Jose Goncalves

How Acquired:  Signed by the Revolution on January 3, 2013

Brings extensive European experience in Switzerland, Germany and Scotland … has playing experience in both UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League … a big, strong and physical presence in the center of defense … a vocal leader and organizer along the back line … is good in the air, but also has outstanding man-marking skills … speaks six languages fluently: Portuguese (native language), English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

BEFORE MLS: Began his professional career as a teenager in 2002 with Switzerland’s FC Basel … fter two seasons of development with FC Basel, moved to FC Winterhur of Switzerland’s Challenge League (second division) for the first half of the 2004-05 season, before moving to Italy’s Serie B side Venezia for the second half of the season … following a half-season in Italy, moved back to Switzerland to FC Thun …made 26 appearances with FC Thun, including 10 appearances in UEFA Champions League action (six in group play against Arsenal, Ajax and Sparta Prague)… signed with Lithuania’s FBK Kaunas in January 2006, but was immediately loaned to Scotland’s Heart of Midlothian … went on to appear in 57 matches for Hearts between 2006 and 2010, while also going on a season-long loan FC Nuremberg (2 Bundesliga) for the 2008-09 campaign … following a knee injury that kept him out of action in the fall of 2010, signed with Swiss Super League club FC St. Gallen in January 2011 and made 17 appearances … t the end of the year, following FC St. Gallen’s relegation, Goncalves moved to FC Sion, where he played until coming to New England … with FC Sion, saw UEFA Europa League action against Scotland’s Celtic in the qualification round. 

PORTUGAL NATIONAL TEAM: On the international stage, Goncalves represented Portugal seven times at the Under-21 level, including a call-up to the Portuguese entry at the 2007 UEFA Under-21 Championship.

PERSONAL:  Son of Julio and Tomasia Goncalves … has an older sister, Sandra (29), and a younger brother, Stephane (16) … hobbies include walking his dog, Lenny, and watching “CSI Miami” … a fan of R+B, hip hop and classical music, his favorite artist is Stevie Wonder … lists watching AC Milan as a fan for the first time in 1998 as his favorite soccer memory … former AC Milan star Paolo Maldini is his favorite soccer player but also supports Manchester United and Real Madrid … enjoys all of the “James Bond” movies … favorite vacation destination is south of Italy … played for youth club FC Basel in Switzerland ...  is fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, French and German.