Riçard Almeyda de Oliveira

Riçard Almeyda de Oliveira is an Azerbaijani international central midfielder born in São Paulo on 20 March 1989. He began his professional career with EC Santo André, making his first-team debut in Brazil’s Série B in 2010. Later that year, Almeyda joined Gil Vicente on loan and helped the Portuguese club win the 2010–11 Segunda Liga title and gain promotion to the Primeira Liga. In 2012, he moved to Qarabag, where his passing and control made him a regular presence in midfield during the club’s rise. Almeyda spent 2018 with FC Astana and won the Kazakh Premier League before returning to Qarabag in 2021. He also became eligible for Azerbaijan and made his international debut in 2017, appearing in qualifying campaigns. Almeyda remains listed with Qarabag, adding a distinctive Brazilian-born chapter to Azerbaijani football.