Portugal as a footballing nation has become known for developing supremely talented wingers. Málaga’s Ricardo Horta appears ready to build on that proud tradition. He has overcome the disappointment of being released by Benfica’s academy at age 16 to emerge as one of Portugal’s most promising young stars.
He built his reputation at Vitória de Setúbal last season, which earned him a move to La Liga in the summer. Horta helped Portugal’s Under-21s qualify for the European Championships to take place this summer in the Czech Republic, and in September 2014 received his first senior cap for the Seleção at the age of 19. PortuGOAL profiles Ricardo Horta.
Career path
Ricardo Horta was born in Almada, the town on the other side of the River Tagus to Lisbon and not far from Benfica’s youth academy at Seixal, which he joined at an early age. After rising through the ranks, he was unceremoniously released in the summer of 2011. An ardent supporter of the club, the decision came as a major disappointment to him at the time.
Instead of dwelling on the setback, he signed for nearby club Vitória de Setúbal soon after, seemingly more motivated than ever. Horta quickly began to make the most of his new opportunity with Os Sadinos. He made his debut towards the end of 2012/13 and the following season he established himself as a regular in the side. Horta scored his first senior goal in a 1-0 victory against Académica in December 2013, but it was upon the arrival of midfielder João Mário on loan from Sporting in January that his career really took off.
Horta would score six of his seven league goals that season after João Mário joined the club, as the two developed instant chemistry. Together, they helped José Couceiro’s Vitória finish a better-than-expected seventh place in the league table. Suddenly, Horta was drawing interest from several big clubs, including Benfica. Speculation increased further in the summer on the back of standout performances at the Under-20 Toulon Tournament, Horta scoring the only goal in the third-place match against England. He would finish joint second top scorer in the tournament after netting three goals in five matches.
In July, Horta signed a five-year contract with Spanish club Málaga, ending speculation that he would join one of Portugal’s ‘Big Three’. According to Guardian journalist Sid Lowe, Málaga’s sporting director Mario Husillos personally travelled to Portugal to clinch the deal. During the news conference to unveil Horta, Husillos explained why the club had gone out of its way to sign the youngster.
“Ricardo Horta is one of the upcoming stars of Portuguese football, and we believe he is a reality, not a promise. Due to being so young, we are confident he will show exponential growth, which is one of the club’s key objectives. Ricardo showed no hesitation in signing the contract, and we are thrilled he is with us. We think he has a different style, with special characteristics, and he will get people out of their seats and really make a difference.”
It did not take much time for him to make an impression with his new employers. During Málaga’s pre-season tour, Horta scored with an impressive 30-yarder against Perth Glory in Australia.
Although not a guaranteed starter, with coach Javi Gracia often preferring more established players, which is not surprising considering that Málaga are challenging for Europa League qualification, Horta has had mostly positive spells this season with his new club. He has featured regularly, generally making the most of his opportunities, and played the first 79 minutes of Málaga’s shock win at Barcelona on Saturday.
In early January he scored his first competitive goal for the club in the first leg of a Copa Del Rey match against Levante, finishing neatly, cleverly flicking the ball over the goalkeeper before scoring into the open net. He would score again in the second leg a week later.
Strengths, weaknesses and style of play
Ricardo Horta is a prototypical Portuguese winger, with a wide range of skills, good awareness, and an impressive ability to beat defenders one-on-one. He has a particularly strong right foot but has shown ability with his left as well. Horta has become known for scoring eye-catching goals. And he is versatile too, with the ability to play on the left and the right flanks.
“I’m quick, skilful, and like to focus on helping the team as much as possible in order to get good results. I tend to play more on the left wing, but I enjoy being a second striker. I like to set-up my teammates, but also like to score goals myself,” Horta said after signing with Málaga. He went on to compare his playing style to former Benfica and Portugal forward Simão Sabrosa.
José Mota, his first manager at Vitória de Setúbal, told Portuguese radio station Rádio Renascença last April that Horta was “born with natural football ability,” while tempering his assessment by pointing out that as a very young player he needs to continue to evolve. Indeed, the 20-year-old is still far from the finished product. His tactical awareness and decision making need to improve if he is to develop into an elite talent.
Horta does not have much of an aerial game, which is not surprising considering his short stature, and his physique may be considered a weak point. At first glance, he appears too slender to be a footballer. Joaquim Serafim, a Portuguese coach who was working in the Vitória de Setúbal set-up at the time of Horta’s signing, told O Jogo this summer that Benfica decided to release Horta because they were concerned about his physical development. “But despite lacking match rhythm and conditioning, it was clear that he had extraordinary technical skill and finishing ability,” Serafim said.
It is worth remembering that there were similar concerns about Cristiano Ronaldo when he moved to Manchester United before deciding to work on his physique. Horta and his coaching staff certainly realise that similar physical conditioning is required. Málaga have stressed that Horta is one for the future and will be given time to develop his game.
Fact file
Name: Ricardo Jorge Luz Horta
Date of birth: 15 September, 1994 (20 years old)
Place of birth: Sobreda, Portugal
Height: 1.73 m
Weight: 61 Kg
Current club: Málaga CF
Position: Winger
Portugal caps: 1 (0 Goals)
By Rui Miguel Martins
For more from Rui (twitter: @futebolfactory) check out Futebolfactory.com.
