Quick Facts
Biography
Ernesto de Figueiredo (born 6 July 1937) is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a striker.
Club career
Born in Tomar, Santarém District, Figueiredo arrived at Sporting Clube de Portugal in the 1960 summer from amateurs União Desportiva e Recreativa de Cernache, aged already 23. He scored 18 goals in only 23 games in his first season with his new team, good enough for national championship runner-up accolades.
At the end of the 1965–66 campaign, Figueiredo finished joint-top scorer alongside S.L. Benfica's Eusébio – both at 25 goals – but his team won the league by one point. During his spell with the Lions, he netted 147 times in 232 official matches; additionally, in the 1963–64 edition of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, he featured in the final against MTK Budapest FC, won after a replay and with the player scoring twice in the first contest (3–3 draw).
Figueiredo retired in 1970 after two years with Vitória de Setúbal also in the main division, aged 33.
International career
Figueiredo gained six caps for Portugal, making his debut on 21 June 1966 in a friendly match with Denmark.
He was selected by manager Otto Glória for his 1966 FIFA World Cup squad, being an unused member for the third-placed team.
Honours
Club
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1963–64
- Primeira Liga: 1961–62, 1965–66
International
- FIFA World Cup: Third-place 1966