Tarantini (Portuguese footballer)

Ricardo José Vaz Alves Monteiro (born 7 October 1983), known as Tarantini, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Rio Ave F.C. as an attacking midfielder.

This article is about a player commonly known as Tarantini. He is not to be confused with Alberto Tarantini.

Tarantini

Personal information
Full name	Ricardo José Vaz Alves Monteiro[1]
Date of birth	(1983-10-07) 7 October 1983[1]
Place of birth	Gestaçô, Portugal[1]
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Playing position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team	Rio Ave
Number	8
Youth career
1993–2001	Amarante
2001–2002	Covilhã
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2006	Covilhã	102	(15)
2006–2007	Gondomar	18	(4)
2007–2008	Portimonense	30	(6)
2008–	Rio Ave	319	(24)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 July 2020

He spent most of his career with Rio Ave, making over 400 appearances including more than 300 in the Primeira Liga. Earlier, he played 112 games and scored 21 goals in the LigaPro for three other clubs.

Club career

Born in the village of in Gestaçô, in Baião, Tarantini earned his nickname from his physical resemblance to Argentine footballer Alberto Tarantini.[2] He started playing football with Amarante FC, remaining in the club's youth system for eight years, then made his debut as a senior with S.C. Covilhã in 2002; he alternated between the second and third divisions until 2008, also representing Gondomar S.C. and Portimonense SC.[3]

In summer 2008, Tarantini signed for Rio Ave F.C. of the Primeira Liga,[4] making his debut in the competition on 24 August in a 1–1 home draw against S.L. Benfica (82 minutes played)[5] and finishing his debut season with 20 matches and five starts to help his team to the 12th position.

Tarantini scored his first goal in the top level of Portuguese football on 10 April 2011, netting the last in a 6–1 away rout of F.C. Paços de Ferreira.[6] The 2012–13 campaign was the most prolific of his career with six league goals – seven overall – including two in a 2–2 draw at home to reigning champions FC Porto on 29 September.[7]

In 2013–14, Tarantini played 37 total games as the team from Vila do Conde reached the finals of the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga, losing both to S.L. Benfica. In the fourth round of the former on 10 November 2013, he opened the scoring in a 4–2 home win over Sertanense F.C. at the Estádio dos Arcos.[8] The following 10 August, in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira against the same adversary as the previous finals, he played the full 120 minutes of a goalless draw and took Rio Ave's first attempt in the penalty shootout, saved by Artur Moraes whose team ended victorious.[9]

Tarantini remained a regular in 2019–20, as Rio Ave finished a joint-best fifth and with a record points tally of 55.[10] On 22 February, he made his 400th appearance in a 2–1 win at C.D. Tondela.[11]

Personal life

Tarantini held a degree and a master's degree in sports science from the University of Beira Interior, which he obtained still as a professional footballer.[12] In November 2017, he released a book A Minha Causa (My Cause) with advice for his fellow professionals on life after retiring from the game.[13]

Club statistics

As of 10 March 2018[14][15]

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Other[lower-alpha 1]		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Covilhã	2001–02	2	1	0	0	—		—		2	1
	2002–03	4	1	1	0	—		—		5	1
	2003–04	28	6	2	0	—		—		30	6
	2004–05	36	3	1	1	—		—		37	4
	2005–06	32	4	1	0	—		—		33	4
	Total	102	15	5	1	—		—		107	16
Gondomar	2006–07	18	4	2	0	—		—		20	4
Portimonense	2007–08	30	6	2	2	5	0	—		37	8
Rio Ave	2008–09	20	0	1	1	5	2	—		26	3
	2009–10	22	0	6	1	5	0	—		33	1
	2010–11	28	2	4	1	2	0	—		34	3
	2011–12	22	0	1	0	2	0	—		25	0
	2012–13	29	6	2	0	3	1	—		34	7
	2013–14	26	2	7	2	4	0	—		37	4
	2014–15	29	2	5	0	0	0	10	0	44	3
	2015–16	25	2	5	2	3	1	—		33	5
	2016–17	32	5	1	0	2	0	2	0	37	5
	2017–18	25	1	4	1	3	0	—		32	2
	Total	258	20	36	8	29	4	12	0	335	32
Career Total		408	45	45	11	34	4	12	0	499	60

1. Includes the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and UEFA Europa League

References

1. "Tarantini" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
2. Paulo, Isabel (17 October 2017). "Tarantini: "O jogador de futebol é culturalmente limitado"" [Tarantini: "The football player is culturally limited"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 December 2019.
3. Alves, Armando (27 June 2007). "Tarantini é reforço e mais quatro certos" [Tarantini an addition and four others confirmed]. Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
4. "Tarantini: "Na Liga é mais fácil"" [Tarantini: "It is easier in the League"]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
5. "Rio Ave não deixa águia voar mais alto que o empate" [Rio Ave do not let eagle soar higher than draw] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
6. "Paços de Ferreira 1 x 6 Rio Ave FC" (in Portuguese). Rio Ave F.C. 10 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
7. Ruela, João (29 September 2012). "Tarantini tira a liderança isolada ao FC Porto" [Tarantini strips Porto of their outright lead]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 December 2019.
8. "Rio Ave-Sertanense, 4–2: Sertanense só reagiu quando estava fora" [Rio Ave-Sertanense, 4–2: Sertanense only reacted when they were out]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 November 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
9. "Artur dá Supertaça ao Benfica" [Artur gives Supercup to Benfica]. Sol (in Portuguese). 10 August 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
10. "Rio Ave na Liga Europa. "Fizemos história", diz Tarantini" [Rio Ave in the Europa League. "We made history", says Tarantini] (in Spanish). Rádio Renascença. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
11. "Tarantini completa 400 jogos com camisola do Rio Ave" [Tarantini completes 400 games with Rio Ave shirt]. Mais Seminário (in Portuguese). 24 February 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
12. "Rio Ave: Tarantini já é mestre" [Rio Ave: Tarantini is already a master] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
13. "Tarantini lança livro 'A Minha Causa', sobre gestão do final de carrreira desportiva" [Tarantini launches book 'My Cause', on managing the end of a sporting career]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 16 November 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
14. "Tarantini". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
15. "Tarantini". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 March 2018.

External links

• Tarantini at ForaDeJogo