Vieirinha
Portuguese footballer

Vieirinha

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Portuguese footballer
Gender:
Male
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Birth:
24 January 1986(Guimarães, Guimarães Municipality, Braga District, Portugal)
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The details
Biography

Introduction

Adelino André Vieira de Freitas (born 24 January 1986), known as Vieirinha (Portuguese pronunciation: [vjɐjˈɾiɲɐ]), is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Greek club PAOK FC mainly as a winger but also as a right back.

Ambidextrous, he started playing for Porto, but spent most of his professional career with PAOK and Wolfsburg.

Vieirinha made his debut with the Portugal national team in 2013, and was part of the squads at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, winning the latter tournament.

Club career

Porto

Vieirinha (top) in action for Leixões in 2007

Formed in the youth ranks of local Vitória SC, Guimarães-born Vieirinha caught the interest of FC Porto and eventually finished his football grooming there. After a six-month loan at second division's F.C. Marco he joined the first team in the 2006–07 season, being given a four-year professional contract.

Vieirinha played his first official game for Porto on 11 August 2006, in the Portuguese Supercup against Vitória de Setúbal, coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute and scoring the game's last goal in the 89th, in a 3–0 final result.

Alongside teammates Diogo Valente and Paulo Machado, Vieirinha was loaned to Primeira Liga promotees Leixões S.C. for 2007–08. All proved instrumental as the Matosinhos side retained its league status at the end of the campaign.

PAOK

Vieirinha then returned to Porto, being immediately loaned to PAOK FC of Greece, which had expressed interest in the player as his compatriot Fernando Santos was at the club's helm at the time. A season-long loan was eventually arranged, as the player teamed up with compatriot Sérgio Conceição. After only a few games, he picked up a serious injury (torn ankle ligament in a derby against Aris Thessaloniki FC, caused by Vitolo, a player who would join PAOK in the following year; he returned to training during the January 2009 winter break, coming on as a substitute in a home game against OFI Crete.

In mid-July 2009, PAOK came to terms with Porto to make the move permanent for roughly €1 million, following Vieirinha's wish to continue playing under coach Santos. Late in the year he renewed his link until June 2013, with a €15 million buyout clause.

On 4 November 2010, diminutive Vieirinha scored with his head in a 1–0 home win against Villarreal CF of Spain, for the season's UEFA Europa League. He was also named the Superleague's most valuable player, the second individual accolade in a row whilst at PAOK, helping the team finish in third position and qualify to the Europa League.

Despite considerable transfer market speculation owing to his increased potential, Vieirinha started 2011–12 with PAOK, helping his side progress to the Europa League group stage; overall, he played in 126 official matches for the club, scoring 28 goals and making 21 assists.

Wolfsburg

With a short statement on 3 January 2012, PAOK announced the club had come to terms regarding the transfer of Vieirinha to German side VfL Wolfsburg. The player signed until June 2015 for approximately €4 million, and made his Bundesliga debut on the 21st, playing 45 minutes in a 1–0 home win against 1. FC Köln.

Vieirinha scored his first official goal for the Wolves on 9 March 2013, contributing to a 5–2 success at SC Freiburg with a volley from outside the box. In September, during a DFB-Pokal game against VfR Aalen, he ruptured his knee ligaments, going on to be sidelined until April of the following year.

Vierinha played at right back as Wolfsburg won its first domestic cup on 30 May 2015, with a 3–1 victory over Borussia Dortmund, and featured in the same position on 1 August as they conquered the DFL-Supercup against FC Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout. On 8 December, again as a winger, he was one of three players on target for the hosts as they defeated Manchester United 3–2 in the last round of the UEFA Champions League's group stage and progressed at the expense of the English.

Return to Greece

On 31 August 2017, PAOK announced the signing of Vierinha on a €1 million fee.

International career

Vieirinha featured for every youth level of the Portuguese national team, from under-16 to under-21, earning a total of 83 caps and scoring 28 goals in the process. In November 2011 he received his first callup to the main squad, replacing injured Danny for the UEFA Euro 2012 playoffs against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Vieirinha finally made his debut for Portugal on 22 March 2013, playing the last 30 minutes in a 3–3 away draw with Israel for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. On 19 May of the following year he was named in the final 23-man squad for the finals in Brazil and, on 11 June, scored his first international goal, netting his team's fourth in a 5–1 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland in the United States, four minutes after replacing Silvestre Varela.

Vieirinha featured once in the final stages, playing 21 minutes in the 2–1 group stage triumph against Ghana as Portugal went out on goal difference. At Euro 2016, under former PAOK boss Santos, he was the first-choice right-back during the group stage but lost his place to Southampton's Cédric Soares in the knockout phase.

International goals

Vieirinha: International goals
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 June 2014 MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, United States  Republic of Ireland 4–1 5–1 Friendly

Club statistics

As of 9 April 2017
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Porto 2006–07 Primeira Liga 8 0 2 1 1 0 11 1
Marco (loan) 2005–06 Segunda Liga 13 4 2 0 15 4
Leixões (loan) 2007–08 Primeira Liga 22 1 4 2 26 3
PAOK (loan) 2008–09 Superleague Greece 21 1 21 1
PAOK 2009–10 Superleague Greece 34 7 2 0 36 7
2010–11 Superleague Greece 31 6 4 1 12 4 47 11
2011–12 Superleague Greece 13 5 0 0 9 4 22 9
Total PAOK 99 19 4 1 23 8 126 28
Wolfsburg 2011–12 Bundesliga 9 0 0 0 9 0
2012–13 Bundesliga 27 1 5 0 32 1
2013–14 Bundesliga 11 1 3 0 14 1
2014–15 Bundesliga 31 1 5 0 10 1 46 2
2015–16 Bundesliga 26 1 3 0 8 1 36 2
2016–17 Bundesliga 17 0 2 0 0 0 19 0
Total Wolfsburg 121 4 18 0 18 2 157 6
PAOK 2017–18 Superleague Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total PAOK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 263 28 30 4 42 10 335 42

Honours

Club

Porto
  • Primeira Liga: 2006–07
  • Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2006
Wolfsburg
  • DFB-Pokal: 2014–15
  • DFL-Supercup: 2015

International

Portugal
  • UEFA European Championship: 2016
  • UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2003

Individual

  • Superleague Greece: Best Foreign Player 2011
  • PAOK MVP: 2009–10, 2010–11

Orders

  • POR Ordem do Merito Comendador BAR.svg Commander of the Order of Merit