Born in Nazaré, Esgaio arrived in 2005 to play for Sporting's under-12s. Became under-14 and under-16  champion before graduating to Sporting's B team where he came to prominence scoring 17 goals in 27 appearances. He made his debut for the senior team in December 2012 as a starter in a Europa League match and in  2013/14 he had another great season with the B team (16 goals in 39 appearances). The following season he had 10 appearances for the senior squad before going out on loan to Académica de Coimbra for 6 months. He then returned to spend another 2 years representing the Lions. 

With nearly 100 caps across Portugal's youth teams, since 2012, Ricardo Esgaio was present during the final stages of an under-19s European Championship, an under-20s World Cup, an under-21s European Championship and in the Olympic Games. 

In 2017 he left for SC Braga and, after 4 seasons with the team from Minho, he returns to Alvalade with more maturity and better prepared to help Sporting win more trophies.