yes”, he said.
In early October 2012, Nunes was named in the South Africa squad for international friendlies against Poland and Kenya. During this announcement, Igesund said that “Nunes is a very exciting player” and that he is “a specialist free-kick taker”; he made his debut on the 12th against the former opponent, a 0–1 loss in Warsaw.