Helder Postiga

Lore & Background

Born in Vila do Conde, Postiga began his career at nearby Varzim. In 1995, he joined Porto's youth system. After José Mourinho was hired as manager, Postiga became a first-team regular, scoring 19 times in 2002–03 as Porto won the treble. He made his senior international debut for Portugal after that season. Postiga moved to Tottenham Hotspur in June 2003, then returned to Porto in summer 2004. He later played for Panathinaikos on loan, Sporting CP, Real Zaragoza, Valencia, Lazio on loan, Deportivo, Atlético Kolkata, and Rio Ave. He returned to Atlético Kolkata in 2016 and won the championship.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at the Alvalade were doing that thing where they make the grass look almost green enough to eat, and the crowd had settled into that low, humming roar that means they know something is about to happen. Postiga had the ball on the left channel, twenty-five yards out, slightly behind the play. The defender was on him, a hand on his shoulder, trying to steer him wide. He didn't go wide. He didn't pass. He just looked up — that quick, almost lazy glance over his shoulder to check the angle — and then his right foot swung through the ball with a sound like a crack of a whip. The keeper's hands were up. The keeper's hands were still up. The ball was already in the net, spinning, and the whole east stand had erupted into that specific Portuguese roar, the one that sounds like a thousand people screaming the same word at the same time. Postiga didn't celebrate. He just jogged back to the centre circle, hands on his hips, as if to say: *obviously*. The fans, of course, were not so understated.

Reader's Guide

Postiga earned 71 caps for Portugal and scored 27 goals. He debuted on 12 February 2003 in a friendly with Italy. He was selected for Euro 2004, where he scored an 83rd-minute equalizer against England in the quarter-finals and converted a Panenka-style penalty in the shootout. He was included in the 2006 World Cup squad and again scored to eliminate England on penalties in the quarter-finals. At Euro 2008, he scored a late goal in a 3–2 loss to Germany. After more than two years of absence from the national team, he was called up for Euro 2012 qualifiers in October 2010.

Did You Know?

• Postiga scored a bicycle kick for Real Zaragoza against Real Sociedad on 16 October 2011.
• He was the youngest marquee player in the Indian Super League at age 32 when he signed for Atlético Kolkata in 2015.
• Postiga scored his 50th Primeira Liga goal in a 2–1 away victory over Boavista on 26 February 2016.