Hamilton Ricard

Hámilton Ricard
Personal information
Full nameHámilton Ricard Cuesta
Date of birth12 January 1974
Place of birthQuibdó, Chocó, Colombia
Height1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Cortuluá
Number9
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1992–1997Deportivo Cali61(22)
1997–2001Middlesbrough115(33)
2001–2002CSKA Sofia12(3)
2003Shonan Bellmare9(1)
2003Cortuluá3(0)
2004Emelec25(17)
2004APOEL15(6)
2005Deportivo Cali6(0)
2005Numancia16(2)
2006–2007Danubio25(11)
2007–2008Shanghai Shenhua42(14)
2009–2010Danubio10(3)
2010–2011Concepción21(8)
2011–2012Deportes Quindío16(7)
2012–2013Cortuluá11(0)
National team
1995–2000Colombia27(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 November 2012.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ricard and the second or maternal family name is Cuesta.

Hámilton Ricard Cuesta (born 12 January 1974 in Quibdó) is a Colombian footballer who plays for Colombian team Cortuluá as a striker, and has played for Deportivo Cali, Middlesbrough, CSKA Sofia, Independiente, Emelec, Shonan Bellmare, APOEL, Numancia, Danubio and Concepción over the course of his career.

Career

Ricard was signed by Bryan Robson for a fee of £2 million in 1998, and scored 33 goals in 92 starts (with 23 substitute appearances) over a four-year Middlesbrough career. He was twice Middlesbrough's top scorer. When Steve McClaren took over the reins, Ricard was deemed surplus to requirements and allowed to move to CSKA Sofia on a free transfer.

Since leaving Middlesbrough, Ricard courted controversy both on and off the pitch. In 2002, he was involved in a car accident that killed a passenger,[1] and was banned from football for twelve months for attacking a referee and making obscene gestures to the crowd while playing for Guayaquil side Emelec. The ban was reduced on appeal, and since then, Ricard attempted to move back to Europe to rejuvenate his career. He briefly played in Cyprus for APOEL, before signing a year's deal with Numancia for the 2005–06 season. He played 16 times, scoring two goals.

After he moved to Danubio in Uruguay where he scored 12 goals and played a key role helping Danubio to win the Uruguayan 2006–07 season. In June 2007 he trialled with Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua, subsequently signing a contract with the Chinese club.

Ricard has represented Colombia 27 times, scoring five goals.

On 24 January 2007, Ricard was sentenced by a Colombian court to three years in prison for the 2002 car incident. His lawyers have indicated an appeal is likely. He has not yet served the sentence.[2][3]

Club statistics

Club performance League
Season Club League Apps Goals
Colombia League
1993Deportivo CaliPrimera A155
19944617
1995
199636
1997
England League
1997–98MiddlesbroughFirst Division92
1998–99Premier League3615
1999–20003412
2000–01274
2001–0290
Bulgaria League
2001–02CSKA SofiaA PFG91
Colombia League
2002Independiente Santa FéPrimera A00
Japan League
2003Shonan BellmareJ. League 2122
Colombia League
2003CortuluáPrimera A30
Ecuador League
2004EmelecSerie A2517
Cyprus League
2004–05APOELFirst Division156
Colombia League
2005Deportivo CaliPrimera A60
Spain League
2005–06NumanciaSegunda División162
Uruguay League
2006–07DanubioPrimera División2511
China PR League
2007Shanghai ShenhuaSuper League155
2008279
Uruguay League
2009–10DanubioPrimera División103
Country Colombia 7058
England 11533
Bulgaria 91
Japan 122
Ecuador 2517
Cyprus 156
Spain 162
Uruguay 3514
China PR 279
Total 324106

International career statistics

Colombia national team
YearAppsGoals
199531
199610
1997133
199820
199961
200020
Total275

Honours

Club

References

  1. ↑ "Ex-Boro star Ricard hurt in death crash". ABC News Online. 16 December 2002.
  2. ↑ "Former Columbia striker Ricard facing jail". ESPN Soccernet. 24 January 2007.
  3. ↑ http://southamerican-futbol.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-ever-happened-to-hamilton-ricard.html