Ricardo de Sousa Esgaio (; born 16 May 1993) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Primeira Liga club Gil Vicente.
He made 243 Primeira Liga appearances with Sporting CP (two spells), Braga and on loan at Académica, winning several cup honours with the first two clubs as well as the 2023–24 and 2024–25 national championships with Sporting.
Esgaio earned 91 caps for Portugal at youth level, and was selected for the 2016 Olympic tournament.
Club career Sporting CP Born in Nazaré, Leiria District, Esgaio joined Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 12, having signed from local Grupo Desportivo os Nazarenos. On 14 December 2011 he was called for a UEFA Europa League group stage game away against Lazio, alongside youth graduates Betinho, Tiago Ilori, João Carlos and João Mário, as the Lions had already secured the first place in their group; he remained an unused substitute in the 2–0 loss.
On 11 August 2012, Esgaio made his senior debut with the reserves in the Segunda Liga, playing 80 minutes in a 1–0 defeat at Oliveirense. He scored his first goal with the side the following matchday, the only in the home fixture against Vitória de Guimarães B; in his early career, he was mainly deployed as a right winger.
Esgaio made his first official appearance with Sporting's main squad on 7 December 2012, starting against Videoton in the last round of the Europa League group stage as the team were already eliminated from knockout stage contention, and featuring the entire 2–1 home win. He made his Primeira Liga debut on 5 January of the following year, playing the last two minutes of a 0–1 home loss to Paços de Ferreira. On 6 November 2013, back in the reserves, he scored a hat-trick in the 4–0 defeat of Chaves.
On 27 January 2015, both Esgaio and Sporting teammate Salim Cissé were loaned to fellow top-tier club Académica de Coimbra until the end of the season.
Braga On 17 June 2017, after only 44 competitive matches for Sporting in five years, Esgaio signed a five-year contract with Braga as Rodrigo Battaglia moved in the opposite direction. In his third match for his new team, away to Aves on 20 August, he came on as a last-minute substitute and scored his first goal in the top flight to seal a 2–0 victory.
Esgaio played seven games in the side's victorious run in the Taça de Portugal, including the full 90 minutes in the final against Benfica (2–0). In the last 16, he contributed one goal to the 5–0 rout of Torreense on 13 January 2021.
Return to Sporting On 3 July 2021, Esgaio returned to Sporting on a five-year deal, for a €5.5 million fee with a €45 million buyout clause. He scored his first competitive goal for the club on 30 April 2023, in the 2–1 league win over Famalicão.
Esgaio won the first national championship of his career in the 2023–24 campaign. Never an undisputed starter and often criticised for his performances, he did manage 28 appearances for the winners.
Esgaio and Sporting again won the domestic league in 2024–25. He contributed only nine matches to this feat, however.
Later career On 1 September 2025, Esgaio terminated his contract with Sporting by mutual agreement. Later that day, the 32-year-old moved abroad for the first time and signed a two-year deal with Fatih Karagümrük of the Turkish Süper Lig. He totalled 28 games in his only season, being relegated.
Esgaio returned to Portugal on 11 June 2026, signing with Gil Vicente until June 2028.
International career Esgaio played 91 times for Portugal at youth level. He was first choice for the under-21s at the 2015 UEFA European Championship, helping to a runner-up finish in the Czech Republic. He was the captain of the Olympic team at the 2016 tournament in Brazil.
Personal life Esgaio's younger brother, Tiago, is also a footballer and a defender.
He married Mara Alexandra in June 2018, and the couple later had son Giovanni and daughter Layena.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsSporting CP2011–12Primeira Liga00000000—002012–13Primeira Liga30002010—602013–14Primeira Liga00001000—102014–15Primeira Liga30204010—1002015–16Primeira Liga80101030001302016–17Primeira Liga80203010—140Total2205011060—440Sporting CP B2012–13Liga Pro2717————27172013–14Liga Pro3916————39162014–15Liga Pro80————802015–16Liga Pro20————202016–17Liga Pro111————111Total8734————8734Académica (loan)2014–15Primeira Liga1500010——160Braga2017–18Primeira Liga3042040120—4842018–19Primeira Liga250304020—3402019–20Primeira Liga3012050120—4912020–21Primeira Liga321713061—483Total1176141160321—1798Sporting CP2021–22Primeira Liga270503080104402022–23Primeira Liga251004090—3812023–24Primeira Liga280703090004702024–25Primeira Liga90411040001812025–26Primeira Liga000000001010Total891161110300201482Career total330413523906812047444
Honours Sporting CP Primeira Liga: 2023–24, 2024–25 Taça de Portugal: 2014–15, 2024–25 Taça da Liga: 2021–22 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2021
Braga Taça de Portugal: 2020–21 Taça da Liga: 2019–20
Portugal U21 UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2015
Individual Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2019–20
References
External links