The first winter newcomer of Dynamo is the 23-year-old Brazilian defender David Ricardo. We tell in detail about his football path in our material.
David Ricardo was born on Christmas Eve in late 2002 on the outskirts of Teresina, the capital of the Brazilian state of Piauí. Like all local children, he began playing on the streets, and at age nine, his uncle took him to a nearby football club. He was scouted in one of the amateur leagues by representatives of one of the state's strongest clubs, Altusa, from a neighboring town.
In 2021, he returned to Teresina, joining Fluminense PI, where he made his professional debut. When David joined the main team, he was converted from a left wing to a central defender, where he still plays, although he is also quite capable of playing on the left side of defense. The 23-year-old hasn't lost his attacking skills.
"When I arrived at Fluminense, they were short on central defenders. They put me in that area, and it worked, even though I didn't like it there. But gradually I learned and played the entire championship in the starting lineup, after which I was no longer drawn to the flank,” Ricardo said with a smile in an interview.
In March 2022, David traveled far from home for the first time when he was loaned to Serie A side Ceara. He made his debut in the Copa do Brasil in May, and in the Brazilian league in October. Everything was going well, but then a profound shock awaited him: his mother died suddenly, without even having time to say goodbye.
"I achieved what I achieved, firstly, thanks to God, and secondly, thanks to her. If it weren't for my mother, I would have quit football long ago, or even never started. She provided me with everything I needed to play, she handled everything, and now I'm reaping the benefits of that work," Ricardo later recalled.
His loan at Ceara was coming to an end, and a dejected David even considered staying in his hometown and not returning to Fortaleza, but he remembered the words of his mother, who had always been his main motivator and was confident that he would join a big club.
"I thought about staying in Terezin, but I remembered my mother's words and decided to come back. It's amazing that at the most difficult moment in my life, I was able to play even better thanks to motivation. I really wanted to fulfill her dream, and I was thrilled that Ceará bought my transfer. We didn't have time to say goodbye on earth, but one day we'll meet in heaven, and for now, I'll keep playing for her," admitted David, who now has two more sources of motivation — his wife and son.
However, Ceará was relegated from the top division, and Ricardo had to simmer in Serie B for two years, gradually improving and learning his lesson. In two and a half seasons with the main team, he played 99 matches and scored six goals. Thanks in large part to his reliable play, Ceará won the state championship in 2024 and returned to Serie A.
David admitted that he had grown greatly as a player and person at Ceará and was truly happy. But it was time to take a step forward. In the winter of 2025, Ricardo almost ended up in the United States – he was practically packing his bags and looking for a place to live, but the deal fell through at the last minute. However, one of the Brazilian giants, Botafogo, who had already expressed interest in him, appeared on the horizon. And in February, the transfer was completed for €1.5 million. Incidentally, his price on the TransferMarkt portal has almost quintupled in less than a year!
At first, he struggled to compete with his more experienced central defenders, but gradually he began to earn his chances, particularly in the Copa Libertadores. In June, David finally made the trip to the United States for the Club World Cup, although he didn't play a single minute.
Upon returning home, the team found a new coach – Davide Ancelotti, son of the legendary Carlo Ancelotti and his assistant with the Brazilian national team. The Italian placed his faith in Ricardo, and he played 18 matches in the second half of the season, 15 of them in full. In total, he played 29 games and scored one goal for Botafogo, fulfilling two dreams – facing Neymar and playing at the Maracanã.
Now Ricardo is off to conquer the Russian championship. Fans will likely see this tall, strong, and fast left-footer, who has a good pass and is a strong aerial player, in the near future at the BetBoom Dynamo Global Challenge. We can't wait!