The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced in a statement that the most capped goalkeeper in the history of the national team (108 games) will be honoured on Friday, starting at 12pm, at the City of Football in Oeiras, highlighting his “unique career” with the national team and Patrício's “enormous longevity” in Portugal's goal.

Rui Patrício had been without a club since the end of June, when he left Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates, for whom he played only two matches, both in the Club World Cup, after having played for the Italian team Atalanta in the 2024/25 season.

The goalkeeper, born in Leiria, came through the Sporting youth system and defended the 'Lions' first team for 12 years, between 2006/07 and 2017/18, in a total of 467 games in all competitions, without ever winning a national championship, but during which time he won two Portuguese Cups (2007/08 and 2014/15), two Cândido de Oliveira Super Cups (2008 and 2015) and one League Cup (2017/18).

Sporting Lisbon's debut for the 'lions' came under the guidance of Paulo Bento, who had coached him in the 'green and white' youth teams and who gave him a starting position in a match in Madeira against Marítimo on November 19, 2006.

That first match alone would remain in the memory of the then 18-year-old, and it gained even greater significance with his performance against the Madeiran team, securing a 1-0 victory by saving a penalty in the second half.

That would be the only match he participated in that season, but in the following season, 2007/08, he quickly became the undisputed 'master' of the 'lions' goal, a status he held until his departure in 2018 – by then as team captain – amidst controversy, as he was one of the players who terminated his contract with the Lisbon club following the invasion of fans at the Alcochete training academy.

Wolverhampton

At the time, he joined the Portuguese contingent at Wolverhampton, a club managed by his compatriot Nuno Espírito Santo, who, months later, would reach an agreement with Sporting to pay €18 million for the goalkeeper's transfer.

For Wolves, he played 127 matches in three seasons, almost as many as he played for Roma (129) in the same period, between 2021/22 and 2023/24, also under the management of a Portuguese coach, José Mourinho. In his first season with the Giallorossi, he won the inaugural Conference League title in a final against Feyenoord.

After his time in the Italian capital, he remained in Italy, but moved to Bergamo to represent Atalanta, in an 'adventure' that lasted only six games, just three of which were in Serie A.

The surprising transfer to the United Arab Emirates served only to play two matches for Al Ain in the Club World Cup, in the defeat against Juventus (5-0) and in the victory over WAC Casablanca (2-1).

Appearances for Portugal

Wearing the Portuguese jersey, Patrício won Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League, and his last match for the Portuguese national team took place in March 2024, in a friendly against Sweden (5-2) in Guimarães, which preceded the team's participation in the last European Championship.

The first of 108 call-ups, which made him the goalkeeper with the most appearances for the senior national team, came on November 17, 2010, again under the guidance of Paulo Bento, who had already left Sporting for the national team. Rui Patrício's debut in the Portuguese national team jersey couldn't have been more memorable, given Portugal's 4-0 victory over then-reigning world champions Spain in a friendly match at the Estádio da Luz.

In total, Rui Patrício participated in five European Championships (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024) and three World Cups (2014, 2018, and 2022), in addition to the 2017 Confederations Cup.

Despite being called up for his fifth European Championship last year in Germany, the goalkeeper was not used by coach Roberto Martínez, who had already given the last Portuguese goalkeeper position to Diogo Costa.

Since then, he has not been called up to the national team again.