Rui Águas (footballer)

This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is Lopes and the second or paternal family name is Águas.
Rui Águas
Personal information
Full name José Rui Lopes Águas
Date of birth (1960-04-28) 28 April 1960
Place of birth Lisbon, Portugal
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 12 in)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
1972–1974 Benfica
1974–1977 CAC Pontinha
1977–1978 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1982 Sesimbra
1982–1983 Atlético
1983–1985 Portimonense 46 (10)
1985–1988 Benfica 74 (35)
1988–1990 Porto 64 (30)
1990–1994 Benfica 99 (42)
1994 Estrela Amadora 9 (4)
1995 Reggiana 12 (0)
National team
1985–1993 Portugal 31 (10)
Teams managed
1998–1999 Estoril
1999–2000 Vitória Setúbal
2002–2003 Marítimo (assistant)
2003–2006 Braga (assistant)
2014– Cape Verde

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


José Rui Lopes Águas (born 28 April 1960) is a former Portuguese professional footballer who played as a striker, and a current manager.

He had highly successful spells at two of the biggest clubs in Portugal, Benfica and Porto, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 291 games and 120 goals over the course of 12 seasons.

Águas represented the Portugal national team at the 1986 World Cup.

Club career

Born in Lisbon, Águas started his career with local G.D. Sesimbra before turning professional in the 1983–84 season, when he signed for Portimonense S.C. in the top division from Atlético Clube de Portugal.

Moving to S.L. Benfica in 1985, Águas scored an average of 12 goals in his first spell, helping the capital club to the league on three occasions. He was present at the 1988 European Cup final, as the Eagles lost on penalties to PSV Eindhoven, 5–6.

In the 1988 summer, Águas joined FC Porto, winning the league in his second year and contributing to the conquest with 17 goals. However, he returned to Benfica after only two years, and proceeded to net a career-best 25 times in the first season upon his return as the team finished in top position; in the last round against S.C. Beira-Mar, the game after the club had been crowned champions, he bagged two second-half goals in an eventual 3–0 home win, narrowly edging Porto's Domingos – who played first and scored four in a 5–0 triumph against Vitória de Guimarães, finishing with 24 – in the Bola de Prata race.[1]

In the last edition of the European Cup, Águas suffered an horrific foot injury against FC Dynamo Kyiv, but still managed five league goals in only 14 contests. Already 34, he moved clubs but stayed in the capital, joining lowly C.F. Estrela da Amadora; his career ended after an abroad spell which was his first and only at the age of 34, at Italy's A.C. Reggiana 1919.

In the early 2000s, Águas coached Vitória F.C. and S.C. Braga, managing six wins, three draws and nine losses for the former in the 1999–2000 campaign, which ended in top division relegation.

International career

Águas played his first match for Portugal on 3 April 1985, a 0–2 defeat with Italy in a friendly match. He was present at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, playing as a substitute in the 1–3 defeat against Morocco.

In total, Águas received 31 caps for the national team, scoring ten goals. His last game was for the 1994 World Cup qualifiers on 17 November 1993, losing to Italy 0–1.

Rui Águas: International goals
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 20 September 1989 Stade de la Maladière, Neuchâtel, Switzerland   Switzerland 1–2 1–2 1990 World Cup qualification
2 6 October 1989 Generali Arena, Prague, Czechoslovakia  Czechoslovakia 1–1 2–1 1990 World Cup qualification
3 11 October 1989 Ludwigsparkstadion, Saarbrücken, West Germany  Luxembourg 0–1 0–3 1990 World Cup qualification
4 11 October 1989 Ludwigsparkstadion, Saarbrücken, West Germany  Luxembourg 0–2 0–3 1990 World Cup qualification
5 29 August 1990 Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal  West Germany 1–1 1–1 Friendly
6 17 October 1990 Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal  Netherlands 1–0 1–0 Euro 1992 qualifying
7 23 January 1991 Olympic Stadium (Athens), Athens, Greece  Greece 1–1 3–2 Euro 1992 qualifying
8 20 February 1991 Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal  Malta 1–0 5–0 Euro 1992 qualifying
9 24 January 1993 Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta  Malta 0–1 0–1 1994 World Cup qualification
10 10 November 1993 Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal  Estonia 3–0 3–0 1994 World Cup qualification

Personal life

Águas' father, José, was a stellar footballer (also striker) for Benfica, mainly in the 50's.[2] He had two siblings, his sister Maria Helena (known as Lena d'Água) having a prolific career in the country's pop music.[3]

Águas' cousin, Raul Águas, was also a footballer and manager for several years.

Honours

Club

Benfica
Porto

Individual

References

External links

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