Hugo Viana facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Hugo Miguel Ferreira Gomes Viana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 January 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Barcelos, Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1998 | Gil Vicente | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Sporting CP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Sporting CP | 26 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | Newcastle United | 39 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | → Sporting CP (loan) | 32 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | → Valencia (loan) | 19 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2010 | Valencia | 24 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | → Osasuna (loan) | 9 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | → Braga (loan) | 28 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Braga | 79 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Al-Ahli | 27 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Al-Wasl | 37 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 321 | (33) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Portugal U21 | 22 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2012 | Portugal | 29 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hugo Miguel Ferreira Gomes Viana (born 15 January 1983) is a retired Portuguese football player. He played as a central midfielder. Today, he works as the director of football for Sporting CP.
Hugo Viana started his career at Sporting CP in Portugal. When he was 19, he moved to play for teams in England (Newcastle United) and Spain (Valencia). Later, he returned to Portugal to play for Braga. He played in 165 matches in the Primeira Liga (Portugal's top league) and scored 23 goals over six seasons.
Viana also played for the Portuguese national team in two World Cups and Euro 2012. He also played for the under-23 team at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting at Sporting CP
Hugo Viana was born in Barcelos, Portugal. He began his professional football journey at Sporting CP. In his first season (2001–02), he played so well that he won the Young European Footballer of the Year award.
Time at Newcastle United
On 20 June 2002, when Viana was 19, he joined Newcastle United in England. The team paid €12 million (about £8.5 million) for him. This was a record amount for a teenager joining Newcastle at the time.
At Newcastle, Viana played under his former Sporting coach, Bobby Robson. He also learned a lot from experienced player Gary Speed. Viana scored four goals while playing for Newcastle. He scored in the UEFA Champions League against Željezničar Sarajevo and Feyenoord. He also scored in the league against Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion.
Viana found it hard to get a regular starting spot because other players like Gary Speed, Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas, and Laurent Robert were playing very well. In July 2004, he went back to Sporting CP on loan. He played well there and even helped his team reach the final of the UEFA Cup in 2005.
Playing for Valencia
Viana moved to Valencia in Spain at the start of the 2005–06 season, first on loan. In March 2006, he was permanently signed by Valencia for about £1.5 million. In his first season, he struggled to get a regular spot in the team. However, he still played in 19 league games and showed enough skill to keep his place in the Portuguese national squad.
To get more playing time, Viana joined Osasuna on loan in July 2007. But he got a serious injury before the season started, which kept him out for four months. After he recovered, he played in the last three matches, helping his team avoid being relegated (moving down to a lower league).
In the 2008–09 season, Viana didn't play much for Valencia. He only appeared in four UEFA Cup matches and two Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) games.
Returning to Portugal with Braga
On 31 July 2009, Viana was loaned to Braga in Portugal for one season. This meant he was back in his home country after three years. Braga started the league very well, and Viana scored his first goals for them on 30 August, scoring twice in a 3–1 win against Belenenses. On 31 October, he scored again from a free kick against Benfica in a 2–0 home win. He was even named "player of the match" for that game. Braga finished second in the league that season, which was their best-ever finish. Viana played in 28 matches.
Viana became a regular starter again in the 2010–11 season. On 6 March 2011, he scored another free kick goal against Benfica, helping Braga win 2–1 at home. He also played in nine games as Braga reached the final of the UEFA Europa League that season.
Playing in the UAE: Al Ahli and Al-Wasl
On 5 June 2013, Al Ahli from Dubai signed Viana after his contract with Braga ended. He played his first game on 30 August in the Arabian Gulf Super Cup. His team won after a penalty shootout. In his first season, he played 39 times and scored three goals. He helped Al Ahli win three trophies: the UAE Arabian Gulf League, the Arabian Gulf Super Cup, and the UAE League Cup.
Viana then agreed to join Al-Wasl, another team in the same city and league. The transfer was delayed but was completed on 19 January 2015. Hugo Viana retired from playing football on 13 October 2016, when he was 33 years old.
Becoming a Director
In May 2017, Viana became the director of football at Belenenses. He stayed in that role for six months.
Viana returned to Sporting CP in 2018, again as a director.
Playing for Portugal
Hugo Viana played his first game for the Portuguese national team on 14 November 2001. It was a friendly match where Portugal beat Angola 5–1. He was part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup but did not play. He missed out on UEFA Euro 2004 which was held in Portugal.
He also played for the under-23 team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece. In a group stage match, he was sent off (given a red card) as Portugal lost to Costa Rica.
Viana returned to the senior national team and scored his only international goal on 12 October 2005. This goal helped Portugal win 3–0 against Latvia in a World Cup qualification game. He played in two matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, where Portugal finished fourth.
He was called up at the last minute for the Euro 2012 squad to replace an injured player. He did not play in any matches during the tournament, but Portugal reached the semi-finals. Before the tournament, he played in a friendly game against Macedonia, which was his first international game in five years.
How He Played
Hugo Viana was known for his excellent passing and his ability to control the ball. He could also take powerful shots from far away, including from free kicks. Some experts thought he wasn't as strong at defending. He also struggled when he played on the left side of the midfield because Newcastle had many strong players in the middle. A scout who recommended him to Newcastle said in 2020 that Viana played like Mesut Özil.
Personal Life
Hugo Viana married Raquel Gomes in June 2003. They have two daughters and one son.
In 2004, Viana lost his wedding ring in Newcastle. A young fan found it and returned it to him because Viana's name was engraved on it.
Honours
Sporting CP
- Primeira Liga: 2001–02
- Taça de Portugal: 2001–02
- UEFA Cup runner-up: 2004–05
Braga
- Taça da Liga: 2012–13
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2010–11
Al Ahli
- UAE Arabian Gulf League: 2013–14
- Arabian Gulf Super Cup: 2013
- UAE League Cup: 2014
Images for kids
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Viana training at Euro 2012
See also
In Spanish: Hugo Viana para niños
