Vieirinha facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vieirinha

Vieirinha playing for PAOK in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Adelino André Vieira de Freitas
Date of birth	(1986-01-24) 24 January 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Guimarães, Portugal
Height	1.72 m
Playing position	Full-back, wing-back
Club information
Current club	PAOK
Number	20
Youth career
1995–1996	Torcatense
1996–2002	Vitória Guimarães
2002–2004	Porto
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2006	Porto B	38	(11)
2006	→ Marco (loan)	13	(4)
2006–2009	Porto	8	(0)
2007–2008	→ Leixões (loan)	22	(1)
2008–2009	→ PAOK (loan)	16	(1)
2009–2012	PAOK	67	(16)
2012–2017	VfL Wolfsburg	125	(4)
2017–	PAOK	147	(18)
National team
2001	Portugal U16	6	(2)
2002–2003	Portugal U17	24	(10)
2003–2005	Portugal U19	24	(13)
2005–2006	Portugal U20	12	(1)
2007–2009	Portugal U21	17	(2)
2009	Portugal U23	4	(0)
2013–2016	Portugal	25	(1)
Honours Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA European Championship Winner 2016 France UEFA European U17 Championship Winner 2003 Portugal
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:00, 6 October 2024 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Adelino André Vieira de Freitas (born on January 24, 1986), known as Vieirinha, is a Portuguese professional footballer. He plays as a winger or a full-back for the Greek club PAOK. He is good with both feet.

Vieirinha started his career playing for Porto in Portugal. However, he spent most of his time playing for two main clubs: PAOK in Greece and Wolfsburg in Germany. With PAOK, he has played in over 320 matches. He helped them win the Greek championship twice (in 2019 and 2024) and the Greek Cup three times.

He also played for the Portugal national team starting in 2013. He was part of the team that went to the 2014 World Cup. Vieirinha also helped Portugal win the Euro 2016 tournament, which is a huge achievement for any player. He was even given the Order of Merit by Portugal for his achievements.

Vieirinha's Club Career Highlights

Starting at Porto

Vieirinha (top) playing for Leixões in 2007

Vieirinha was born in Guimarães, Portugal. He began his football training in the youth teams of his local club, Vitória SC. Later, he joined the famous Porto club to finish his training.

After a short time playing on loan (a temporary move) for Marco, he joined Porto's main team in the 2006–07 season. He signed a four-year contract. Vieirinha played his first official game for Porto on August 11, 2006. It was in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (a Portuguese super cup) against Vitória de Setúbal. He came into the game as a substitute and scored a goal, helping his team win 3–0.

For the 2007–08 season, Vieirinha was loaned to Leixões, another team in Portugal's top league. He played an important role in helping Leixões stay in the league.

His Time with PAOK

Vieirinha playing for PAOK in 2010

After his loan at Leixões, Vieirinha returned to Porto. Soon after, he was loaned to PAOK, a club in Greece. This happened because his Portuguese coach, Fernando Santos, was managing PAOK at the time. During his first season, he got a serious ankle injury in a derby match against Aris Thessaloniki.

In July 2009, PAOK bought Vieirinha from Porto for about €1 million. He wanted to keep playing for coach Santos. He later extended his contract until June 2013.

On November 4, 2010, Vieirinha scored a goal with his head in a 1–0 home win against Villarreal in the UEFA Europa League (a big European competition). He was also named the best player in the Greek Super League for two years in a row. His team finished third in the league and qualified for the Europa League again.

Vieirinha started the 2011–12 season still with PAOK. He helped the team reach the group stage of the Europa League. Overall, he played 126 matches for PAOK in his first period there, scoring 28 goals and making 21 assists (passes that lead to goals).

Playing for VfL Wolfsburg

Vieirinha playing for VfL Wolfsburg

On January 3, 2012, Vieirinha moved to the German club VfL Wolfsburg for about €4 million. He signed a contract until June 2015. He played his first game in the Bundesliga (Germany's top league) on January 21, helping his new team win 1–0 against 1. FC Köln.

Vieirinha scored his first goal for Wolfsburg on March 9, 2013, with a powerful shot from outside the box. Later that year, he suffered a serious knee injury during a cup game, which kept him out of action for several months.

In 2015, Vieirinha played as a right-back when Wolfsburg won their first national cup, the DFB-Pokal. They beat Borussia Dortmund 3–1 in the final. A few months later, they also won the DFL-Supercup against Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout. On December 8, he scored one of the goals as Wolfsburg beat Manchester United 3–2 in the UEFA Champions League group stage, helping his team move forward in the competition.

Returning to Greece

On August 31, 2017, Vieirinha returned to PAOK. He scored his first goal in his second time with the club on November 20, from a penalty.

On May 12, 2018, as the team's captain, Vieirinha scored from a free kick. This helped PAOK beat AEK Athens 2–0 in the Greek Cup final. He was named the best player of the match.

In April 2019, Vieirinha got another serious injury to his knee. However, he still played a few minutes in the second-to-last league game. This was when PAOK won the Greek championship for the first time since 1985!

In March 2021, at 35 years old, Vieirinha signed a new contract with PAOK. In May, he scored the first goal in the domestic cup final, which PAOK won 2–1 against Olympiacos. In February 2022, he scored in a European match against Midtjylland, helping PAOK reach the round of 16 in Europe for the first time in 48 years. He agreed to extend his contract again in June.

Vieirinha's International Career

Vieirinha with Portugal in June 2013

Vieirinha played for every youth team level for Portugal, from under-16 to under-21. He played 83 games and scored 28 goals for these youth teams. In November 2011, he was called up to the main Portugal national team for the first time.

He finally made his debut for Portugal on March 22, 2013, playing the last 30 minutes in a 3–3 draw against Israel. On May 19, 2014, he was chosen for Portugal's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. On June 11, he scored his only goal for the national team in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland, helping Portugal win 5–1. In the World Cup, he played 21 minutes in one game against Ghana. Portugal was eliminated from the tournament based on goal difference (meaning they didn't score enough goals compared to other teams).

On November 17, 2015, Vieirinha was the captain for Portugal for the only time in a friendly match against Luxembourg. At Euro 2016, he was the first-choice right-back during the group stage. However, he lost his spot to another player, Cédric Soares, in the knockout phase (the part of the tournament where teams are eliminated). Even so, Portugal went on to win the tournament!

Vieirinha's Football Achievements

Porto

• Won the Primeira Liga (Portuguese League): 2006–07
• Won the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (Portuguese Super Cup): 2006

Wolfsburg

• Won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup): 2014–15
• Won the DFL-Supercup (German Super Cup): 2015

PAOK

• Won the Super League Greece (Greek League): 2018–19, 2023–24
• Won the Greek Cup: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21

Portugal National Team

• Won the UEFA European Championship (Euro): 2016
• Won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship (U17 Euro): 2003

Individual Awards

• Best Foreign Player in the Super League Greece: 2010–11, 2018–19
• Best Player in the Greek Football Cup Final: 2017–18
• Named to the Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2017–18, 2018–19
• PAOK MVP of the Season: 2010–11, 2017–18, 2018–19
• Named to the Bundesliga Team of the Year: 2014–15

Special Honors

• Commander of the Order of Merit (a special award from Portugal)

See also

In Spanish: Vieirinha para niños