BRAGA (SW) - Portuguese veteran Joao Pinto has announced his retirement after a career that started no less than twenty years ago.

The forward began playing as a professional at Boavista in 1988 and represented Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon and Braga since then.

The larger part of his career was spent at Benfica from 1992 to 2000, followed by a four-year stint at Sporting.

During his long career, Joan Pinto won the Portuguese league twice, the cup in four occasions and the super cup once. He also won the 'Portuguese Footballer of the Year' title three consecutive times, from 1992 to 1994.

Although often of great influence to the Portuguese national side, for which he played from 1991 to 2002, he negatively affected the team at the World Cup in Asia when he punched the referee after being handed a red card.