# Rui Patrício
**Rui Patrício** (Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício; born 1988) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper, best known for eleven seasons at [Sporting CP](https://www.edgepedia.org/sporting-cp), three years at Wolverhampton Wanderers, a spell at [AS Roma](https://www.edgepedia.org/as-roma), and more than a decade as Portugal's first-choice goalkeeper, including the Euro 2016 title.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) • [2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1988, Regueira de Pontes, Portugal; 1.90 m, 84 kg[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) |
| Sporting CP | Debut 19 November 2006 against Marítimo, saving a 75th-minute penalty in a 1-0 win; 467 appearances and 182 clean sheets, second only to Hilário (494)[3](https://www.sporting.pt/pt/noticias/futebol/equipa-principal/2016-11-19/rui-patricio-estreou-se-ha-dez-anos-na-equipa-principal) • [1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) |
| Euro 2016 | Played all 7 matches without substitution, clean sheets in 5; named UEFA Goalkeeper of the Tournament and included in the Team of the Tournament[4](https://old.bigenc.ru/sport/text/5272236) • [5](https://www.sporting.pt/en/news/club/2016-07-11/patricio-named-uefa-goalkeeper-of-the-tournament) • [6](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/0230-0f842bbc022b-0a07694e3f61-1000/uefa_direct_160_10.08.2016_.pdf) |
| Major honors | Euro 2016 and UEFA Nations League 2019 with Portugal; UEFA Europa Conference League 2022 with Roma; Taça de Portugal 2007-08 and 2014-15 with Sporting[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523) • [7](https://www.fotmob.com/pt-PT/players/40604/rui-patricio) |
| Portugal caps | 108 senior caps from 2010 to 2023; Portugal's most capped goalkeeper, surpassing Vítor Baía[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523) • [1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) |
| Club career after Sporting | Wolverhampton Wanderers 2018-2021 (more than 135 appearances, 37 clean sheets); AS Roma from July 2021[8](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20210713-patricio-makes-roma-switch/) |
| Tournaments | Two FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018), three European Championships (2012, 2016, 2020), and the 2017 Confederations Cup[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) |
## Early life and Sporting CP
Patrício began at the youth side of his hometown club, Leiria e Marrazes, and did not start as a goalkeeper. His first coach there, João Rocha, recalled that he played as a striker in schools from the age of nine, already tall with a good left foot but slow, and still scoring goals.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) He joined Sporting CP at 12 years of age for a transfer fee of 1,500 euros.[9](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697)
His professional debut came on 19 November 2006 at Marítimo, in unusual circumstances: regular goalkeeper Ricardo was doubtful with a physical problem and the usual substitute Tiago was injured, so the 18-year-old went straight into the team. He saved a penalty from the forward Kanú in the 75th minute to secure a 1-0 win.[3](https://www.sporting.pt/pt/noticias/futebol/equipa-principal/2016-11-19/rui-patricio-estreou-se-ha-dez-anos-na-equipa-principal) By 2010 he was a key man at the [Estádio José Alvalade](https://www.edgepedia.org/estadio-jose-alvalade), playing every minute of league action and being named the club's Footballer of the Year, an award he repeated the following season with 13 league clean sheets.[10](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20180618-rui-patricio-the-story-so-far/)
He stayed more than a decade. His first trophies were the [Taça de Portugal](https://www.edgepedia.org/taca-de-portugal) in 2008, when Sporting beat Porto 2-0 in the final, and the same cup in 2015, when he captained the side to a penalty shoot-out win over Braga; his final piece of silverware as a Sporting player was the [Taça da Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/taca-da-liga) in January 2018, again won on penalties, against Vitória de Setúbal.[10](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20180618-rui-patricio-the-story-so-far/) In total he made 467 official appearances for the club, with 182 clean sheets, and only Hilário, with 494, has made more in Sporting's history.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) In 2018 he became the first graduate of that generation to sign for another club without an agreement with Sporting, leaving 28 appearances short of Hilário's record.[11](https://www.wikisporting.com/index.php?title=Rui_Patr%C3%ADcio)
## Euro 2016
Patrício was Portugal's first-choice goalkeeper throughout the tournament in France. He played every minute of all seven matches, keeping clean sheets in five of them, and was included in the Team of the [Tournament](https://www.edgepedia.org/tournament).[4](https://old.bigenc.ru/sport/text/5272236) • [10](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20180618-rui-patricio-the-story-so-far/) The only match in which he conceded during regular time of the group stage was the 3-3 draw with Hungary, in which he took three goals.[12](https://www.torwart.de/archiv/euro-2016/em-hautnah/torwartde-em-spezial-die-em-im-torhueter-check.html)
Two knockout rounds defined his tournament. In the quarter-final against Poland he read the shoot-out correctly, saving from [Jakub Błaszczykowski](https://www.edgepedia.org/jakub-b-aszczykowski) and sending Portugal through to the semi-finals.[13](https://as.com/futbol/2016/06/30/eurocopa/1467309576_891757.html) In the final against hosts France at the [Stade de France](https://www.edgepedia.org/stade-de-france), he made seven saves in total, including an early tip over the bar from [Antoine Griezmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/antoine-griezmann)'s header and two spectacular hands to shots from Moussa Sissoko, as Portugal won 1-0 through Éder's extra-time goal.[6](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/0230-0f842bbc022b-0a07694e3f61-1000/uefa_direct_160_10.08.2016_.pdf) • [14](https://as.com/futbol/2016/07/10/eurocopa/1468184078_222597.html) UEFA named him Goalkeeper of the Tournament, and the performances earned him a Ballon d'Or nomination in October 2016, in which he finished 12th among 30 players.[5](https://www.sporting.pt/en/news/club/2016-07-11/patricio-named-uefa-goalkeeper-of-the-tournament) • [10](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20180618-rui-patricio-the-story-so-far/) • [11](https://www.wikisporting.com/index.php?title=Rui_Patr%C3%ADcio) The former Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff highlighted his consistent work in every match as very important to the title.[15](https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/rui-patricio-tem-coisas-que-fazem-lembrar-buffon-5281156.html)
## Portugal career
Patrício made his senior international debut on 17 November 2010 in a friendly against Spain, which Portugal won 4-0.[16](https://as.com/futbol/2016/11/21/champions/1479752601_846825.html) Before Euro 2016 he had already been part of the squad at Euro 2012, where he saved [Xabi Alonso](https://www.edgepedia.org/xabi-alonso)'s kick in the semi-final shoot-out against Spain, though [Iker Casillas](https://www.edgepedia.org/iker-casillas) saved from [João Moutinho](https://www.edgepedia.org/joao-moutinho) and Spain advanced.[17](https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/TechnicalReport/competitions/EURO/01/86/72/05/1867205_DOWNLOAD.pdf)
After the Euro title he kept the number one place through the 2017 Confederations Cup, the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the inaugural [UEFA Nations League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-nations-league), which Portugal won in 2019, and Euro 2020.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) • [2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523)
## Wolverhampton and Roma
In June 2018 Patrício completed his first transfer away from Sporting, joining newly promoted Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers after the World Cup.[10](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20180618-rui-patricio-the-story-so-far/) He took the unconventional number 11 shirt for a goalkeeper, in honor of Carl Ikeme, who had retired shortly before following treatment for acute leukemia.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) His 13 clean sheets in 38 appearances in the 2018-19 Premier League set a new club record, and Wolves finished seventh in the Premier League in successive seasons, returning European football to the club and reaching the 2019-20 Europa League quarter-finals, with Patrício playing every minute of the 2019-20 league campaign.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) • [8](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20210713-patricio-makes-roma-switch/)
In July 2021 he joined [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a) club Roma, managed by [José Mourinho](https://www.edgepedia.org/jose-mourinho), for an undisclosed fee.[8](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20210713-patricio-makes-roma-switch/) • [1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio) In his first season in Rome he played 52 matches and won the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022; in 2022-23 he made 51 appearances and reached the Europa League final, which Roma lost in 2023.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523) In 2024-25 he appeared for Atalanta, including matches in Serie A, the Champions League, and the Coppa Italia.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523)
## Playing style and personal life
The Portuguese Football Federation's profile describes a goalkeeper of large frame who is left-footed, with remarkable reflexes and agility between the posts, and particular strength in one-on-one situations against forwards.[9](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697) His penalty-saving is a recurring feature of his record, from the debut save at Marítimo in 2006 to the decisive stop against Poland at Euro 2016.[3](https://www.sporting.pt/pt/noticias/futebol/equipa-principal/2016-11-19/rui-patricio-estreou-se-ha-dez-anos-na-equipa-principal) • [13](https://as.com/futbol/2016/06/30/eurocopa/1467309576_891757.html)
Patrício is a practicing Buddhist and follows the teachings of the guru Sri Swami Vishwananda, who traveled with the Portugal squad to Euro 2016; he has said the practice keeps him in good health and helps how he feels about his work.[1](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio)
## References
1. [Factfile: Meet new signing Rui Patricio!, AS Roma](https://www.asroma.com/en/news/61567/factfile-meet-new-signing-rui-patricio)
2. [Rui Patricio - joueur de football, L'Équipe](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/rui-patricio/222523)
3. [Rui Patrício estreou-se há dez anos na equipa principal do Sporting CP, Sporting CP](https://www.sporting.pt/pt/noticias/futebol/equipa-principal/2016-11-19/rui-patricio-estreou-se-ha-dez-anos-na-equipa-principal)
4. [РУЙ ПАТРИСИУ, Большая российская энциклопедия](https://old.bigenc.ru/sport/text/5272236)
5. [Patrício named UEFA Goalkeeper of the Tournament, Sporting CP](https://www.sporting.pt/en/news/club/2016-07-11/patricio-named-uefa-goalkeeper-of-the-tournament)
6. [UEFA Direct No. 160 (10.08.2016)](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/0230-0f842bbc022b-0a07694e3f61-1000/uefa_direct_160_10.08.2016_.pdf)
7. [Rui Patrício - estatísticas, carreira e valor de mercado, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/pt-PT/players/40604/rui-patricio)
8. [Patricio makes Roma switch, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20210713-patricio-makes-roma-switch/)
9. [RUI PATRÍCIO, FPF Euro 2016 Media Guide](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697)
10. [Rui Patricio: The Story So Far, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC](https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20180618-rui-patricio-the-story-so-far/)
11. [Rui Patrício, Wiki Sporting](https://www.wikisporting.com/index.php?title=Rui_Patr%C3%ADcio)
12. [torwart.de EM-Spezial: Die EM im Torhüter-Check](https://www.torwart.de/archiv/euro-2016/em-hautnah/torwartde-em-spezial-die-em-im-torhueter-check.html)
13. [Cristiano, en semifinales, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2016/06/30/eurocopa/1467309576_891757.html)
14. [1x1 de Portugal: férrea defensa esperando el milagro que llegó, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2016/07/10/eurocopa/1468184078_222597.html)
15. ["Rui Patrício tem coisas que fazem lembrar Buffon", Diário de Notícias](https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/rui-patricio-tem-coisas-que-fazem-lembrar-buffon-5281156.html)
16. [Rui Patricio: "Queremos un final diferente al de la ida", AS](https://as.com/futbol/2016/11/21/champions/1479752601_846825.html)
17. [UEFA EURO 2012 technical report](https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/TechnicalReport/competitions/EURO/01/86/72/05/1867205_DOWNLOAD.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Portuguese footballers › Goalkeepers and defenders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license