Miguel Veloso facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Miguel Veloso

Veloso with Dynamo Kyiv in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso
Date of birth	(1986-05-11) 11 May 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Coimbra, Portugal
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1994–1999	Benfica
1999–2000	CAC Pontinha
2000–2005	Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2010	Sporting CP	98	(4)
2005–2006	→ Olivais Moscavide (loan)	28	(7)
2010–2012	Genoa	49	(2)
2012–2016	Dynamo Kyiv	78	(6)
2016–2018	Genoa	45	(1)
2018–2019	Genoa	21	(0)
2019–2023	Hellas Verona	99	(5)
2023–2024	Pisa	27	(1)
Total		445	(26)
National team
2001–2002	Portugal U16	10	(0)
2002–2003	Portugal U17	25	(3)
2004	Portugal U18	5	(1)
2004–2005	Portugal U19	9	(2)
2006	Portugal U20	2	(1)
2006–2008	Portugal U21	18	(5)
2007–2015	Portugal	56	(3)
Honours Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA European Championship Bronze 2012 Poland-Ukraine UEFA European U17 Championship Winner 2003 Portugal
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso (born 11 May 1986) is a Portuguese former professional footballer. He mostly played as a defensive midfielder, which means he helped protect the defense. He could also play as an attacking left-back on the side of the field.

Miguel Veloso started his career with Sporting CP in Portugal. He played over 150 games for them. Later, he spent many years in Italy with Genoa and Hellas Verona. He played more than 200 games in Italy's top league, Serie A. He also spent four years in Ukraine with Dynamo Kyiv, where he won several trophies.

Veloso played for the Portuguese national team from 2007 to 2015. He played in 56 international games. He also represented Portugal in two World Cups and two European Championships.

Club Career Highlights

Starting Out at Sporting CP

Miguel Veloso was born in Coimbra, Portugal. He first joined S.L. Benfica's youth team. However, he was not kept on because he was a bit overweight. At 14, he joined their rivals, Sporting CP, in Lisbon. He started playing as a central defender.

To get more playing time, Veloso was loaned to C.D. Olivais e Moscavide. This team was in the third division. He helped them get promoted to the second division. He even scored seven goals, which was his best goal-scoring season. Because of this, Sporting CP called him back.

In the 2006–07 season, Veloso played 23 games for Sporting. The team finished second in the league. He also played very well in his first UEFA Champions League game. This was a 1–0 win against Inter Milan. He was named Player of the match for his great performance.

For the next two seasons, Veloso was a key player in Sporting's midfield. He played alongside João Moutinho. Sporting finished second in the league both times. Veloso also helped Sporting reach the last 16 in the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League. He scored in both games against Everton, helping his team win 4–2 overall.

Playing in Italy and Ukraine

In July 2010, Miguel Veloso moved to Genoa CFC in Italy. He started playing in Serie A, Italy's top football league. His first goal for Genoa came in September 2011.

In July 2012, Veloso moved to FC Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine. He signed a four-year contract. He played 127 games for Dynamo Kyiv and scored 14 goals. He won four major trophies with the team. This included winning both the league and the cup in the 2014–15 season. He scored two goals in a cup semi-final game that season.

In July 2016, Veloso returned to Genoa. He played for them for two more years. He left the club for a short time but then came back again.

Time at Hellas Verona

On 20 July 2019, Veloso signed a one-year contract with Hellas Verona FC in Italy. He scored a goal from a free kick in his very first game. This helped his team draw 1–1 with Bologna F.C. 1909. He scored more goals that season, matching his best goal tally in a top league.

In June 2020, Veloso agreed to stay with Hellas Verona for another season. He continued to play well and renewed his contract again. Since 2020, he served as the team's captain.

Joining Pisa

On 2 August 2023, when he was 37 years old, Veloso joined Pisa SC. This team plays in Serie B, which is the second division of Italian football. He signed a one-year deal with them.

International Career

Veloso playing for Portugal against Russia in 2012

Youth and Early Senior Appearances

Miguel Veloso was the captain for the Portugal Under-17 team. He led them to victory in the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship held in Portugal. They beat Spain 2–1 in the final. Veloso was named the tournament's best player, known as the Golden Player. He also helped the team reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup that same year.

In August 2007, Veloso was called up to the senior national team for the first time. This was after he played well for the Under-21 team. He made his first international game against Azerbaijan in October.

World Cups and European Championships

Veloso was chosen to play for Portugal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He played in two games as a substitute. He helped set up a goal in Portugal's big 7–0 win against North Korea. He scored his first international goal in a 4–0 win against Malta in October 2009.

In November 2011, Veloso scored a goal from a free kick. This helped Portugal beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 6–2. This win helped Portugal qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. Veloso played every minute of Portugal's games in Euro 2012. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Spain in a penalty shootout.

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Veloso played in the opening game against Germany. He also played as a left-back in the final group game against Ghana. Portugal won that game 2–1, but it was not enough for them to move on to the next round.

In September 2015, Veloso was called back to the national team. He scored the only goal in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania. He headed the ball into the net in the last minute of the game.

Personal Life

Miguel Veloso's father, António, was also a famous footballer. He was a defender who played for Benfica for many years. He also played for the Portuguese national team.

In 2013, Miguel Veloso married Paola. She is the daughter of Enrico Preziosi, who was the president of the Genoa football club. Their son was born in 2016.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Miguel Veloso

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	14 October 2009	Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal	Malta	3–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	15 November 2011	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Bosnia and Herzegovina	5–2	6–2	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs
3	7 September 2015	Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania	Albania	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

Olivais e Moscavide

• Segunda Divisão: 2005–06

Sporting CP

• Taça de Portugal: 2006–07, 2007–08
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2007, 2008
• Taça da Liga runner-up: 2007–08, 2008–09

Dynamo Kyiv

• Ukrainian Premier League: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Ukrainian Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15
• Ukrainian Super Cup runner-up: 2014, 2015

Portugal U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2003

Individual Awards

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship Golden Player Award: 2003
• Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2006–07
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2007

Images for kids

• 

  Veloso playing for Dynamo Kyiv in 2014–15, a season where they won both the league and cup.

See also

In Spanish: Miguel Veloso para niños