Miguel Monteiro facts for kids
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Miguel in action for Valencia in 2006
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Luís Miguel Brito Garcia Monteiro | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 January 1980 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lisbon, Portugal | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Right-back, winger | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1994 | Sporting CP | |||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Alverca | |||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Loures | |||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Olhanense | |||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Estrela Amadora | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Estrela Amadora | 32 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2000–2005 | Benfica | 131 | (12) | |||||||||||||
| 2002 | Benfica B | 2 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2012 | Valencia | 175 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 340 | (16) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Portugal U21 | 22 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2010 | Portugal | 59 | (1) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Luís Miguel Brito Garcia Monteiro, known simply as Miguel, is a Portuguese former professional footballer. He was born on January 4, 1980. Miguel played mainly as a right-back, which is a defensive player on the right side of the field. He could also play as a winger, an attacking player who plays wide on the field.
Miguel spent most of his football career playing for two big clubs: Benfica in Portugal and Valencia in Spain. He played for Benfica for five seasons and Valencia for seven seasons. During his time with these clubs, he played in many official matches and helped them win four major titles.
He also played for the Portuguese national team 59 times during the 2000s. Miguel represented his country in two World Cups and two European Championships, which are major international football tournaments.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out and Playing for Benfica
Miguel was born in Lisbon, Portugal. He started his football journey in the youth system of Sporting CP. However, he was released from Sporting because he was considered too short at the time. He then joined C.F. Estrela da Amadora and began his senior career there as a winger.
On April 30, 1999, Miguel played his first game for the senior team. He played 17 minutes in a match against Boavista FC. In his first full season, he played 28 games, helping his team stay in the top division.
In the summer of 2000, Miguel moved to S.L. Benfica, one of Portugal's biggest clubs. At Benfica, he changed his playing position. He started as a right midfielder and then became a right-back. This new position helped him become famous internationally. In the 2004–05 season, he played 22 matches and scored two goals. That year, Benfica won the national championship, which was their first title in 11 years!
Time with Valencia
In August 2005, Miguel joined Valencia CF in Spain. He quickly became the team's main right-back. In September 2007, he signed a new five-year contract with Valencia. The next year, he helped his team win the Copa del Rey, a big Spanish cup competition. He played in the final match, where Valencia won 3–1 against Getafe CF.
In the 2009–10 season, Miguel continued to play an important role for Valencia. He played in 25 matches, helping Valencia finish third in the league. This result meant the team could play in the UEFA Champions League again, which is Europe's top club competition.
Miguel's contract with Valencia ended in May 2012. After his professional career, he continued to train with other players to stay fit.
Playing for Portugal
Miguel became a player for the Portuguese national team on February 12, 2003, when he played against Italy. He was part of the squad when Portugal hosted the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament. At first, he was a backup player, but the coach decided to make him the starting right-back after the first game. Sadly, he got injured in the final match, which Portugal lost to Greece.
Miguel played in every match for Portugal at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He had to leave the semi-final game against France due to an injury, and Portugal lost that match. He also played in UEFA Euro 2008, appearing in one group stage game against Switzerland.
He was chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. During this tournament, he played in Portugal's big 7–0 win against North Korea. In September 2010, when he was 30 years old, Miguel announced that he was retiring from playing for the national team.
Honours and Awards
Miguel achieved several important wins and awards during his football career:
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2004–05 (Portuguese League Champions)
- Taça de Portugal: 2003–04 (Portuguese Cup Winners)
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2005 (Portuguese Super Cup Winners)
Valencia
- Copa del Rey: 2007–08 (Spanish Cup Winners)
Portugal National Team
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2004 (Second Place in European Championship)
Portugal Under-18 Team
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 1999 (European Under-18 Champions)
Special Recognition
Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (from the House of Braganza)
See also
In Spanish: Luís Miguel Brito para niños
