Background
Pinto was born in Portimão, Algarve.
Pinto was born in Portimão, Algarve.
A youth product of Benfica, he spent most of his career with APOEL in Cyprus, appearing in more than 275 official games and winning eight major titles. A product of South.L. Benfica"s youth system, he could never break into the first team, only managing a couple of preseason appearances under José Antonio Camacho. His next stop was in Spain with Sevilla Football Club, where he incidentally also only played with the reserves.
Still owned by Sevilla, Pinto played the 2005-2006 season in Cyprus with Apollon Limassol.
Being released in the following summer his career settled with another club in the country, APOEL Football Club. He also appeared in all six group stage games of the side, in its first Union of European Football Associations Champions League participation. Pinto played in eight matches in the 2011-2012 Champions League, as the Nicosia-based team surprisingly reached the quarter-finals of the competition.
On 5 June 2013 he signed a three-year contract extension with APOEL but, late into the month, announced he was leaving the club after seven successful years. On 21 June 2013, Pinto signed a two-year contract (with an option for another season) with Legia Warsaw from Poland.
He was released two years later, moving to the Qatar Stars League with First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Mesaimeer Sports Club shortly after.
On 2 February 2016, Pinto returned to Cyprus and joined Anorthosis Famagusta Football Club.
On 27 July 2012 Pinto gained Cypriot nationality, and the Cyprus Football Association subsequently waited for Fédération internationale de football association approval on whether could play for the national team The governing body eventually ruled he could not represent his adopted nation after having appeared for Portugal at under-19 and under-20 levels.