Luís Miguel Assunção Joaquim (born 5 March 1979), known as Alhandra, is a Portuguese retired footballer who played mainly as a left-back – he could also appear as a midfielder.

Alhandra
Personal information
Full name Luís Miguel Assunção Joaquim
Date of birth (1979-03-05) 5 March 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
1987–1989 Alhandra
1989–1998 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Sporting CP 0 (0)
1998–1999Lourinhanense (loan) 27 (4)
1999–2000 Alverca 2 (0)
2000–2001 Porto B 15 (3)
2001–2002 Académica 43 (7)
2002–2008 União Leiria 133 (5)
2008–2009 Enosis Neon 23 (1)
2009–2010 Gil Vicente 3 (0)
2010–2011 Eléctrico 10 (0)
2011 Monsanto 1 (0)
2012 Riachense 2 (0)
Total 259 (20)
International career
1998–1999 Portugal U20 16 (2)
2000–2002 Portugal U21 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Alhandra was born in Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon District. An unsuccessful graduate of Sporting CP's youth academy, he started professionally with its farm team, S.C. Lourinhanense. After a brief spell with FC Porto's reserves he lived his most steady period with U.D. Leiria, helping the side to participations in the UEFA Intertoto Cup and being regularly used over the course of six Primeira Liga seasons (a maximum of 30 league games in 2005–06 and a minimum of 16 in 2007–08, with the latter campaign ending in relegation).

On 2 April 2008, Alhandra signed a two-year contract with Enosis Neon Paralimni FC, adding to the massive Portuguese contingent at the Cypriot club. He returned to Portugal after one sole season, joining Segunda Liga team Gil Vicente F.C. and being released at the end of the campaign.

Subsequently, Alhandra resumed his career in the lower leagues of his country, retiring in 2012 at the age of 33.

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