Hámilton Ricard
Hámilton Ricard is a Colombian former footballer known for his role as a striker.
He began his professional career at Deportivo Cali, where he played from 1992 to 1997.
Ricard was signed by Middlesbrough F.C. in 1998 for £2 million, a deal famously signed on a napkin.
Biography
Early Life
Hámilton Ricard Cuesta is a Colombian former footballer born in Colombia, who made a name for himself as a forward. His football journey began at Deportivo Cali, where he played from 1992 to 1997, showcasing his talent and earning a reputation as a promising striker.
Career
Ricard's career took a significant turn when he was signed by Middlesbrough F.C. in 1998 for a fee of £2 million, a deal famously inked on a napkin due to the absence of formal documents. During his four years at Middlesbrough, he made 115 appearances and scored 33 goals, becoming the club's top scorer twice. However, after a managerial change, he was released and moved to CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria. His career was marked by ups and downs, including a controversial ban from football for a year due to an incident involving a referee while playing for Emelec in Ecuador. Despite these challenges, he continued to play internationally, representing Colombia 27 times and scoring five goals.
Ricard's journey took him across ten countries, playing for clubs such as Shonan Bellmare in Japan, APOEL in Cyprus, and Danubio in Uruguay, where he was celebrated as one of the best players of the decade. His time in China with Shanghai Shenhua also saw him achieve success, winning the A3 Champions Cup in 2007.
Personal Life
Beyond the pitch, Ricard is a father to a daughter. His life has been a blend of sporting achievements and personal challenges, reflecting the complexities of a professional athlete's journey.
Collected from open sources (2) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Career & Clubs
Ricard was signed for Middlesbrough by manager Bryan Robson for a fee of £2 million in 1998. He signed his signature on a napkin because Middlesbrough had no documents. Over a four-year Middlesbrough career, he scored 33 goals in 115 appearances. He was twice Middlesbrough's top scorer. When Steve McClaren took over the reins, Ricard was deemed surplus to requirements and allowed to move to CSKA Sofia on a free transfer. After one season in Bulgaria, Ricard moved to Japan, where he joined Second Division side Shonan Bellmare. Since leaving Middlesbrough, Ricard courted controversy both on and off the pitch. In 2002, he was involved in a car accident that killed a passenger, and was banned from football for 12 months for attacking a referee and making obscene gestures to the crowd while playing for Guayaquil side Emelec. The ban was reduced on appeal, and since then, Ricard attempted to move back to Europe to rejuvenate his career. He briefly played in Cyprus for APOEL, before signing a year's deal with Numancia for the 2005–06 season. He played 16 times, scoring two goals. After he moved to Danubio in Uruguay where he scored 12 goals and was voted as one of their best players of the decade. In June 2007 he trialled with Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua, subsequently signing a contract with the Chinese club. Ricard has represented Colombia 27 times, scoring five goals.
- Club
- Middlesbrough F.C. (1997–2001)
- Club
- Club Deportivo Numancia de Soria (2005–2005)
- Club
- Club Sport Emelec (2004–2004)
- Club
- PFC CSKA Sofia (2001–2002)
- Club
- Danubio F.C. (2006–2007)
- Club
- Deportes Quindío (2011–2012)
- Club
- Club Deportes Concepción (2010–2011)
- Club
- Shonan Bellmare (2003–2003)
- Club
- APOEL F.C. (2004–2004)
- Club
- Shanghai Shenhua F.C. (2007–2008)
- Club
- Cortuluá (2003–2003)
- Club
- Deportivo Cali (1992–1997)
- Club
- Deportivo Cali (2005–2005)
- Club
- Danubio F.C. (2009–2010)
- Club
- Cortuluá (2012–2013)
- Club
- Colombia men's national football team (1995–2000)
- Club
- Independiente Santa Fe (2002–2002)
- League
- Premier League
- National team
- Colombia
Personal
Legacy
Middlesbrough
Football League Cup runner-up: 1997–98 Shanghai Shenhua
A3 Champions Cup: 2007
Clubs
- Deportivo Cali1992–1997
- Colombia men's national football team1995–2000
- Middlesbrough F.C.1997–2001
- PFC CSKA Sofia2001–2002
- Independiente Santa Fe2002–2002
- Cortuluá2003–2003
- Shonan Bellmare2003–2003
- APOEL F.C.2004–2004
- Club Sport Emelec2004–2004
- Club Deportivo Numancia de Soria2005–2005
- Deportivo Cali2005–2005
- Danubio F.C.2006–2007
- Shanghai Shenhua F.C.2007–2008
- Danubio F.C.2009–2010
- Club Deportes Concepción2010–2011
- Deportes Quindío2011–2012
- Cortuluá2012–2013
Played together with
- Abderrahman KabousPFC CSKA Sofia · 2007–2008
Abdiel ArroyoDanubio F.C. · 2017–2017- Abdul Naza AlhassanShonan Bellmare · 2008–2010
Abel AguilarColombia men's national football team · 2004–2018- Abel AguilarDeportivo Cali · 2002–2005
- Abel AguilarDeportivo Cali · 2016–2018
- Abel XavierMiddlesbrough F.C. · 2005–2007
- Abraão Lincoln MartinsShonan Bellmare · 2008–2008
- Abraão Lincoln MartinsShonan Bellmare · 2009–2009
- Achito VivasColombia men's national football team · 1962–1963
- Achito VivasDeportes Quindío · 1965–1965
Adalbert ZafirovPFC CSKA Sofia · 1989–1990
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Hámilton Ricard Cuesta is a Colombian former footballer who played as a striker. He played for clubs in 10 countries, including Colombian sides Deportivo Cali, Cortuluá, Independiente Santa Fe and Deportes Quindío, English club Middlesbrough, CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria, Emelec in Ecuador, Japanese side Shonan Bellmare, APOEL in Cyprus, Spanish side Numancia, Uruguayan club Danubio and Concepción in Chile.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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