José Bosingwa

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José Bosingwa da Silva (born August 24, 1982 in Kinshasa) is a Portuguese footballer currently contracted to FC Porto but will move to Chelsea after the Euro 2008 competition. He competes nationally for Portugal.

[edit] Club career

Born in DR Congo (to a Portuguese father and a Congolese mother), Bosingwa moved with his parents at a very young age to Seia, inner Portugal, in the Guarda district. He was picked as a youth to play in Boavista F.C., where he stayed until picked by José Mourinho in 2003-04 for his FC Porto squad,^[1] where he was used sparingly (11 league games) that season. He made his UEFA Champions League debut on September 16, 2003, in a 1-1 away draw with Partizan Belgrade (playing 8 matches in the club's victorious campaign).

Fully established as a right-back (he started as a midfielder), and Porto's first-choice since 2004-05, after the departures of Paulo Ferreira and veteran Carlos Secretário, Bosingwa was a vital element in the team's conquest of four league titles in five seasons.

The season ended on a sour note as, in May 2005, Bosingwa was at the wheel of his jeep when excess speed and wet road conditions led to a serious accident, with the vehicle skidding off the motorway and rolling down an embankment before bursting into flames. Along with the Porto player, four other footballers travelled, including then-Boavista player Nélson. All escaped alive, but one of them, Sandro Luís (player of modest Grupo Desportivo Os Minhocas), had to have his left foot amputated as a result of the accident, which took place in Valongo. Bosingwa was subsequently suspended by the club.

On 11 May 2008, Porto announced that Bosingwa had come to verbal agreements with Chelsea for a €20.6million/£16.3m transfer.^[2][3] He put pen to paper on a 3-year deal,^[4] and will join the London club after Euro 2008 and will wear the number 31 shirt.

[edit] Portugal national team

Thanks to his consistent performances at club level, Bosingwa became a regular in the Portugal squad since 2007, overtaking Miguel as the country's first choice right-back. He also represented his nation in the 2004 Olympic Games, in Athens and the 2004 under-21 European championship.

[edit] Honours

• Portuguese Liga 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Portuguese Cup 2006
• SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira 2004, 2006
• FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2004
• UEFA Champions League 2004

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Portugoal.net profile
• Stats and profile at zerozero.pt

v • d • e Portugal squad - UEFA Euro 2008 1 Ricardo • 2 P. Ferreira • 3 B. Alves • 4 Bosingwa • 5 F. Meira • 6 R. Meireles • 7 Ronaldo • 8 Petit • 9 H. Almeida • 10 Moutinho • 11 Simão • 12 Nuno • 13 Miguel • 14 J. Ribeiro • 15 Pepe • 16 R. Carvalho • 17 Quaresma • 18 Veloso • 19 Nani • 20 Deco • 21 Nuno Gomes • 22 Rui Patrício • 23 H. Postiga • Coach: Scolari