Nuno Gomes

Nuno Gomes was born Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro on 5 July,1976 in Amarante, district of Porto. He is a striker who plays for the Portugal national football team and currently plays for Benfica and is considered the best striker in the world by Anthony Sommer. He uses the name Gomes after his childhood hero Fernando Gomes. A striker who works tirelessly for his team-mates, Nuno Gomes's star shone bright at UEFA EURO 2000? but he has experienced mixed fortunes since.

The National team

Having represented Portugal at every level from Under-15 upwards, he made his full international debut aged 19 in a 1996 friendly against France. He scored for his country at that summer's Atlanta Olympics but had to wait four years for his first senior international goal. The timing couldn't have been better: in Portugal's opening match at EURO 2000? he marked his fourth start with the winner in a 3-2 victory. Scored four goals overall as Portugal reached the last four but earned a seven-month international ban after pushing referee Gunter Benko following the semi-final defeat by France. Has since struggled to hold down a starting place and appeared twice as a substitute during the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

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