Portugal is mainly famous for its typical seafood dishes and football. Many football legends are born there, and one is undoubtedly Cristiano Ronaldo. But today, we are talking about another myth, Rui Patricio.
Rui Patricio plays for Portugal’s National Team, has won a series of matches, and has made Portugal proud. He, along with his team, won the 2019 UEFA Nations League.
The Portuguese player is considered one of the best goalkeepers in Portugal. Currently, he plays for Serie A team Roma, an Italian club.
Today, we will discuss the life of Rui Patricio. Here we discuss his childhood, career, love life, achievements, and many more.
But before we start with our article, let us have an instant glance at the quick facts.
Quick Facts
| Name | Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício |
| Birth Date | 15 February 1988 |
| Birth Place | Regueira de Pontes, Portugal |
| Nick Name | Saint Patricio |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Ethnicity | Hispanic |
| Education | Not Available |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Father’s Name | Rui Patricio |
| Mother’s Name | Belize Patricio |
| Siblings | Nidia Santos |
| Age | 36 Years Old |
| Height | 1.90 meters (6 feet 3 inches) |
| Weight | 84 kg |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | Professional Football Player |
| Salary | $3.5 Million |
| Position | Goalkeeper |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife’s Name | Vera Riberio, Joana Pereira (ex-wife) |
| Kids | Eva Patricio, Pedro Patricio |
| Merch | Trading Card |
| Net Worth | $10 Million |
| Social Media | |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Rui Patricio: Early Life and Childhood
Rui Patricio landed on February 15, 1988 in Regueira de Pontes, Portugal. He was born to his Father, Rui Patricio, and his mother, Belize Patricio.
Until he was twelve, he lived in Leiria. Then, when he turned twelve, he moved to Lisbon to play for Sporting CP with other children.
However, Rui loved his family so much that separating was very painful. He sometimes questioned whether leaving the family for a career would even be worth it.
Not only Rui, his parents too have a hard time sending their twelve years old son far from them so that he could pursue his dreams.
Life in sporting CP was completely different for him, he used to go to school where he used to stay till 5 pm, and after returning from school and freshening up, he had to go to the gym. He would have to practice for one and a half hours in the gym, from 6:30 pm-8 pm.
Further, after coming from the gym, Rui used to have dinner and go to sleep. It happened to be his everyday routine. Sometimes, he and his sister used to cry together because they missed home. It indeed was not an easy childhood for Rui.
But no matter what, he knew he had to stay there so that he could make a promising future. So that was the motivating force driving him every day.
Whenever Rui recalls his childhood, he now feels everything he ever went through was worth it. In addition, he feels his parents never pressured him, which is why he could sustain and choose football as a career.
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Rui Patricio: Career
Following the article about Rui Patricio, there is a good percent you want to continue the rest of the article, so we intend to bring up the most-searched topic.
Before moving to England, Rui Pedro dos Santos Patricio spent most of his career with Sporting CP. Likewise, he made his first-team debut at eighteen and appeared in 467 official games.
Talking about his achievements, he has won five trophies during his 12-year career with the club, including two Portuguese Cups.
In 2010, after Paulo Bento was appointed head coach, Patricio earned his first cap for Portugal. Moreover, he has represented his nation in two World Cups and three European Championships.
He got victorious in the 2016 edition of the last tournament and the 2019 Nations League.
Patricio has even been awarded the Sporting’s Footballer of the Year award for a second consecutive year on 20 December 2012.
Patricio’s most iconic game is the 2014 match. He notched a penalty by Jackson Martinez to assist oust Porto from the Taca de Portugal with a 3–1 win at the Estadio do Dragao.
Similarly, for the 2016 Ballon d’Or award, Patricio was one of 30 players nominated alongside his Portuguese teammates Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Not every day has been the bed of roses for Rui, and many unforced events have happened during his career.
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Furthermore,
One such event happened in 2018; Patricio and several of his teammates, including coaches, were injured following an attack by around 50 supporters at the club’s training ground.
This incident happened after the team couldn’t win, came third in the league, and missed the Champions League qualification.
Despite the events, he and the other team members managed their professionalism and agreed to play in the Portuguese Cup final, but unfortunately, they couldn’t win that tournament.
That same year, Patricio submitted a request to terminate his Sporting contract with grounds due to the dressing room violence from supporters.
The other reason he wanted to terminate was his new €18 million offer to join Premier League team Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Finally, Rui completed the move on 18 June, on a four-year deal, and later, he announced that both clubs had agreed to an €18 million contract as settlement of his departure to England.
After moving to England, there has not been looking back for Rui. On the contrary, he has managed to gain more fame for himself. Besides, he has also established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in football history.
Rui Patricio: Achievements
Currently, Rui is 36 years old and has played at the highest level since almost 16 years old.
Although Patricio’s separation from sports was very saddening, it was the best decision he has ever made for him by far. So, let’s take a look at Rui Patricio’s achievements.
- Portuguese League Cup Winner
- Super Cup Winner
- Portuguese Cup Winner, twice.
- UEFA Nations League, 2019
- European Champion, 2016
What did Rui do in COVID?
Most of his focus during the pandemic and the lockdown was taking care of his two kids. Of course, he wanted to take care of them, play with them and entertain them because they were at home too.
Since he was busy, he could often spend time with his children, so he thought the COVID pandemic and lockdown would be the best medium to be with his kids. He indeed spent some quality time with his kids.
Rui Patricio: Body Measurements
He celebrates his birthday every year in February, just a day after valentines day.
Likewise, we add that Rui is passionate, hardworking, dedicated, and motivated. His football skills are excellent, and his goal-keeping style is marvelous.
Rui Patricio is one of the best players in football. Similarly, he is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 84 kg.
Besides, Patricio has beautiful brown eyes and dark brown hair. In addition, he has an athletic body type. Also, Rui is Portuguese by nationality and Hispanic by ethnicity.
According to Rui’s birth chart, he is an Aquarius. People with this zodiac sign are usually determined, centered, and hardworking. Undoubtedly, Patricio is one focused and hardworking person.
However, Rui has an outstanding personality, as he is an athlete; even though he is in his 30s, he has to maintain a good physique. The secret of his incredible figure is his strict diet plan to keep his body.
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Rui Patricio: Net Worth
Rui has earned quite a good amount of money from his football career.
Regarding Patricio’s net worth, he has a net worth of $10 million.
As per his contract, Rui earns around $2.5 million every year. Undoubtedly, he lives a lavish life with his family.
However, not much has been found about his property or car collection, but we will update you soon as we find any information.
Moreover, Rui’s recent switch from Wolverhampton to AS Roma granted him 11.5 million euros ($13.5 million).
Rui Patricio: Personal Life & Kids
Regarding Rui Patricio’s personal life, he is happily married and has a family.
Rui is married to a beautiful woman named Vera Ribeiro. To be precise about Vera, she is a psychologist by profession. Similarly, these amazing couples tied the knot in 2019.
However, he was previously married to his long-term partner Joana Pereira before Vera. After a month of being married, Rui and Joana divorced due to their issues that have not been disclosed.
Vera and Rui are blessed with Eva Patricio and Pedro Patricio with two kids. Vera is Rui’s ultimate support system; this couple has seen many ups and downs.
However, they didn’t let bad days affect their relationship and were always by each other’s side. Rui adores Vera for whatever she has done for their family.
Their love for each other makes their bond and love very special. Vera and Rui are matches made in heaven, and they live happy lives with their family.
Social Media Presence
It is a treat to Rui’s fans to see him sharing his personal life with them. He is very active on social media.
Besides, he mostly uses Instagram and keeps his fans updated about his personal and professional life.
Rui is seen posting about his family, practices, and vacation pictures with massive followers of 804k (as of now),
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Has a statue been made in Rui’s honor?
In 2017, a statue of Rui was made to memorialize a save he made from Antoine Griezmann in the Euro 2016 finals.
What is Rui’s Jersey number?
Rui’s jersey number is 11.
