Frederico Barrigana

Frederico Barrigana (28 April 1922 in Alcochete, Portugal – 30 September 2007 in Águeda, Portugal) was a Portuguese football goalkeeper that became famous for playing for FC Porto, where he earned the nickname "Barrigana Mãos-de-ferro" (meaning iron hands). He was chosen by Portuguese sports newspaper Record as one of the best 100 Portuguese football players ever.

In 1942, he went to Sporting Clube de Portugal. The main goalkeeper at the time, João Azevedo, said that Barrigana was "the only one in which I see qualities to take me away from my place". Until the end of the season, he did not play any game. Then, FC Porto's goalkeeper, Hungarian Bela Andrasik, mysteriously disappeared (later it was found out he was an anti-nazi spy and ran away with fear from António de Oliveira Salazar's regime). FC Porto requested help from Sporting and Barrigana was sent. Although he never won any titles playing for the club, he is one of the main figures in its history, having played 296 games.

He debuted for the national team on 21 March 1948, in a game against Spain in Madrid that ended 2-0 for the Spanish. His most famous game for the national team was against France on 20 April 1952 in Paris, in which the Portuguese team lost 3-0. The defeat was not bigger thanks to the fantastic game by Barrigana.

He was released from FC Porto in 1955 by Brazilian Dorival Yustrich in a controversial decision. He went to S.C. Salgueiros and won the II Division Championship in his second season there and so came back on the main Portuguese Championship for one season in 1957/58, playing 22 games. He retired at the age of 43, after having played for several major clubs.

He died on 30 September 2007, by disease, after being in hospital for several days.