“Saint Patrick” for fans of the Portugal national team: the story of Rui Patrício | OneFootball

“No one goalkeeper is like the next. We all have different techniques and we all play the game differently.” – Rui Patrício.

Rui Patrício is a Portuguese goalkeeper who features between the sticks for Serie A giants Atalanta BC and the Portugal national team. His illustrious goalkeeping career saw him win major titles for club and country, including the UEFA Nations League, and the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Here’s the story of the Portuguese “Saint Patrick” and how he became one of his country’s best goalkeepers in history.

Early years

The shot-stopper was born in Marrazes, Portugal as Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício on 15 February 1988. Like many other Portuguese legends, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luís Figo, he began his football career with Sporting CP’s youth academy before experiencing his first-team moment as an 18-year-old debutant, saving a penalty no less against Marítimo in Madeira.

He joined Sporting CP’s youth team at age 12 after impressing a scout from the club. Soon he’d make it to become Sporting’s undisputed starter in the 2007-08 campaign after Ricardo left for Real Betis. The 33-year-old is still active in the game, and he has clocked up a remarkable 648 official appearances for both club and country, with ties to multiple notable titles dotted across his football CV.

Rui Patrício’s club career

Patrício’s career has seen him move from domestic side Sporting CP to England and later Italy. Here’s a look at the Portuguese legend’s club football career so far.

Sporting

After emerging as a starter for Sporting CP in the 2007/08 season, Patrício made his UEFA Champions League debut on 27 November 2007, in a 2-1 group stage loss at Manchester United. Perhaps no other event marked Patrício’s heroics for Sporting CP than his winning the Sporting Footballer of the Year award for the second consecutive time in December 2012.

His invaluable performance for his team (and country) would earn him a 2016 Ballon d’Or nomination alongside international teammates Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo. To date, his record of 467 appearances for Sporting CP is the second-highest in the team’s history, behind only Hilário da Conceição.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

“I was the victim of physical and psychological violence, so to preserve my personal and professional dignity, I wish to end the contract that ties me to Sporting.” –This was the statement released after the keeper ended his stint with Sporting in unhappy fashion after a mob attacked the team for failing to qualify for Champions League at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.

News of his decision attracted prospective clubs like the newly promoted Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, who he joined on 18 June 2018, on a four-year deal worth 18 million EUROS.

Arriving in England, he chose to wear the No. 11 shirt for Wolves as opposed to the usual No. 1, in honour of Wolverhampton’s last keeper, Carl Ikeme, who had just retired from the side after failing health due to leukaemia.

His debut season saw him claim nine clean sheets – a team record – to help his side finish seventh and qualify for the Europa League. The next season saw him register even more clean sheets (13) while he guarded the net, conceding 6 fewer goals than his first season.

Meanwhile, the goal tender’s contributions helped his side reach a first continental quarter-final since 1972. He would go on to make over 112 Premier League appearances, his 100th Premier League match coming at a 1-0 win over Leeds United.

Roma

Summer 2021 saw Patrício join Italian side AS Roma, as he signed a three-year deal with the Italian giants. His debut game under José Mourinho saw his side win 2-1 in a Europa Conference League encounter against Trabzonspor. The Portuguese’s next fixture was in a Serie A match that saw Roma beat Fiorentina by 3-1, marking the beginning of a consistent first-team run for Roma throughout the season.

He was part of seven Roma players to play in every fixture, and surpassed every other Serie A player for playing time – save Empoli’s Guglielmo Vicario, who matched him by playing every minute of Serie A action.

On the continental front “Saint Patrick” was on the field in 14 of the 15 fixtures as his side won the inaugural Conference League, clinching the trophy after a 1-0 final win over Feyenoord. Patrício’s stint at Roma ended on 30 June 2024, after his contract expired, after making 96 appearances for the Serie A side.

Atalanta

On 27 August 2024, the keeper joined another Italian side Atalanta in a free transfer on a one-year contract. The 1.90m-tall shot-stopper has been given five opportunities to play for his latest side, including two Serie A matches, one in the Champions League, and two in the Coppa Italia. Two of his appearances this campaign have seen him keep clean sheets for Atalanta, as of this report.

International career for Portugal

Patrício’s international career began with the country’s U21 side in 2007. The following year, senior team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari invited him to the senior team for a friendly match against Italy. Although he remained on the bench, he earned a call-up for the 2008 Euro in May 12. He didn’t leave the bench during that tournament and would wait for another 6 years to feature for Portugal in a major football tournament.

Patrício was listed in Paulo Bento’s 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and made his World Cup debut against Germany, which ended in a 4-0 loss.

Two years later, his outstanding performances would help his country win Euro 2016. He memorably saved a penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Poland as the Seleção won the shootout to book their place in the semis. Patrício then put in a brilliant performance as Portugal shocked the world by beating hosts and heavy favourites France in the final in Paris.

The goalkeeper would retain his place for the World Cup 2018 edition in Russia. In 2019 there was more international glory as Portugal won the inaugural Nations League trophy with the ever-dependable Patrício between the sticks.

Patrício captained the European giants for the first time in a goalless draw with Italy in a 2018 UEFA Nations League contest. He’d remain a regular feature for Portugal until March 2022 when he was replaced by Porto’s Diogo Costa. Patrício’s remarkable goalkeeping career saw him become the 7th player to reach 100 caps for his country and the first goalkeeper from his country to achieve that feat.

Honours and stats

The Portuguese footballer is renowned for his goalkeeping skills and outstanding performances at club and international level. Having proven himself as a reliable and stable goalkeeper, there’s little wonder why he and his teams have become an object of interest among bettors.

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The Statue of Patrício unveiled in Leiria in May 2017 to immortalise his Euro 2016 final save to deny Antoine Griezmann’s header is a testament to how much of a treasure he is to the Portuguese national team. A career total of at least 645 (108 for Portugal) caps so far highlights his legendary profile as a top goalkeeper – one for upcoming showstoppers to glean from.

Conclusion

Over his career, Patrício has made several statement performances for his teams at different times. His legendary status as a Portuguese goalkeeper is undoubtedly solidified. If there is any keeper young athletes from his country want to look forward to and learn from, it should be him.