Carlitos (footballer, born 1982)

Carlitos
Carlitos with Sion in 2016
Personal information
Full name Carlos Alberto Alves Garcia[1]
Date of birth (1982-09-06) 6 September 1982 (age 42)[1]
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal[1]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
1993–2000 Arrentela
2000–2001 Amora
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Amora 34 (5)
2002–2004 Estoril 72 (13)
2004–2007 Benfica 11 (0)
2005 Benfica B 2 (3)
2006 → Vitória Setúbal (loan) 14 (4)
2006–2007 → Sion (loan) 26 (8)
2007–2010 Basel 76 (11)
2010–2012 Hannover 96 8 (0)
2012–2014 Estoril 44 (4)
2014–2019 Sion 104 (16)
Total 391 (64)
International career
2004 Portugal U21 7 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Third place 2004 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Carlos Alberto Alves Garcia[2] (born 6 September 1982), known as Carlitos, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a right winger.

In his country, he played mainly with Estoril, but also won the 2004–05 Primeira Liga with Benfica. He spent most of his career in Switzerland, with Sion and Basel.

Club career

Early years

Born in Lisbon, Carlitos started his professional career at Amora F.C. in 2001. He moved to neighbours G.D. Estoril Praia one year later, achieving promotion to the Primeira Liga in his second season by scoring ten goals.[3]

Benfica

Subsequently, Carlitos caught the eye of S.L. Benfica, who signed the player after the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Germany, where he appeared with Portugal.[4] He helped the club to their first league title in 11 years, but could never break into the first team (ten matches, nine as a substitute, none complete).[3]

Carlitos went on loan to Vitória de Setúbal in January 2006, making a good impression in six months.[5][6] In June, he returned to Benfica but was immediately loaned again, this time to Swiss side FC Sion, teaming up with compatriot – of Benfica and FC Porto fame – João Manuel Pinto.[7]

Basel

In July 2007, Carlitos was sold definitely but stayed in the country, joining FC Basel for a fee of €1.5 million.[8][9] He made his Swiss Super League debut for his new team on 28 July, in a 1–1 draw against FC Aarau at St. Jakob-Park.[10] He scored his first goal for them on 30 August, closing the 4–0 away win over SV Mattersburg in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.[11] On 5 December, he scored the club's 200th goal in European competition, curling the ball into the back of the net from a free kick against SK Brann, which also meant that Basel reached the round of 32;[12][13] he and his side eventually won a domestic double of league and cup.[14]

Carlitos was part of the squad that conquered the Uhrencup to kickstart the 2008–09 campaign.[15] He played nine games in ten in that season's UEFA Champions League,[16] ended in group-stage elimination.[17]

In 2009–10, Carlitos and Basel won another double.[18][19] In the Cup final, he was unused in the 6–0 victory against FC Lausanne-Sport.[20]

Over a three-year spell, Carlitos totalled 111 appearances and 20 goals.[16]

Hannover

On 1 August 2010, Carlitos moved to Germany and its Bundesliga by signing with Hannover 96 for an undisclosed fee.[21] He made his debut on the 21st, retiring injured after three minutes in an eventual 2–1 home defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt.[22]

After being diagnosed with a tore cruciate ligament,[23] Carlitos featured rarely until the end of his contract.

Later career

Carlitos returned to Portugal and its top division on 31 August 2012, re-joining his former club Estoril.[24] He scored his first goal for them in the competition on 9 February 2013 to close a 2–0 home victory over Vitória de Guimarães,[25] adding six matches and one goal[26] in the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.

In summer 2014, Carlitos returned to Sion on a two-year deal.[27][28] On 4 February 2016, he renewed his link until 2018.[29]

International career

Carlitos earned his first cap for Portugal at under-21 level on 17 February 2004, in a 4–1 friendly win against Sweden. He was selected for the finals of the year's UEFA European Championship, scoring in extra time of the Olympic play-off to help to defeat the same adversary 3–2 in Oberhausen.[4]

Honours

Estoril

Benfica

Vitória Setúbal

Basel

Sion

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Carlitos" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. ^ His surname is Alves Garcia, former from mother, latter from father.
  3. ^ a b c d "Ascensão de Carlitos culmina com o "tri"" [Carlitos' rise capped off with treble]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 May 2005. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Futebol: Europeu sub-21 – Portugal bate Suécia (3–2) e está nos Jogos Olímpicos" [Football: Under-21 Euro – Portugal beat Sweden (3–2) and reach Olympic Games] (in Portuguese). Angola Press News Agency. 9 June 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Apostas de Carlitos" [Carlitos' bets]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 March 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Carlitos cedido outra vez" [Carlitos loaned again]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 June 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  7. ^ Freches, Sílvia (16 July 2006). "Benfica sem ritmo acaba estágio batido por Sion" [Out-of-form Benfica end training camp beaten by Sion]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Encaixe de 1,5 milhões de euros por Carlitos" [€1.5 million income for Carlitos]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 July 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Carlitos-Transfer zum FC Basel 1893 perfekt" [Carlitos Transfer to FC Basel 1893 confirmed] (in German). FC Basel. 24 July 2007. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Leader FC Basel von Aarau gestoppt" [Leaders FC Basel stopped by Aarau]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 28 July 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Standard raised by De Camargo". UEFA. 30 August 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Carlitos shows way to last 32". UEFA. 5 December 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  13. ^ Potter, Steffen (6 December 2007). "Basel turn on the style for Gross". UEFA. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  14. ^ a b c Garin, Erik; Stokkermans, Karel; Zea, Antonio. "Switzerland 2007/08". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  15. ^ Garin, Erik. "Coupe Horlogère – Uhren Cup (Switzerland)". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Carlitos (Carlos Alberto Alves Garcia)" (in German). FC Basel Archiv. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  17. ^ Hunter, Graham (4 November 2008). "Barça through despite Derdiyok strike". UEFA. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  18. ^ Hoffmann, Geraldo (16 May 2010). "FC Basileia é campeão suíço da temporada 2009/2010" [FC Basel are Swiss champions of the 2009/2010 season] (in Portuguese). Swissinfo. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  19. ^ a b c Stokkermans, Karel. "Switzerland 2009/10". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  20. ^ "David gegen Goliath chancenlos" [No chance for David against Goliath]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 9 May 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  21. ^ "96 verpflichtet Carlitos" [96 sign Carlitos] (in German). Hannover 96. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Hannover hat Glück und holt ersten Dreier" [Hannover are lucky and bag first three] (in German). Kicker. 21 August 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  23. ^ "Die Gazelle nimmt einen neuen Anlauf" [The gazelle starts afresh] (in German). Spox. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  24. ^ Marques, Sara (31 August 2012). "Carlitos (ex-Benfica) regressa ao Estoril" [Carlitos (formerly of Benfica) returns to Estoril] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  25. ^ "O fabuloso golo de Luís Leal" [Luís Leal's wonder goal]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 9 February 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  26. ^ Ferreira, Luís Pedro (22 August 2013). "LE: Estoril-FC Pasching, 2–0 (destaques)" [EL: Estoril-FC Pasching, 2–0 (highlights)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  27. ^ "SL-News: Carlitos zurück zu Sion" [SL-News: Carlitos back to Sion] (in German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  28. ^ Kielmann, Walter (16 August 2014). "Er ist in die Schweiz zurückgekehrt, um vorwärtszukommen" [He has returned to Switzerland, to move forward]. Aargauer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  29. ^ "Carlitos vai jogar mais dois anos no Sion" [Carlitos will play two more years in Sion]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 4 February 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  30. ^ "FC Porto conquista a Taça de Portugal" [FC Porto conquer Portuguese Cup]. Público (in Portuguese). 14 May 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  31. ^ Garin, Erik. "Switzerland Cup Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  32. ^ "Das ist der neue Meisterpokal der Super League – Embolo und GC räumen bei SFL Award Night ab" [This is the new Super League championship trophy – Embolo and GC win at SFL Award Night] (in German). Watson. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  33. ^ a b "SAFP Golden 11 2016". Golden 11. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2023.