Rúben Semedo: The Story of the Defender's Fall From Grace
By Tom Gott
It wasn't long ago that it seems as though Rúben Semedo had the world at his feet. The Portuguese centre-back had broken through as Sporting CP and earned a high-profile move to Villarreal. The world was his oyster.
That was in 2017, but just three years later, he can no longer find a major team to take him on and he has just been hit with a five-year suspended prison sentence for attempted murder.
What?
To get to grips with the whole story, you have to look back to his time in Portugal. Semedo grew up in the rough Lisbon area of Casal de Mira and was often left to fend for himself as his father was in prison.
By the time he joined Sporting's academy at 16, behavioural issues had become common. He was caught driving without a license, but Sporting saw his potential and felt he was worth the effort of trying to help.
Former manager Jorge Jesus, who gave Semedo his senior debut in 2013, once hailed the centre-back as the future of the Portuguese national team (via Maisfutebol), and it's an opinion which was shared by most. He had it all.
When he was sold to Villarreal for €14m in 2017, it was seen as a potential bargain for the Spanish side, who had a real nose for young talent, but his time in Spain quickly descended into one of the craziest stories you're ever likely to hear.
Injuries took their toll after just five games, forcing Semedo on to the sidelines and eventually under the surgeon's knife, but he was caught up in an altercation in a bar in November 2017 while he was out injured.
As first revealed by Las Provincias, he was arrested for pulling out a pistol and threatening to shoot two different people, and the details of the allegations against him were later revealed.
After refusing to leave the bar, Semedo waited outside and brandished a pistol at an employee, pressing it to the victim's neck and encouraging him to call security. Semedo smashed his phone to ensure he didn't call the police and then threatened to 'come back for him'.
But that's not even the worst incident.
Just a month after he was initially arrested, Semedo was detained by police once more, but this was where things really went downhill.
He was charged with attempted murder, injuries, threats, illegal detention, illegal possession of weapons and robbery with violence after Semedo and two friends were said to have tied up a man, beat him, threatened to cut off his finger, stole his keys and robbed his house to recover a debt which Semedo owed.
He spent five months in police custody before paying a €30,000 bail to get out in July 2018, and a week later he somehow managed to land a loan move to Huesca.
A loan to Rio Ave followed, and Semedo now finds himself playing out in Greece with Olympiacos, who still believe that he could become a star of the national team in the future. He made the Portugal squad in October 2019 but is yet to actually play a minute.
“I'm in a good moment, I'm justifying what was said about me in the past,” Semedo told Marca. “Olympiacos is a great club, they play European competitions and there are many Portuguese here. So I chose this club. Life here is very peaceful. I am happy, the club helped me to overcome my personal problems and I will give them 100% of me.
“I want to be one of the best and this is the way to do it. I have turned the page. I rely on my teammates to help me reach my goals, such as the national team. Better than talking about the new version of me is watching the games, both in the league and Europe. I want to be at the European Championships defending Portugal’s title.”