Toni
Personal information
Full name António Pedro de Brito Lopes
Date of birth (1979-07-23) 23 July 1979
Place of birth Setúbal, Portugal
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Youth career
1990–1994 Pelezinhos
1994–1998 Vitória Setúbal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Lusitano Évora 33 (0)
2000–2001 Farense 25 (0)
2001–2002 Benfica B 2 (0)
2002–2004 Benfica 1 (0)
2002–2004 → Beira Mar (loan) 36 (0)
2004–2005 Servette 7 (0)
2006–2007 Zamora 34 (0)
2008–2009 Ethnikos Achna 34 (0)
2009–2013 Apollon Limassol 112 (3)
2013–2014 AEK Larnaca 24 (0)
2014–2015 Ermis 15 (0)
International career
2001 Portugal U21 2 (0)
2003 Portugal B 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 May 2015

António Pedro de Brito Lopes (born 23 July 1979), commonly known as Toni, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a right-back.

After starting out professionally at Farense, he went on to represent Benfica and Beira Mar in the Primeira Liga, signing with the former in 2002. He also competed in Switzerland, Spain and Cyprus, spending eight seasons in the latter nation, mostly with Apollon Limassol.

Club career

Born in Setúbal, Toni grew up in the neighbourhood of Bela Vista and started playing football at local Clube Desportivo Pelezinhos. He signed for neighbouring Vitória F.C. at the age of 15, where he finished his formation.[1] His beginnings as a senior were spent with Lusitano G.C. in the fourth level, which he helped finish fourth in his first season and second in the following, with the subsequent promotion in the latter case.

In July 2000, Toni moved to the Primeira Liga and joined S.C. Farense.[2] He made his debut in the competition on 29 October of that year, coming on as a second-half substitute and assisting for the second goal in a 2–1 away win against C.F. Estrela da Amadora.[3] His performances soon attracted interest from S.C. Braga and Sevilla FC,[4][5] and he was also linked with Southampton,[6] Paris Saint-Germain F.C.[7] and West Ham United towards the start and during the off-season,[8] but ultimately signed with S.L. Benfica on a reported free deal.[9][10]

However, it was soon discovered that Toni had signed with an investment firm, Premier Holding owned by Mike Walsh. They retained his international certificate and did not allowed him to play for Benfica until they received 650 thousand dollars.[11] Only in January 2002, after FIFA intervened, was he allowed to play,[12] first in the reserve team and then in the main squad, making his first and only appearance for the latter on the last matchday of the campaign[13] and being sent off in the last minutes of a 2–3 away loss against C.S. Marítimo.

In July 2002, both Toni and Diogo Luís joined fellow league club S.C. Beira-Mar as Cristiano Roland moved in the opposite direction.[14] He was regularly used as a starter in his first season but, in 2003–04, he appeared much more sparingly after losing his place to Pedro Ribeiro.[15][16][17]

In the 2004 summer, aged 25, Toni moved abroad where he would remain until his retirement. His first stop was Servette FC in the Swiss Super League,[18] and the second Zamora CF of the Spanish Segunda División B.

From 2007–08 onwards, Toni competed in the Cypriot First Division, where he appeared for Ethnikos Achna FC, Apollon Limassol,[19] AEK Larnaca F.C. and Ermis Aradippou. With the second side, he won the 2012–13 Cypriot Cup.[20]

International career

Toni represented the Portugal national team three times, gaining two caps for the under-21s and one for the B-side. All his appearances were friendlies, against Norway, Belarus and United States.[21]

Career statistics

As of 24 May 2015
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Farense 2000–01[22] Primeira Liga 25030—280
Benfica 2001–02[22] Primeira Liga 10000010
Beira-Mar 2002–03[22] Primeira Liga 25010—260
2003–04[22] Primeira Liga 11010—120
Total 36020—380
Servette 2004–05[22] Swiss Super League 70—70
Zamora[23] 2006–07 Segunda División B 34000—340
Ethnikos Achna 2007–08[22] Cypriot First Division 30—30
2008–09[22] Cypriot First Division 310—310
Total 340—340
Apollon Limassol 2009–10[24] Cypriot First Division 241—241
2010–11[24] Cypriot First Division 241101[lower-alpha 1]0261
2011–12[24] Cypriot First Division 28120—301
2012–13[24] Cypriot First Division 28060—340
Total 104390101143
AEK Larnaca 2013–14[24] Cypriot First Division 24040—280
Ermis 2014–15[24] Cypriot First Division 15030—180
Career total 2803210103013
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

References

  1. ↑ "Toni: "Tive muita sorte mas fiz por isso"" [Toni: «I was very lucky, but I worked for it too»]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 October 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Campomaiorense apoia Lusitano" [Campomaiorense supports Lusitano]. Record (in Portuguese). 21 June 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "E. Amadora-Farense, 1-2: Nem as estrelas do céu pararam Hassan" [E. Amadora-Farense, 1-2: Not even the stars in the sky stopped Hassan]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 October 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Deus na vez de Fehér mesmo com FC Porto" [Deus instead of Fehér even with FC Porto]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 November 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Toni desperta cobiça" [Toni sparks interest]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 November 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  6. ↑ "Toni mais perto do Southampton" [Toni closer to Southampton]. Record (in Portuguese). 16 May 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "Lateral Toni nas cogitações do Paris SG" [Paris SG thinking of full-back Toni]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 May 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "Toni assina contrato com West Ham United" [Toni signs contract with West Ham United]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 June 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "David Santos: "Somos parte interessada na transferência de Toni"" [David Santos: «We are a party in interest in Toni's transfer»]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 August 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Toni apresenta-se e realiza primeiro treino segunda-feira" [Toni presents himself and practices for the first time on Monday]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 August 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Benfica e Premier Holding separados por 65 mil contos" [Benfica and Premier Holding separated by 65 thousand contos]. Record (in Portuguese). 1 September 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Toni "libertado" pela FIFA pode defrontar o Varzim" [«Released» by FIFA, Toni could face Varzim]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 January 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Toni pronto para estreia no último jogo da I Liga" [Toni ready for debut on last I Liga game]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 May 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Protocolo une clubes amigos" [Protocol unites friends]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 August 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Toni: "Tive tempo suficiente para encaixar na equipa"" [Toni: «I had enough time to settle in the team»]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 September 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Ribeiro: "Evoluímos bastante com a nova táctica"" [Ribeiro: «We have progressed a lot with the new system»]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 October 2003. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "Abrir o jogo às alas é a solução indicada" [Open game to the wings is the right solution]. Record (in Portuguese). 16 January 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Toni e Kata, ambos ex-Beira-Mar, prosseguem a carreira no Servette (Suiça)" [Toni and Kata, both formerly of Beira-Mar, continue their career at Servette (Switzerland)] (in Portuguese). Notícias de Aveiro. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Ex-benfiquista poderá trocar de clube no Chipre" [Former Benfica player Toni could change clubs in Cyprus] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Bruno Vale e Toni conquistam Taça do Chipre" [Bruno Vale and Toni conquer Cypriot Cup]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 May 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  21. ↑ "Toni" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Toni". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  23. ↑ "Toni: Antonio Pedro De Brito Lopes". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Toni". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  • Toni at ForaDeJogo (archived)
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