João Moutinho
João Moutinho
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João Moutinho

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João Moutinho

João Filipe Iria Santos Moutinho ComM (European Portuguese: [ʒuˈɐ̃w fɨˈlipiˈɾi.ɐ ˈsɐ̃tuʒ moˈtĩɲu, ˈʒwɐ̃w -]; born 8 September 1986) is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Primeira Liga club Braga.

Moutinho began his professional career with Sporting CP, moving in 2010 to Porto and winning twelve major titles between the two clubs combined. Three years later, he transferred to Monaco for €25 million, conquering the Ligue 1 championship in the 2016–17 season; in 2018, he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers, playing 212 total games before being released in 2023 and joining Braga.

Moutinho represented the Portugal national team at four European Championships, one UEFA Nations League finals and two FIFA World Cups, winning the 2016 and 2019 editions of each of the former two tournaments.

Moutinho was born in Barreiro, Setúbal District, but his birth was registered in Portimão, Algarve, where he grew up. After showing great promise as a boy playing for Portimonense, he signed with Sporting CP from Lisbon when he turned 13 to continue his football education.

During the 2004–05 pre-season, at only 17 years of age, Moutinho was called by manager José Peseiro to the main squad. However, he then returned to the junior team coached by Paulo Bento and featured alongside such players such as Miguel Veloso and Nani, helping the side win the national title that season.

In the beginning of 2005, Moutinho was called up for a Taça de Portugal match, eventually playing 20 minutes against Pampilhosa, and made his Primeira Liga debut on 23 January, staying in the entire 3–0 win at Gil Vicente and wearing the #28 shirt previously worn by Cristiano Ronaldo. Based on consistent displays, he wasted no time in establishing himself as a regular while being able to play in any position across a flat midfield or in a diamond formation; his box-to-box dynamism and determination quickly made him a firm fan favourite, as he rarely missed a game since becoming first-choice.

Moutinho's performances in the closing stages of the campaign, especially in the UEFA Cup with player of the match displays against Feyenoord and Newcastle United that helped the Lions reach the final of the competition, made him an automatic starter despite his young age; he contributed with 15 league games as his team finished second and, during the summer, he agreed to a one-year extension.

In his first full season, Moutinho's further progress and exceptional consistency (he was the only player to play every minute of every match in the domestic league) was one of the brightest spots in Sporting's runner-up final place. Incidentally, he scored his team's final goal of the campaign, a 1–0 win over Braga to ensure a return to UEFA Champions League football for the Lisbon side.

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