Background and career
Ricardo Andrade Quaresma Bernardo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁiˈkaɾðu kwɐˈɾɛʒmɐ]; born 26 September 1983) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a winger. He began his career at Sporting CP and went on to play for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Porto (twice), Chelsea, Beşiktaş (twice), Al-Ahli Dubai, Kasımpaşa and Vitória de Guimarães. Regarded as a mercurial talent, his tricks, including the rabona and trivela (a bending shot with the outside of his right foot) made him a popular figure among fans around the world. A Portugal international for 15 years, Quaresma won 80 caps and played at three European Championships, including the victorious Euro 2016, and the 2018 World Cup.
Quaresma was born in Lisbon. A trainee at Sporting CP's famed academy, the 17-year-old was promoted to the first team by manager László Bölöni before the start of the 2001–02 season, playing 28 Primeira Liga matches and scoring three goals as the team won the double. Under the same coach, Quaresma scored five times in the league the following campaign, but the team could only finish in third place.
In 2003, Quaresma was sold to Barcelona for a reported €6 million fee and the loan of Fábio Rochemback. In his first year in La Liga he made ten starts and 12 substitute appearances, scoring in the 5–0 home rout of Albacete. Quaresma injured his right foot in the final weeks of the season, forcing him to miss both the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and UEFA Euro 2004 tournaments. Shortly after, he announced his refusal to play for the Spanish club as long as manager Frank Rijkaard was in charge.
Quaresma signed for Porto in the summer of 2004 as Deco moved in the opposite direction for a fee of €15 million plus Quaresma, valued at €6 million. He started the campaign on a high note by scoring the only goal in a win against Benfica in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, and also scored in the 2–1 loss to Valencia in the UEFA Super Cup. Quaresma scored five goals in his first year at the Estádio do Dragão, and the club finished as runners-up. In the penalty shootout defeat of Once Caldas in the Intercontinental Cup, he successfully converted his attempt in an 8–7 victory in Yokohama.
On 1 September 2008, Quaresma signed for Italian champions Inter Milan in a cash/player exchange fee of €18.6 million, with youngster Pelé joining Porto. He scored in his first Serie A match against Catania, with one of his trademark trivelas in a 2–1 home win. However, he found opportunities in the starting XI limited, as coach José Mourinho stated: "He is a great talent, but the joy I have at seeing the way Ibra works for and with the team I do not yet have with Quaresma. He will have to learn, otherwise he won't play, and I am sure he'll change and become more tactically disciplined. He likes kicking the ball with the outside of his foot, but if you ask me about him in a few months' time, we'll be talking about a different Quaresma." At the end of the season, Quaresma was given the Bidone d'oro award for the worst footballer in the Italian top division. On 2 February 2009, transfer deadline day, he signed on loan for Premier League club Chelsea until 30 June, making his first appearance five days later in a 0–0 home draw with Hull City. On 7 March, he provided the cross for Alex to score against Coventry City in the sixth round of the FA Cup. After a disappointing start at the San Siro, he said his move had restored his confidence, and he further stated "When I was at Inter, I wasn't feeling very confident. I wasn't playing well and wasn't happy, I already feel more confident here at Chelsea. It has brought the joy back for me, which I didn't have at Inter." Having returned to Inter despite attempts made by the club to offload him, Quaresma inherited the number 7 shirt following the retirement of his compatriot Luís Figo. However, after the arrival of Goran Pandev he did not feature much in Mourinho's plans as the team went on to win the treble, making 11 appearances in the league without scoring.
On 13 June 2010, Quaresma joined Beşiktaş of the Turkish Süper Lig, who paid €7.3 million for his services and signed him to a three-year contract, which entitled him to €3.5 million in the first season and €3.75 million in the next two. He scored his first goal for them against Viktoria Plzeň in the UEFA Europa League's third qualifying round, and was also an integral part of their victorious run in the Turkish Cup, opening the scoring in the 33rd minute of the final against İstanbul Başakşehir and being named player of the match after the 4–3 win on penalties. On 25 April 2011, Quaresma and teammate Nihat Kahveci had a spat on the pitch – the latter was upset at the former for failing to pass the ball, but the altercation was eventually broken up by teammates. Following the 3–1 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Europa League's round of 16 the following 8 March, he had an altercation with Carlos Carvalhal in the dressing room at half-time after the manager replaced him with İsmail Köybaşı, reportedly beginning to throw water bottles before saying, "I brought you here, you just think of yourself. If I was not here, [Carvalhal] would not be here. You can not remove me from the match because you're nothing." He was suspended indefinitely by the club following the incident, and released on 20 December six months before his contract was due to expire, being paid the remaining €1.48 million.
