Artur Quaresma

Artur da Silva Quaresma was a Portuguese footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Born in Barreiro, Setúbal District, Quaresma started playing with local F.C. Barreirense in the Segunda Liga. In the summer of 1936 he moved to the Primeira Liga with C.F. Os Belenenses, where he would remain for the following 13 seasons, working as an electrician after training.
In 1945–46, as the Lisbon-based team won the only national championship of their history, Quaresma scored 14 goals in 22 matches. He retired on 5 October 1948 aged only 30 following a game against neighbouring Sporting CP, then acted as his main club's coach during the same campaign, leading it to the third position. He worked with the youth sides in the following years.

Quaresma earned five caps for Portugal, appearing in as many friendlies in eight years. He made his debut on 28 November 1937, against Spain ; before that match he, alongside teammates Mariano Amaro, João Azevedo and José Simões, refused to perform the fascist salute, being subsequently questioned by PIDE.

Quaresma died in his hometown of Barreiro on 2 December 2011, at the age of 94. Many media outlets referred to him as being the great-uncle of another footballer, Ricardo Quaresma, who played with individual and team success for FC Porto and was also an international; the latter later denied this, however, but referred to the former as an "inspiration to overcome adversity in life".

Belenenses