Rúben Micael

Rúben Micael Freitas da Ressureição (born 19 August 1986), known as Micael, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Freitas and the second or paternal family name is Ressureição.
Rúben Micael
Micael playing for Porto in 2010
Personal information
Full name Rúben Micael Freitas da Ressureição[1]
Date of birth (1986-08-19) 19 August 1986[1]
Place of birth Câmara de Lobos, Portugal
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1994–1999 Estreito
1999–2004 União Madeira
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2008 União Madeira 92 (4)
2008–2010 Nacional 42 (6)
2010–2011 Porto 30 (0)
2011–2013 Atlético Madrid 0 (0)
2011–2012 → Zaragoza (loan) 33 (0)
2012–2013 → Braga (loan) 19 (4)
2013–2015 Braga 46 (7)
2015–2017 Shijiazhuang Ever Bright 38 (4)
2017 → Maccabi Tel Aviv (loan) 15 (1)
2018 Paços Ferreira 13 (1)
2018–2019 Vitória Setúbal 26 (0)
2019–2021 Nacional 53 (1)
Total 407 (28)
International career
2009 Portugal B 1 (0)
2011–2013 Portugal 16 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Championship
Bronze medal – third place2012 Poland-Ukraine
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He totalled 206 Primeira Liga games and 19 goals over ten seasons, representing Nacional, Porto, Braga, Paços de Ferreira and Vitória de Setúbal, winning seven major honours with the second team and a further one with the third. He also had spells in Spain, China and Israel.

A full Portugal international since 2011, Micael was part of the squad at Euro 2012.

Club career

Early years and Nacional

Born in Câmara de Lobos, Madeira, Micael started his career with local C.F. União, making his professional debut at the age of 17. For the 2008–09 season, he moved across the island to sign with Primeira Liga club C.D. Nacional.[2]

In that first year, in which Nacional qualified for the UEFA Europa League, Micael, almost never an undisputed starter, featured heavily, scoring notably in a 3–1 home win against S.L. Benfica on 2 May 2009.[3] The previous month, he played for Portugal B in a 2–0 victory over Romania.[4]

Micael started the 2009–10 campaign established in the side's starting XI, notably netting twice against FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Europa League's last qualifying round, first in the 4–3 home win[5] then adding a last-minute effort in Russia for the 1–1 draw.[6]

Porto

In mid-January 2010, FC Porto purchased 60% of Micael's playing rights for a €3 million transfer fee, signing him to a four-and-a-half-year deal and setting his release clause at €30 million.[7] His first league game for his new club came on 30 January, where he started in the place of the suspended Raul Meireles in a 4–0 away defeat of his former team, Nacional.[8]

In 2010–11, Micael was used sparingly by new manager André Villas-Boas. Nonetheless, he still appeared in 36 official matches and totalled 871 minutes of action (four goals, three in the Europa League campaign) as the team won the treble.[9]

Atlético Madrid
Micael with Braga in October 2012

On 18 August 2011, Micael and Porto teammate Radamel Falcao were both purchased by Atlético Madrid for €45 million – the former for €5 million,[10] although Porto later confirmed that his sale did not generate any revenue for the club.[11] The midfielder was then immediately loaned to fellow La Liga side Real Zaragoza,[12] for a fee of €750,000. 23 of his appearances were as a starter, as his team narrowly avoided relegation.[13]

Micael was loaned to S.C. Braga for 2012–13,[14] starting the year in impressive fashion: in two games separated by only three days in late August, he scored three goals, starting with a brace in a 3–1 home victory against S.C. Beira-Mar[15] then netting the 1–1 equaliser at Udinese Calcio in the UEFA Champions League last qualifying round. In the latter match, he rounded up his performance by converting the decisive penalty in the shootout to help his team reach the group stage for the second time in their history.[16]

Micael continued his strong displays in the Champions League group phase, scoring the first goal in an eventual 2–0 away win over Galatasaray SK in the second round.[17] On 20 October 2012, Atlético sold 50% of his economic rights to Braga for €3 million.[13]

Shijiazhuang

In June 2015, Micael signed for Shijiazhuang Ever Bright FC.[18] He made his Chinese Super League debut on 4 July, as a substitute in a goalless home draw against Changchun Yatai FC. He totalled 11 games over the season, and scored to open a 3–1 loss at Shandong Luneng Taishan F.C. on 31 October.[19]

After his team was relegated in 2016, Micael was linked with a move to Rangers of the Scottish Premiership.[20] On 2 February 2017, he was loaned to Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. for the remainder of the campaign.[21] He scored his first goal for the side on 18 March 2017, in a 3–0 home win against Bnei Sakhnin FC.[22]

Return to Portugal

On 16 January 2018, Micael returned to Portugal's top flight, signing for F.C. Paços de Ferreira until 2021.[23] In June, however, he switched to a one-year deal at Vitória F.C. under his former Maccabi manager Lito Vidigal.[24]

At the end of his contract in Setúbal, Micael returned to Nacional after nine years away; the 33-year-old was their first signing, following relegation in May 2019.[25] Two years later, having experienced another promotion and relegation, he announced his retirement.[26]

International career

On 29 March 2011, Micael made his debut for Portugal, starting and scoring twice in a 2–0 friendly victory over Finland in Aveiro.[27] He was chosen by coach Paulo Bento for UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine,[28] but played no matches for the semi-finalists.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
União Madeira 2003–04[29] Segunda Liga 6000———60
2004–05[29] Segunda Divisão 23000———230
2005–06[29] Segunda Divisão 4000———40
2006–07[29] Segunda Divisão 23031——2[lower-alpha 1]0281
2007–08[29] Segunda Divisão 36410———374
Total 92441000020985
Nacional 2008–09[29] Primeira Liga 2645041——355
2009–10[29] Primeira Liga 162211087—2710
Total 426715187006215
Porto 2009–10[29] Primeira Liga 100323020—182
2010–11[29] Primeira Liga 190603183—364
2011–12[29] Primeira Liga 100000001[lower-alpha 2]020
Total 300926110310566
Zaragoza (loan) 2011–12[30] La Liga 33000———330
Braga (loan) 2012–13[29] Primeira Liga 194311072—307
Braga 2013–14[29] Primeira Liga 211301020—271
2014–15[29] Primeira Liga 2565100——307
Total 46781102000578
Shijiazhuang Ever Bright 2015[30] Chinese Super League 11100———111
2016[30] Chinese Super League 27300———273
Total 38400000000384
Maccabi Tel Aviv (loan) 2016–17[30] Israeli Premier League 151400000—191
Paços de Ferreira 2017–18[29] Primeira Liga 1311010–—151
Vitória de Setúbal 2018–19[29] Primeira Liga 2602020–—300
Nacional 2019–20[29] LigaPro 2300010——240
2020–21[30] Primeira Liga 3010000–—301
Total 53100100000541
Career total 4072838617227123049248
  1. Appearances in league play-offs
  2. Appearances in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

International
Portugal[31]
YearAppsGoals
201172
201260
201330
Total162

International goals
Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Micael goal.
List of international goals scored by Rúben Micael
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
129 March 2011Estádio Municipal, Aveiro, Portugal Finland1–02–0Friendly[27]
22–0

Honours

Porto

Braga

References
  1. "Rúben Micael" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  2. Pereira, Sérgio (18 January 2010). "Ruben Micael, de traquina a «Zidane da Madeira» (perfil)" [Ruben Micael, from naughty boy to "Zidane of Madeira" (profile)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  3. "Nacional não deixa Benfica recuperar" [Nacional do not let Benfica recover] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  4. Travassos, Nuno (1 April 2009). "Portugal «B»-Roménia «B», 2–0 (crónica)" [Portugal "B"-Romania "B", 2–0 (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  5. "Arrogantes russos com sorte imerecida" [Cocky Russians got more than they deserved]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 21 August 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  6. "Zenit 1–1 Nacional Mad". ESPN Soccernet. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  7. "Comunicado da FC Porto – Futebol, SAD" [FC Porto – Futebol, PLSC announcement] (in Portuguese). FC Porto. 18 January 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  8. "Porto hit form to shatter Nacional". PortuGOAL. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  9. "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 21 May 2021.
  10. "Comunicado" [Announcement] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Portuguese Securities Market Commission. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  11. "F.C. Porto: tudo sobre a venda de Falcao e a compra de Danilo" [F.C. Porto: everything about the sale of Falcao and the purchase of Danilo] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  12. R. Barbero, Alberto (18 August 2011). "El Atlético ficha a Falcao y Micael por 45 millones" [Atlético sign Falcao and Micael for 45 millions]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  13. R. Barbero, Alberto (20 October 2012). "El Atlético vende por tres kilos la mitad de los derechos de Micael" [Atlético sell half of Micael's rights for three grand]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  14. McKnight, Gareth (28 July 2012). "Ruben Micael looking to get back into the limelight at Braga". Goal. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  15. Kundert, Tom (25 August 2012). "Slick Porto put Guimarães to the sword". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  16. "Micael the hero as Braga oust Udinese in shoot-out". UEFA. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  17. "Peseiro's brave Braga prosper in Istanbul". UEFA. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  18. "Ruben Micael estreia-se na China no domingo" [Rúben Micael makes his debut in China on Sunday] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  19. "Rúben Micael marca na derrota do Shijiazhuang Yongchang" [Rúben Micael scores in Shijiazhuang Yongchang's defeat] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  20. McDermott, Scott (4 December 2016). "Rangers boss Mark Warburton eyes move for former Porto playmaker Ruben Micael". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  21. "Israel: Rúben Micael no Maccabi Telavive" [Israel: Rúben Micael in Maccabi Tel Aviv]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 February 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  22. Sinai, Allon (19 March 2017). "Mac Tel Aviv keeps pressure on Beersheba". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  23. "Rúben Micael reforça Paços de Ferreira até 2021" [Rúben Micael bolsters Paços de Ferreira until 2021]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 16 January 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  24. "Rúben Micael assina pelo Vitória de Setúbal até 2019" [Rúben Micael signs for Vitória de Setúbal until 2019] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  25. Santos, Rúben (25 May 2019). "Rúben Micael regressa ao Nacional da Madeira a custo zero" [Rúben Micael returns to Nacional da Madeira for free]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  26. Fernandes, João Manuel (18 May 2021). "Rúben Micael despede-se: «Caem-me as lágrimas ao escrever»" [Rúben Micael says goodbye: "Tears are falling as I write"]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  27. "Germany beaten, France and England held". UEFA. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  28. "Nani and Raul Meireles in Portugal's Euro 2012 squad". BBC Sport. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  29. Rúben Micael at ForaDeJogo (archived)
  30. "Rúben Micael". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  31. "Rúben Micael". European Football. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  32. Nunes, Luís Miguel (13 April 2013). "Sp. Braga derrota FC Porto no [sic] final da Taça da Liga" [Sp. Braga defeat FC Porto in League Cup final] (in Portuguese). Relvado. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
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