Hugo (footballer, born 1976)

Hugo
Personal information
Full name Hugo Miguel Fernandes Vieira
Date of birth (1976-08-11) 11 August 1976
Place of birth Braga, Portugal
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1986–1995 Braga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Braga 15 (0)
1997–2000 Sampdoria 59 (0)
2000–2006 Sporting CP 64 (3)
2006–2009 Vitória Setúbal 33 (1)
2009–2013 Beira-Mar 102 (1)
Total 273 (5)
International career
1994 Portugal U18 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Hugo Miguel Fernandes Vieira (born 11 August 1976), known simply as Hugo, is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a central defender.

He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 186 matches and four goals over 14 seasons, representing in the competition Braga, Sporting, Vitória de Setúbal and Beira-Mar. He played abroad with Sampdoria.

Club career

Born in Braga, Hugo played during his early career with S.C. Braga, making his first-team – and Primeira Liga – debut at the age of 19. He moved to Italian club U.C. Sampdoria in 1997, being regularly used during his three-year stint but suffering Serie A relegation in his second season.

Hugo returned to Portugal in summer 2000, joining Sporting CP and being a member of the Lions squad that won both the league and the cup in 2002.[1] Later that year, on 18 August, he started in the 2002 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, helping his side to a 1–5 victory over Leixões,[2] although he was beaten by Henri Antchouet for the opponents' consolation goal.[3] Notably, four days earlier, on 14 August, he shared the bench with Cristiano Ronaldo in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round against Inter Milan, but while he remained an unused substitute, Ronaldo came off in the second half to play his first-ever official senior football match.[4]

After six seasons at Sporting, Hugo left as a free agent to Vitória de Setúbal, with whom he won the inaugural edition of the Taça da Liga.[1] In his last season there (2008–09), he played the most games he had in years, but spent most of the campaign as defensive midfielder.

In 2009, the 33-year-old Hugo had his first second division experience when he signed for S.C. Beira-Mar,[5] helping the Aveiro side win the league in his first year and return to the top flight, after a three-year absence. He stayed at Beira-Mar for four years, from 2009 until his retirement in 2013.[6]

Later life

In 2015, Vieira was appointed as the executive director of Braga's youth development, a position he held for five years, until 2020. Under his leadership, Braga's youth development became the second best in Portugal, only behind that of Benfica.[6] Notably, he oversaw the discovery and rise of Roger Fernandes, who went on to become both the youngest player and the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Primeira Liga.[7]

Honours

Sporting

Vitória Setúbal

Beira-Mar

References

  1. ^ a b "Hugo Miguel Fernandes Vieira". www.verdebranco.net (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Histórico da Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira" [Supercup Cândido de Oliveira all-time record] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. 11 August 2012. p. 12. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Sporting-Leixões, 5-1 (crónica)" [Sporting-Leixões, 5-1 (report)]. maisfutebol.iol.pt (in Portuguese). 18 August 2002. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Sporting-Inter Milan, 0-0". www.record.pt (in Portuguese). 14 August 2002. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Hugo no Beira Mar" [Hugo to Beira-Mar] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Hugo Vieira sem dúvidas: «Sp. Braga é o segundo clube em Portugal na formação»" [Hugo Vieira without a doubt: «Sp. Braga is the second club in Portugal in terms of training»]. www.record.pt (in Portuguese). 2 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Quem é Roger, o miúdo que faz sensação em Braga?" [Who is Roger, the boy who is causing a sensation in Braga?]. maisfutebol.iol.pt (in Portuguese). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2025.