PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Rodrigo Pinho pulverizes Casa Pia in Lisbon derby | OneFootball

Rodrigo Pinho celebrating a goal is commonly seen sight for followers of Portuguese football over the past decade (Photo: Estrela da Amadora Facebook)

Poor weather translated into a downpour of goals at the iconic Reboleira, as Estrela da Amadora thrashed Lisbon neighbours Casa Pia 4-0 – undoubtedly the highlight of Matchweek 27 for the neutral spectator.

Veteran forward Rodrigo Pinho captained the Tricolor and led by example. After opening the scoring with a penalty, he made the game safe on the stroke of half time by scoring to increase the lead to 3-0 thanks to this well-worked move stemming from a poor Casa Pia clearance.

Rising to 13th in the standings, eight points above the automatic relegation spot, will comfort Estrela as they face four of the current top five in their remaining seven fixtures.

Estrela can attribute imminent confirmation of survival to multiple standout performers. Both Jovane Cabral and Sidny Lopes Cabral have featured in this column this season, and veteran striker Rodrigo Pinho becomes the latest Figure of the Week (who himself will ring a bell for the most loyal PortuGOAL readers, Pinho having featured in this column back in September 2020).

Kevin Fernandes reports.

From Bangu to Braga

Born in Henstedt-Ulzburg, Rodrigo Cunha Pereira de Pinho, just like his father Nando Pinho (who would go on to play for Hamburger SV in Germany, explaining his son’s place of birth), commenced his career at Rio de Janeiro’s Bangu.

Pinho enjoyed his journey through Brazilian football, from Bangu to Cabofriense to Madureira, winning two domestic titles at lower levels outside of the Série A promised lands.

Pinho’s output in the Campeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro State Championship) for Madureira roused the interest of SC Braga, thus, aged 24, Rodrigol made the common journey for Brazilian footballers over the Atlantic to Portugal to replace the likes of Éder and Zé Luís.

Upon touching down in the north of Portugal, Pinho said: “I’ve joined a major European club and I’m living a dream come true.”

The Braga debacle

Initially placed in the Braga B set-up due to the preferences of José Peseiro, Rodrigo Pinho was unable to fire on all cylinders throughout his tenure at Braga. Despite scoring five goals in eight games for the B team, minutes were sparce in the first team and he went out on loan to Nacional da Madeira, but did not trouble the selectors.

After a brief spell back at Braga he moved definitively back to Madeira, but this time to Marítimo where his career took off.

The Madeiran dream duo

42 goal contributions in 118 appearances may seem relatively modest, but to the 26-year-old dreaming of success in European football, it was freedom from Braga’s shackles and pure bliss.

For supporters of Marítimo, the partnership with Joel Tageau, especially in the 2017/18 season, was iconic.

From island rivals, Santa Clara and Nacional, to the biggest teams on the mainland – Porto, Sporting, Benfica, Braga and Vitória – Joel, o Cruel and Rodrigol terrorised them all, becoming Marítimo cult heroes.

15 goals in 21 appearances in 2020/21 (Pinho’s most productive campaign) earned a millionaire move to Benfica, despite niggling injuries throughout, the Brazilian doing it all with constant elegance and grace.

Disaster and recovery

An ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear ended Pinho’s Benfica career before it ever truly launched. Only one goal was scored in three matches before the centre-forward was ruled out for six months with an injury that can alter the career trajectory of any major athlete.

Subsequently, Coritiba parted with a substantial fee to bring Pinho back to Brazil, but the move was far from a success due to fitness issues.

After a few difficult years, historic outfit Estrela in multicultural Amadora became the environment chosen to nurse Rodrigol back into regular minutes in top-level football.

Plucky Pinho

Rodrigo Pinho was never the most clinical forward in Portugal, but he made a name for himself through a fusion of elegance, intelligence and improvision.

Rodrigo’s movement to escape markers, smooth combinations with teammates when facing goal and ability to make the difference with moments of individual brilliance cemented the name ‘Pinho’ in Liga Portugal folklore.

Forget ‘Barclaysmen’. Pinho is a proper ‘Tugãoman’.

He hadn’t scored in over three months, but the 34-year-old is back on track for his most productive season since leaving Marítimo in 2021.

PortuGOAL’s latest Figure of the Week is back.

Honourable mentions from Gameweek 27:

Ibrahima Ba – A well-deserved goal for one of the most promising central defenders emerging in Portuguese football.

Jalen Blesa – Three Man-of-the-Match performances in seven Liga Portugal appearances to revive Rio Ave’s season. Relegation is no longer a threat for the Vilacondenses.