Ricardo de Sousa Esgaio (; born 16 May 1993) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Sporting CP as a right-back. He made 243 Primeira Liga appearances with Sporting CP (two spells), Braga and on loan at Académica, winning several cup honours with the first two clubs as well as the 2023–24 and 2024–25 national championships with Sporting. Esgaio earned 91 caps for Portugal across all levels, and was selected for the 2016 Olympic tournament.

Club career

Sporting CP

Born in Nazaré, Leiria District, Esgaio joined Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 12, having signed from local Grupo Desportivo os Nazarenos. On 14 December 2011 he was called for a

UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...

group stage game away against SS Lazio, alongside youth graduates Betinho, Tiago Ilori, João Carlos and João Mário, as the ''Lions'' had already secured the first place in their group; he remained an unused substitute in the 2–0 loss. On 11 August 2012, Esgaio made his senior debut with the reserves in the second division, playing 80 minutes in a 1–0 defeat at U.D. Oliveirense. He scored his first goal with the side the following matchday, the only in the home fixture against Vitória S.C. B; in his early career, he was mainly deployed as a right winger. Esgaio made his first official appearance with Sporting's main squad on 7 December 2012, starting against Videoton FC in the last round of the Europa League group stage as the team were already eliminated from knockout stage contention, and featuring the entire 2–1 home win. He made his Primeira Liga debut on 5 January of the following year, playing the last minute of a 0–1 home loss to F.C. Paços de Ferreira. On 6 November 2013, back in the reserves, he netted a hat-trick in a 4–0 defeat of G.D. Chaves. On 27 January 2015, both Esgaio and Sporting teammate Salim Cissé were loaned to fellow top-tier club Académica de Coimbra until the end of the season.

Braga

On 17 June 2017, after only 44 competitive matches for Sporting in five years, Esgaio signed a five-year contract with S.C. Braga as Rodrigo Battaglia moved in the opposite direction. In his third match for his new team, away to C.D. Aves on 20 August, he came on as a last-minute substitute and scored his first goal in the top flight to seal a 2–0 victory. Esgaio played seven games in the side's victorious run in the

Taça de Portugal The Taça de Portugal (; ) is an annual association football competition and the premier knockout tournament in Portuguese football. For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Taça de Portugal Generali Tranquilidade since the 2024–25 seaso ...

, including the full 90 minutes in the final against S.L. Benfica (2–0). In the last 16, he contributed one goal to the 5–0 rout of S.C.U. Torreense on 13 January 2021.

Return to Sporting

On 3 July 2021, Esgaio returned to Sporting on a five-year deal, for a €5.5 million fee with a €45 million buyout clause. He scored his first competitive goal for the club on 30 April 2023, in the 2–1 league win over F.C. Famalicão. Esgaio won the first national championship of his career in the 2023–24 campaign. Never an undisputed starter and often criticised for his performances, he did manage 28 appearances for the winners.

International career

Esgaio played 91 times for Portugal at youth level. He was first choice for the under-21s at the 2015 UEFA European Championship, helping to a runner-up finish in the Czech Republic. He was the captain of the Olympic team at the 2016 tournament in Brazil.

Personal life

Esgaio's younger brother, Tiago, is also a footballer and a defender. He married Mara Alexandre in June 2018, and the couple later had son Giovanni and daughter Layena.

Career statistics

Honours

Sporting CP * Primeira Liga: 2023–24, 2024–25 *

: 2014–15, 2024–25 * Taça da Liga: 2021–22 * Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2021 Braga *Taça de Portugal: 2020–21 *Taça da Liga: 2019–20 Portugal U21 * UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2015 Individual * Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2019–20

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Esgaio, Ricardo 1993 births Living people People from Nazaré, Portugal Portuguese men's footballers Footballers from Leiria District Men's association football fullbacks Men's association football wingers Primeira Liga players Liga Portugal 2 players Sporting CP footballers Sporting CP B players Académica de Coimbra (football) players S.C. Braga players Portugal men's youth international footballers Portugal men's under-21 international footballers Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics Olympic footballers for Portugal 21st-century Portuguese sportsmen