Roberto Luís Gaspar de Deus Severo (born 3 May 1976), known as Beto (), is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played mainly as a central defender.
He played most of his professional career with Sporting CP (ten seasons, 315 official games and five major titles),A galeria dos 300 (The 300 gallery); Sporting CP, 5 January 2023 (in Portuguese) but also had spells in France and Spain, which included spending three years with Recreativo de Huelva.
Beto represented the Portugal national team at the 2002 World Cup and two European Championships, winning 31 caps.
Club career Sporting CP A product of Primeira Liga club Sporting CP, Lisbon-born Beto established himself in the first team in the 1996–97 season at the age of just 20, after two loans.Beto: «Tenho boas recordações dos jogos em Guimarães» (Beto: "I have good memories of the games in Guimarães"); Record, 22 February 2002 (in Portuguese) As a defensive force and captain he scored some important goals, including against FC Porto, but also two own goals in a single match against rivals S.L. Benfica, a 1–2 home loss.Beto: «Importante foi a atitude da equipa» (Beto: "The attitude of the team was the most important"); Record, 30 April 2001 (in Portuguese)
Beto won the national league twice, in 2000 and 2002, conquering the double the latter year.Beto: «Solidariedade viu-se dentro de campo» (Beto: "Solidarity was shown on the pitch"); Record, 18 May 2002 (in Portuguese) During his ten-year spell at the Estádio José Alvalade, he managed to net at least once in every season.'El Capitán', o central goleador: Coates subiu ao pódio dos defesas com mais golos pelo Sporting ('El Capitán', the scoring stopper: Coates reached podium of defenders with the most goals for Sporting); SAPO, 20 October 2021 (in Portuguese)
Recreativo After falling out with Sporting coach Paulo Bento in January 2006,Caso Beto continua a fervilhar no Sporting (Beto affair still abuzz at Sporting); Público, 14 January 2006 (in Portuguese) Beto joined Ligue 1 club FC Girondins de Bordeaux for €1 million,Bordeaux bring in Beto; UEFA, 23 January 2006 but appeared sparingly for the French in his five-month stint. On the last day of the summer transfer window that year, he was sent on loan to La Liga returnee Recreativo de Huelva.Beto apresentado no Recreativo de Huelva (Beto presented at Recreativo de Huelva); Record, 4 September 2006 (in Portuguese)
On 1 July 2007, Beto signed a three-year permanent deal with the Andalusia side.El Recreativo de Huelva confirma el fichaje del portugués 'Beto' (Recreativo de Huelva confirm signing of Portuguese 'Beto'); Diario AS, 1 July 2007 (in Spanish) After two solid first campaigns (netting twice in each, and partnering compatriots Carlos Martins and Silvestre Varela in 2007–08),El Racing s'imposa al Recreativo en un festival de gols al Sardinero (4–3) (Racing best Recreativo in goal festival at Sardinero (4–3)); Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals, 27 November 2006 (in Catalan)El Recre hunde un poquito más a la Real Sociedad (1–0) (Recre sink Real Sociedad a little more (1–0)); 20 minutos, 18 February 2007 (in Spanish)Espanha: portugueses do Recreativo Huelva têm novo treinador (Spain: Recreativo Huelva's Portuguese have a new manager)); Mais Futebol, 4 July 2007 (in Portuguese)El Sevilla, con dos goles de Luis Fabiano, hunde al Recreativo (Sevilla, with two goals from Luis Fabiano, sink Recreativo); La Nueva España, 4 February 2008 (in Spanish)El Deportivo cae en Huelva ante un rival con diez jugadores durante 40 minutos (Deportivo fall in Huelva against opposition with ten players for 40 minutes); La Voz de Galicia, 17 February 2008 (in Spanish) he only played three matches in his last due to recurrent physical problems,El portugués Beto se resiente de su lesión de pubis y es baja ante el Villarreal (Portuguese Beto relapses from pubis injury and is not an option against Villarreal); Diario AS, 29 November 2008 (in Spanish) as they eventually ranked last.
Retirement After terminating his contract with Recreativo,Beto deja de ser jugador del Recreativo (Beto is no longer a Recreativo player); Marca, 21 August 2009 (in Spanish) the 33-year-old Beto signed for one year with C.F. Os Belenenses, in August 2009.Official: Beto signs for Belenenses ; PortuGOAL, 21 August 2009 As in latest years, his first season was blighted by constant injuries, and the capital side was also relegated.Belenenses recebe o Porto com plantel desfalcado (Belenenses host Porto with undermanned squad); Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, 19 January 2010 (in Portuguese)Belenenses despromovido 11 anos depois (Belenenses relegated 11 years later) ; Diário de Notícias, 27 April 2010 (in Portuguese)
In late January 2011, aged almost 35, Beto returned to Spain and agreed to a short-term deal at UD Alzira in the Segunda División B. He reunited at the club with former Sporting teammate Luís Lourenço,Ettien, Escudero, Beto, Lourenço y ya están en la UD Alzira (Ettien, Escudero, Beto, Lourenço and Tiquinho are already in UD Alzira); Las Provincias, 28 January 2011 (in Spanish) and both were released in June after the team's relegation, having appeared in a combined total of three games.
Beto returned to Sporting in August 2011, being appointed external public relations director.Beto: «Objetivo é estar na final e vencer a taça» (Beto: "The goal is to be in the final and win cup"); Record, 28 December 2011 (in Portuguese) He quit his post two years later.Beto abandona cargo de diretor de Relações Públicas e Internacionais (Beto leaves post of head of Public and International Relations); SAPO, 24 June 2013 (in Portuguese)
International career Beto made his Portugal debut on 6 September 1997, in a 1–1 draw against Germany for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Berlin. He was subsequently part of the nation's squads at the 2002 World Cup – where he scored against the United States, as the national team lost 3–2 and exited in the group stage (he played that competition as a right-back)USA stun Portugal; BBC Sport, 5 June 20022002, Coreia do Sul-Portugal. Um soco violento no Park (2002, South Korea-Portugal. A violent jab in the Park); i, 13 June 2014 (in Portuguese)– and both the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Championships.Grécia conquista a Europa (Greece conquer Europe); UEFA, 4 July 2004 (in Portuguese)
Career statistics Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Beto goal.
Honours Sporting CP Primeira Liga: 1999–2000, 2001–02 Taça de Portugal: 2001–02 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2000, 2002 UEFA Cup runner-up: 2004–05Sporting 1–3 CSKA Moscow; BBC Sport, 18 May 2005
Portugal UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2004
Orders Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)
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