Rúben Saldanha
Portuguese footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rúben Filipe Oliveira Saldanha (born 26 January 1988) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rúben Filipe Oliveira Saldanha[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 January 1988[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Arcozelo, Portugal[1] | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1998 | Arcozelo | ||
| 1998–2002 | Porto | ||
| 2002–2007 | Leixões | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2008 | Padroense | ||
| 2008–2009 | Esmoriz | 28 | (1) |
| 2009–2011 | Varzim | 33 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Rapperswil-Jona | 30 | (9) |
| 2012–2013 | Schaffhausen | 21 | (3) |
| 2013–2014 | Leixões | 32 | (1) |
| 2014–2015 | Tondela | 29 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Santa Clara | 85 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | Académica | 11 | (0) |
| 2019 | Loures | 8 | (0) |
| 2020 | Torreense | 3 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Canelas | 12 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Espinho | 16 | (1) |
| Total | 308 | (22) | |
| International career | |||
| 2008 | Portugal U20 | 10 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Born in Arcozelo (Vila Nova de Gaia), Porto District, Saldanha represented three clubs as a youth, including FC Porto from ages 10 to 14. He played amateur football in his first two years as a senior, moving to the Segunda Liga with Varzim S.C. in 2009 and remaining two full seasons there.[2]
After two years in Switzerland, with lower league sides FC Rapperswil-Jona and FC Schaffhausen,[3] Saldanha returned to Leixões and the Portuguese second division on a one-year contract.[4] His first three competitive matches were in the Taça da Liga, and he managed to score two goals including a last-minute effort against Atlético Clube de Portugal that allowed his team to advance to the next round after the 3–2 home win.[5]
Saldanha remained in the second tier the following years, representing C.D. Tondela, C.D. Santa Clara and Académica de Coimbra.[6]
