Paíto
Mozambican footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Martinho Martins Mukana (born 5 July 1982), known as Paíto, is a Mozambican former professional footballer who played as a left-back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martinho Martins Mukana[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 July 1982[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Maputo, Mozambique[1] | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Maxaquene | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2003 | Sporting CP B | 52 | (2) |
| 2003–2006 | Sporting CP | 24 | (0) |
| 2006 | → Vitória Guimarães (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2006–2007 | Mallorca | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Braga (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Sion | 77 | (3) |
| 2010–2012 | Neuchâtel Xamax | 41 | (1) |
| 2012 | Vaslui | 13 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Skoda Xanthi | 32 | (0) |
| Total | 259 | (8) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2012 | Mozambique | 39 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Born in Maputo, Paíto began his senior career at Sporting CP. He became a regular in the 2004–05 season after being granted Portuguese citizenship[2] and, on 26 January 2005, scored his only goal for the Lions in a 3–3 draw against S.L. Benfica in the sixth round of the Taça de Portugal (penalty shootout loss), in a solo effort.[3]
After the arrival in January 2006, on loan from Valencia CF, of Portuguese international Marco Caneira, Paíto was deemed surplus to requirements and left, also loaned, to Vitória de Guimarães.[4][5] He was an undisputed starter during his short tenure, as the Minho team eventually dropped down a level.[6]
Purchased by La Liga club RCD Mallorca, Paíto immediately returned to Portugal, being loaned to S.C. Braga for the duration of the campaign.[7] Released by the Balearic Islands side without making any official appearances, he joined FC Sion on a three-year contract.[8]
After three solid seasons in the Swiss Super League, Paíto stayed in Switzerland, signing with fellow league team Neuchâtel Xamax FCS.[9] After the latter went bankrupt, in January 2012 he joined FC Vaslui from Romania, reuniting with former Sporting coach Augusto Inácio.[10]
Paíto spent the first half of the following campaign without a club, signing in early January 2013 with Skoda Xanthi FC. He made his Super League Greece debut on the 27th, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 away win over PAOK FC.[11]
International career
Paíto started representing Mozambique at age 20. He was recalled in April for the 2002 COSAFA Cup, nearly two years after his last international.[12] Additionally, he took part in the 2003 COSAFA Cup,[13] the 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006 World Cup qualification, the 2004 COSAFA Cup,[14] 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification and the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
