A product of Sporting CP's prolific youth academy, Carriço was born in Cascais and made his professional debut in 2007–08, splitting that season with S.C. Olhanense and Cyprus' AEL Limassol, in both cases on loan.

[4][5] For 2010–11, after longtime incumbent João Moutinho's departure to FC Porto, Carriço was chosen as new team captain by newly appointed coach Paulo Sérgio.

[6][7] On 31 December 2012, Sporting announced that Carriço had been sold to Premier League club Reading for a fee of £609,000 (€750,000); he signed an initial two-and-a-half-year contract, with the option of a further year.

[16] He signed a permanent deal with Sevilla on 23 June 2014,[17] and his first match after that was the UEFA Super Cup at Cardiff City Stadium, a 2–0 defeat to compatriots Real Madrid.

[22] Carriço missed the first part of the 2015–16 season due to a tendon injury,[23][24] but was still able to contribute 25 appearances in all competitions, scoring in a 1–1 away draw against RC Celta de Vigo.

[36] As a youth international, Carriço appeared at the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where he was elected as one of the best players after scoring two goals in just three games (Portugal did not go through the group stage).

[38] In May 2015, shortly after winning his second consecutive Europa League title, Carriço was called up to the senior national team for the first time by coach Fernando Santos, ahead of a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Armenia and a friendly with Italy.