The Hartford Athletic announced the signing of Brazilian goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro on Tuesday, pending league approval.
The 33-year-old comes to Hartford with an impressive resume, having played for Sporting CP in Portugal and seen time in the Europa League. He’s played professionally since 2010, most recently for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Arabian Pro League, a team that currently features world soccer stars like Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and Allan Saint-Maximin. He’s also played for Sao Paulo FC in Brazil, and Estoril in Portugal’s top league.
“I am excited to sign with Hartford Athletic and to play in front of the amazing supporters in Hartford next season,” Ribeiro said in a release. “I had the opportunity to attend Hartford’s last match of the 2023 season, and I was so impressed by the fans and the atmosphere at Trinity Health Stadium. It’s clear that the fan base in Hartford is hungry for a winning team, and I can’t wait to get in front of them and give them everything I have next season. I am determined to help bring Hartford Athletic to the playoffs and beyond.”
Our new man between the post 🧤
Welcome Renan Ribeiro! 🟢🔵 pic.twitter.com/Jb3oAmiWwe
— Hartford Athletic (@hfdathletic) November 7, 2023
Ribeiro has made 128 professional appearances and kept 43 clean sheets. Hartford finished the 2023 season 4-6-24 (win-draw-loss) with a minus-39 goal differential.
“We are thrilled to bring a goalkeeper of Renan’s caliber to Hartford,” said Hartford Athletic CEO Nick Sakiewicz in a statement. “We are determined to improve the quality of this club on the pitch next year, and I could not think of a better player to sign to begin our journey towards that goal. Renan is a true professional with world-class experience and will be central to our success next season. This is one of the biggest signings in club and USL Championship history, and we are looking forward to introducing Renan to the fans over the coming months.”
