Ukra

André Filipe Alves Monteiro (born 16 March 1988), known as Ukra, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Primeira Liga club Rio Ave.

This article is about the footballer. For the model rocket organisation, see United Kingdom Rocketry Association.
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Alves and the second or paternal family name is Monteiro.

Ukra
Personal information
Full name André Filipe Alves Monteiro[1]
Date of birth (1988-03-16) 16 March 1988[1]
Place of birth Famalicão, Portugal[1]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Rio Ave
Number 17
Youth career
1999–2001 Famalicão
2001–2007 Porto
2003–2004 → Padroense (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2013 Porto 2 (0)
2007–2008 → Varzim (loan) 21 (1)
2008–2010 → Olhanense (loan) 58 (7)
2011–2012 → Braga (loan) 19 (4)
2012–2013 → Rio Ave (loan) 26 (1)
2013–2016 Rio Ave 84 (9)
2016–2017 Al Fateh 19 (5)
2018 CSKA Sofia 1 (0)
2018–2021 Santa Clara 65 (2)
2021– Rio Ave 39 (0)
International career
2003 Portugal U16 5 (2)
2004–2005 Portugal U17 15 (1)
2005–2006 Portugal U18 2 (0)
2007 Portugal U19 5 (0)
2008 Portugal U20 2 (0)
2008–2010 Portugal U21 16 (3)
2010 Portugal U23 1 (0)
2015 Portugal 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:09, 23 October 2023 (UTC)

Formed at Porto, where he made eight senior appearances, he played over 200 Primeira Liga games for five clubs, mainly in two spells at Rio Ave and also Olhanense, Braga and Santa Clara.

Ukra earned 46 caps for Portugal at youth level, and played one senior match in 2015.

Club career

Porto

Born in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Braga District, Ukra began playing football for F.C. Famalicão, moving at age 13 to FC Porto to complete his formation. In 2007–08 he got his first taste of first-team football, spending one season on loan to another northern club, Varzim S.C. in the Segunda Liga.[2]

In the following two years, Ukra continued on loan, now in the south of the country with S.C. Olhanense.[3] He scored six goals in 30 matches in his debut campaign, helping the Algarve team to return to the Primeira Liga after 34 years.[4][5] In November 2009, it was reported that the player was being scouted by Newcastle United of the Football League Championship after an under-21 match against England at Wembley in which he played the full 90 minutes.[6]

In January 2011, Ukra was loaned to S.C. Braga,[7] contributing solidly as the Minho side finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League by netting twice, notably in a 3–1 home win against Vitória S.C. in a local derby.[8][9] He did not participate in the club's Europa League runner-up campaign, being cup-tied after having appeared in the competition for eventual champions Porto; he made his debut for them on 19 August 2010 by starting in the 3–0 win at K.R.C. Genk in the first leg of the playoff,[10] and came off the bench in a 3–1 win at SK Rapid Wien in the group stage.[11]

Ukra was again loaned to Braga for 2011–12, spending however the better part of the season on the sidelines due to injury a left knee tendon injury picked up in a friendly against C.D. Aves in July.[12] He returned on 4 February 2012 in a Taça da Liga group game against Portimonense SC,[13] and 23 days later again as a late replacement, he scored to conclude a 4–0 home win over Vitória de Guimarães.[14] On 22 March, he was one of two Arsenalistas to miss in the penalty shootout defeat to Gil Vicente F.C. in the league cup semi-finals.[15]

Rio Ave

Ukra spent four years with fellow top-division team Rio Ave FC, the first on loan in 2012–13.[16][17] He scored his first goal for the club on 2 February 2013 to help the hosts defeat Sporting CP 2–1,[18] and also netted twice during the team's runner-up run in the 2013–14 edition of the Taça de Portugal.[19][20]

Abroad

On 18 July 2016, free agent Ukra signed with Al Fateh SC from the Saudi Pro League.[21] In February 2018, in the same capacity, he joined Bulgaria's PFC CSKA Sofia.[22] He made his first (and only) official appearance for the latter on 31 March, in the 4–1 home victory over Botev Plovdiv in a league match, coming on as a substitute during the second half;[23] in June, he was released.[24]

Return to Portugal

Ukra returned to Portugal's top flight on 8 August 2018, signing with newly promoted C.D. Santa Clara.[25] After making 23 appearances in his first season in the Azores, he was given a two-year contract extension.[26] He missed only seven games in his final season as the team came a best-ever sixth and qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League; his one goal that campaign was a penalty in the sixth minute of added time to conclude a 5–1 rout of C.D. Nacional at the Estádio de São Miguel on 11 April 2021.[27]

On 12 July 2021, the 33-year-old Ukra returned to Rio Ave on a one-year deal.[28] After helping to promotion as champions, he was retained in the top flight by manager Luís Freire for the next two seasons.[29][30]

International career

In mid-2009, courtesy of his solid Olhanense displays, Ukra was summoned for the Portugal under-21s.[31] He represented the nation at the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championship,[32] and also took part in the unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2007 European Under-21 Championship.[33][34]

Ukra made his debut for the full side on 31 March 2015, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for João Mário in a 0–2 friendly defeat against Cape Verde in Estoril.[35]

Personal life

Ukra's nickname derives from his youth, when his thin-blond hair led to him being called "Ukrainian" ("Ucraniano" in Portuguese), which was then shortened to "Ukra".[36]

Career statistics
As of match played 2 September 2023[37]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Porto 2007–08 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2009–10 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2010–11 Primeira Liga 2 0 3 0 1 0 2[lower-alpha 3] 0 0 0 8 0
Total 2 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 8 0
Varzim (loan) 2007–08 Liga de Honra 2111021— —242
Olhanense (loan) 2008–09 Liga de Honra 3062160— —387
2009–10 Primeira Liga 2810010— —291
Total 5872170— —678
Braga (loan) 2010–11 Primeira Liga 12200100 0 —132
2011–12 Primeira Liga 72002000 —92
Total 194003000 —224
Rio Ave (loan) 2012–13 Primeira Liga 26 1 1 0 5 0 — — 32 1
Rio Ave 2013–14 Primeira Liga 25 4 6 2 5 2 — — 36 8
2014–15 Primeira Liga 33 4 6 2 2 0 10[lower-alpha 3] 0 1[lower-alpha 4] 0 52 6
2015–16 Primeira Liga 26 1 5 0 1 0 — — 32 1
Total 110 10 18 4 13 2 10 0 1 0 152 16
Al Fateh 2016–17 Saudi Pro League 19 5 1 0 1 0 3[lower-alpha 5] 1 — 24 6
CSKA Sofia 2017–18 Bulgarian First League 1 0 0 0 — — — 1 0
Santa Clara 2018–19 Primeira Liga 23 0 1 0 0 0 — — 24 0
2019–20 Primeira Liga 15 1 1 0 4 0 — — 20 1
2020–21 Primeira Liga 27 1 4 2 — — — 31 3
Total 65 2 6 2 4 0 — — 75 4
Rio Ave 2021–22 Liga Portugal 2 21 0 3 0 4 0 — — 28 0
2022–23 Primeira Liga 15 0 1 0 2 0 — — 18 0
2023–24 Primeira Liga 1 0 0 0 1 0 — — 2 0
Total 37 0 4 0 7 0 — — 48 0
Career total 33229357383151 1 042140
  1. Includes Taça de Portugal, King Cup
  2. Includes Taça da Liga, Saudi Crown Prince Cup
  3. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  4. Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  5. Appearance(s) in AFC Champions League

Honours

Porto

Olhanense

Rio Ave

References
  1. "Ukra" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  2. "Candeias e Ukra fecham plantel" [Candeias and Ukra complete squad]. Record (in Portuguese). 19 June 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  3. Coelho, Nuno (4 October 2009). "Dragõezinhos de Olhão procuram chegar a bom Porto" [Little dragons from Olhão trying to reach a good Port ("Porto" in English, pun on club name)]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  4. Oliveira, José Manuel (19 May 2009). "Subida do Olhanense gera 'guerra' entre câmaras" [Olhanense promotion leads to 'war' between city halls]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  5. "Boas relações podem ajudar" [Good relations may help]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 18 October 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  6. Doyle, Paul (15 November 2009). "Stuart Pearce's shuffle puts young Portugal in the shade". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  7. "Ukra and Marco Ramos join Braga as Arsenalistas continue squad overhaul". PortuGOAL. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  8. "Paços prova em Braga que está na luta pela Europa" [Paços prove they fight for Europe in Braga]. Público (in Portuguese). 20 February 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  9. "Sp. Braga-V. Guimarães, 3–1 (ficha)" [Sp. Braga-V. Guimarães, 3–1 (match sheet)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  10. "FC Porto vence Genk por 3–0 e fica muito perto da fase de grupos" [FC Porto defeat Genk 3–0 and get very close to the group stage] (in Portuguese). TSF. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  11. Rosado, João (3 December 2010). "Falcao deu festival de patinagem na cidade das mais belas memórias" [Falcao put on a festival on ice in the city of the most beautiful memories]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  12. "Ukra vai ser operado ao joelho esquerdo" [Ukra to undergo left knee surgery]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 July 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  13. "Ukra esperou 266 dias para ter os 11 minutos" [Ukra waited 266 days to have the 11 minutes]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 February 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  14. Silva Pires, Tiago (27 February 2012). "Sp. Braga goleia V. Guimarães e entra na luta pelo título" [Sp. Braga rout V. Guimarães and enter the fight for the title]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  15. "Gil Vicente garante presença histórica numa final" [Gil Vicente guarantee historic presence in a final] (in Portuguese). TSF. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  16. "Esperança por Ukra" [Hoping on Ukra]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  17. "Ukra fica no Rio Ave por três épocas" [Ukra stays in Rio Ave for three seasons] (in Portuguese). Rio Ave F.C. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  18. "Rio Ave 2–1 Sporting (final)" [Rio Ave 2–1 Sporting (end)] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  19. "Penálti de Ukra nos descontos coloca Rio Ave nos "quartos"" [Injury-time Ukra penalty puts Rio Ave in "last eight"] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  20. "Rio Ave vence Sp. Braga e volta 30 anos depois à final da Taça de Portugal (vídeo)" [Rio Ave beat Sp. Braga and return to Portuguese Cup final 30 years later (video)] (in Portuguese). TSF. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  21. "Ukra é o novo reforço do Al-Fateh de Sá Pinto" [Ukra is the new addition of Sá Pinto's Al-Fateh]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 18 July 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  22. "ЦСКА парафира с португалец" [CSKA get started with a Portuguese] (in Bulgarian). Gong.bg. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  23. "ЦСКА – Ботев (Пловдив) 4:1" [CSKA – Botev (matchcast) 4:1] (in Bulgarian). Topsport. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  24. "ЦСКА се раздели с петима футболисти" [CSKA part ways with five players] (in Bulgarian). CSKA Sofia. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  25. "Ukra é reforço do Santa Clara" [Ukra is addition for Santa Clara] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  26. "Ukra renova pelo Santa Clara por duas temporadas" [Ukra renews for two seasons for Santa Clara]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 June 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  27. "Santa Clara goleia Nacional e complica situação dos madeirenses" [Santa Clara rout Nacional and make the Madeirans' situation complicated]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 11 April 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  28. ""O regresso do Rei": foi assim que o Rio Ave apresentou Ukra" ["The King's return": that's how Rio Ave presented Ukra]. Record (in Portuguese). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  29. Matos, Diogo (27 June 2022). "Oficial: João Graça renova contrato com o Rio Ave" [Official: João Graça renews contract with Rio Ave]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  30. "Rio Ave renova com Zé Manuel, Ukra e Vítor Gomes até 2024" [Rio Ave renew with Zé Manuel, Ukra and Vítor Gomes until 2024] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 2 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  31. Pietra, Hugo (4 September 2009). "Portugal in Cruz control". UEFA. Archived from the original on 8 September 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  32. "Sub-19: Portugal empata com Espanha e tem apuramento em risco" [Under-19: Portugal draw with Spain and risk not going through]. Público (in Portuguese). 18 July 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  33. "Oceano com maré cheia de golos" [Ocean ("Oceano" in English, pun on manager's name) with tideful of goals] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  34. "Portugal vence Grécia e mantém esperança na qualificação" [Portugal beat Greece and remain hopeful in qualifying]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 17 November 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  35. "Portugal 0–2 Cape Verde Islands". BBC Sport. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  36. Lima, Fábio (30 September 2009). "Entrevista com Ukra" [Interview with Ukra] (in Portuguese). Notícias do Futebol. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  37. "Ukra". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  38. ""Dragões" conquistam a Supertaça pela 17.ª vez" ["Dragons" conquer the Supercup for the 17th time] (in Portuguese). TSF. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  39. "Villas-Boas assinala 10 anos da conquista da Liga Europa: "Um salto para a eternidade"" [Villas-Boas highlights 10 years of Europa League conquest: "A leap to eternity"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 18 May 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  40. Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo (15 May 2022). "VÍDEO: Rio Ave recebe troféu de campeão da II Liga em clima de festa" [VIDEO: Rio Ave get II League champions trophy in party atmosphere] (in Portuguese). CNN Portugal. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
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