José Carlos Leite de Sousa (born 9 October 1977) is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a right back, and is a manager.

José Sousa
Personal information
Full name José Carlos Leite de Sousa
Date of birth (1977-10-09) 9 October 1977 (age 46)
Place of birth São João da Madeira, Portugal
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
1989–1993 Sanjoanense
1993–1996 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1999 Benfica 35 (1)
1996–1997Alverca (loan) 34 (1)
1999–2000 Alverca 24 (0)
2000–2003 Porto 0 (0)
2000–2001Braga (loan) 18 (0)
2002Farense (loan) 8 (0)
2002–2003Belenenses (loan) 15 (0)
2003–2007 Belenenses 59 (3)
2008 Olympiakos Nicosia 3 (0)
2008–2009 Beira-Mar 20 (1)
2009–2010 Arouca 18 (0)
Total 234 (6)
International career
1998–1999 Portugal U21 8 (1)
Managerial career
2013–2016 Belenenses (youth)
2016 Vilafranquense
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 159 matches and four goals during ten seasons, representing mainly in the competition Belenenses (five years).

Club career edit

Born in São João da Madeira, Sousa started playing with local A.D. Sanjoanense.[1] In 1993, he joined the youth ranks of S.L. Benfica, from where he was loaned to F.C. Alverca who acted as the farm team.[2]

After a successful debut season with the Ribatejo Province side, 20-year-old Sousa was recalled by Benfica manager Manuel José in August 1997, due to a good performance in a Segunda Liga match against F.C. Paços de Ferreira.[2] Dubbed the new António Veloso by the press, he made his debut on 13 September 1997 in a Primeira Liga home draw against Académica de Coimbra, becoming a regular starter and scoring his first and only goal for the club in a 4–1 win over Sporting CP at the Estádio José Alvalade;[3][4] Graeme Souness brought in Gary Charles midway through the 1998–99 campaign, and his playing time was subsequently vastly reduced.[5]

In 1999, Sousa joined Alverca on a permanent deal,[6] staying only one year before signing a five-year contract with FC Porto on 5 August 2000.[7] He was consecutively loaned during his tenure at the latter, however.[8]

On 21 August 2002, Sousa joined C.F. Os Belenenses on a one-year loan, signing on a permanent basis in the following season[9][10] and always representing the Lisbon-based club in the top flight. Afterwards, he moved to Olympiakos Nicosia in Cyprus, before ending his career in 2010 after one season with F.C. Arouca.[11]

In late June 2016, after a spell at Belenenses as youth coach, Sousa was appointed manager of third division team U.D. Vilafranquense.[11]

International career edit

Sousa earned 18 caps for Portugal at youth level, all categories comprised. He made his debut for the under-21 team on 5 September 1998, playing the first half of a 3–0 away win against Hungary for the 2000 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.[12]

Personal life edit

Sousa's uncle, António Sousa, was also a footballer. A midfielder, he too represented Sanjoanense and Porto, being a longtime Portuguese international. His cousin, Ricardo, also played in the Portuguese top division.[13]

José's son Bruno Leite played the sport in Norway, mainly with Skeid Fotball.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ "Jose Sousa" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b "José Sousa em entrevista" [José Sousa in interview] (in Portuguese). Belenenses Jovem. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  3. ^ Tovar, Rui Miguel (2012). Almanaque do Benfica. Portugal: Lua de Papel. p. 557. ISBN 978-989-23-2087-8.
  4. ^ Tovar, Rui Miguel (2012). Almanaque do Benfica. Portugal: Lua de Papel. p. 559. ISBN 978-989-23-2087-8.
  5. ^ Tovar, Rui Miguel (2012). Almanaque do Benfica. Portugal: Lua de Papel. p. 570. ISBN 978-989-23-2087-8.
  6. ^ "Couceiro gere todo o futebol do Alverca" [Couceiro manages all of Alverca football]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 July 1999. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Sousa: "Concorrência boa"" [Sousa: «Good competition»]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 August 2000. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Portista Sousa reforça algarvios" [Porto's Sousa strengthens Algarvians]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 December 2001. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  9. ^ "Sousa fecha plantel" [Sousa closes squad]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 August 2002. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  10. ^ "Sousa no treino" [Sousa in training]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 July 2003. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Antigo jogador de Benfica e Porto é o novo treinador do Vilafranquense" [Former Benfica and Porto player is the new manager of Vilafranquense]. O Mirante (in Portuguese). 22 June 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Sousa" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  13. ^ Gouveia, Ricardo (20 October 2016). ""A cultura do fabrico dos Sousa"" [The manufacturing process of the Sousas] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  14. ^ Øygarden, Hans Eivind (4 March 2015). "Blir med videre" [Carry on]. Telemarksavisa (in Norwegian).

External links edit