Ricardo Manuel Pinho Matos (born 25 March 2000) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga I club Argeş Piteşti.
Biography
Matos was born on 25 March 2000 in Vale de Figueira, Portugal. He began his youth career at Benfica in 2009, spending a decade in the club's academy system, with a brief loan to Belenenses in 2018. In 2019, he moved to Italian Serie B side Ascoli, signing a three-year contract.
Club career
Matos made his professional debut in Serie B on 18 January 2020, coming on as a substitute against Trapani. After limited appearances for Ascoli, he was loaned to Serie C club Casertana in February 2021, where he scored his first professional goals. He returned to Portugal in August 2021, joining Olhanense in the Campeonato de Portugal, scoring 7 goals in 10 league appearances.
In January 2022, Matos signed with Primeira Liga side Portimonense. He made 20 league appearances over two seasons, scoring twice. He was loaned to Liga Portugal 2 side Belenenses for the 2023–24 season, contributing 5 goals in 29 league matches.
In 2024, Matos moved to Romanian Liga I club Gloria Buzău, scoring 6 goals in 22 appearances. He transferred to fellow Liga I side Argeş Piteşti in 2025, where he recorded 10 goals in 33 league matches during the 2025–26 season.
Career statistics
As of match played 24 July 2026, Matos has made 150 senior appearances across all competitions, scoring 39 goals. His career includes stints in Portugal (Benfica youth, Olhanense, Portimonense, Belenenses), Italy (Ascoli, Casertana), and Romania (Gloria Buzău, Argeş Piteşti).
References
- "Calciomercato: dal Benfica arriva Ricardo Matos" (Press release) (in Italian). Ascoli. 7 August 2019.
- "Trapani v Ascoli game report". Soccerway. 18 January 2020.
- "Ricardo Matos approda alla Casertana" (Press release) (in Italian). Casertana. 1 February 2021.
- "RICARDO MATOS É REFORÇO DA PORTIMONENSE FUTEBOL SAD" (Press release) (in Portuguese). Portimonense. 31 January 2022.
- Ricardo Matos at Soccerway
