A charisma on the field, automatically turning the team charismatic – Ricardo Quaresma has been a complaining but a starry player in whichever team he has played for. Mourinho at Inter Milan once mentioned –

“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.”

Ricardo Quaresma started from the youth academy of Sporting Club Portugal to move up to ranks of first team over time. Making his big debut in 2001-02 season, Sporting CP won the Premier Liga with Quaresma making 28 appearances scoring thrice. Dominating as a winger the big Barcelona move came in June,2003 which saw Fábio Rochemback move on loan the other side. Quaresma made 10 starts for Barcelona, accumulating 12 substitute appearances scoring once in La Liga.

Things didn’t go well with then Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard, the great Dutch who had won the 1988 Euros with The Netherland. He forced his move to Porto which saw Deco move the opposite side for a 6 Mil Euro price tag. Not a new face back in Portugal, Quaresma fit in the team perfectly. Making regular appearances Porto won the next 3 seasons successfully – 2005-06, 06-07, 07-08. His performance granted him a spot in the national team for the Euros 2008, where Portugal were eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals.

Big move came running to Inter Milan where money plus swap deal still followed Quaresma somehow (its three times now man). United to Jose Mourinho, who was running riots in domestic and European competitions, stakes were really high to stand on. Already won consecutive Serie A seasons. Not a big fan of Quaresma, first team opportunities were limited, Quaresma signed for loan move to Chelsea where he exclaimed of a refreshing energy in him which was missing, in an interview. Now not a favorite anymore, Inter tried to offload him the next season, but Quaresma stayed and inherited the number 7 jersey previously worn by the great Portuguese Figo who had now retired. Making 11 more appearances, Inter had completed the famous 2010 Treble season under Jose Mourinho.

Besiktas had now purchased Quaresma for a 7.4 Mil Euros deal, and hit the ground running as usual, winning the Turkish Cup the very first season. But times were not great here as well. Just in the second season and an on-field spat with team Nihat Kavechi, and with coach Carlos Carvalhal – Quaresma season was cut short. He then joined UAE club Al-Ahli for a season, where he won another cup, the President’s Cup.

Returning to Porto saw a huge fan gathering for Quaresma, who then competed two seasons for the team before making a dramatic return to old club Besiktas. He greeted thousands of crowd at Istanbul Airport, mentioning – his aim is to win the league with the team. So he did. Winning the Super Lig in 2015-16 and 16-17 consecutively.

Meanwhile Quaresma was and still remains a regular starter for the Portugal National Team. Joining forces with Cristiano Ronaldo and Rui Patricio, Portugal won the 2016 Euros Competition. An emphatic win for Portugal, the Portuguese team spirit was hailed all-around Europe and the football community.

Four seasons at Besiktas, an aged Quaresma now 36 left on a free transfer to Kasımpaşa this season, another Turkish League club. While his age seems to come in his way right now, there is no doubt how talented Quaresma was and is. The number of trophies he has won and success he has achieved is one that every footballer envy for. Making 10 club changes including returns to older ones, Quaresma has travelled a lot in his path to glory.

Cheers