Hugo Viana
Encyclopedia
Hugo Miguel Ferreira Gomes Viana (ˈuɡu viˈɐnɐ; born 15 January 1983) is a Portuguese
footballer who plays for Sporting de Braga as a central midfielder.
His main assets are good set-pieces
and passing
skills. After starting out at Sporting, he moved abroad at the age of 19, going on to have unassuming spells in England
(Newcastle United
) and Spain
(Valencia
) before settling back in his country with Braga.
Viana represented Portugal
in two World Cups
.
, Viana started his professional career at Sporting Clube de Portugal where he won the Young European Footballer of the Year
award, after an excellent debut season in the top division and, aged 19, was signed by Premier League's Newcastle United
for €
12 million. He played there for two seasons, scoring four times, against FK Željezničar Sarajevo and Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League and Birmingham City
and West Bromwich Albion
in the league.
However, Viana was unable to cement a starting XI position, and returned to Sporting on loan. In his return he found his old form and enjoyed a successful spell, even helping the Lions to the season's UEFA Cup final
.
, Viana moved to Valencia CF
, again on loan. In March 2006, reports stated that Valencia had signed him on a permanent deal for £
1.5m. During his first season, he struggled to claim a first team spot, facing tough competition from the likes of David Albelda
and Rubén Baraja, manager Quique Flores' preferred duo. Still, Viana featured in 19 league games and displayed some flashes of talent that allowed him to preserve his place in the national squad
.
In a bid to secure first team football, Viana decided to join fellow La Liga
team CA Osasuna
on loan, on August 2007. Unfortunately, a serious injury during pre-season forced him out for four months. As he recovered, he failed to make the breakthrough in an already established team, but would feature in all of the side's final three matches, as Osasuna barely avoided relegation. After the loan (nine matches, one goal, in a 3–1 home win against RCD Mallorca
, in which he played one minute), he returned to Valencia.
In 2008–09, Viana took absolutely no part in coach Unai Emery's plans, being restricted to three UEFA Cup contests and some domestic cup appearances.
against S.L. Benfica, in a 2–0 home triumph where he received Man of the match
accolades) – Braga eventually finished in a best-ever second place, losing the title to precisely this team, in the last matchday, with the player appearing in 28 matches (14 as a reserve – he lost his importance after the return of Uruguay
an Luis Aguiar, on loan).
In the 2010–11 season, under the same manager, Domingos Paciência, Viana regained his starting position over Aguiar, whom eventually left the club. On 6 March 2011, again from a direct free kick and against Benfica, he equalized for the hosts, in an eventual 2–1 home win; he also appeared in nine games (all starts) in Braga's UEFA Europa League runner-up run.
On 27 November 2011, in a game against F.C. Porto, Viana displayed a white t-shirt with the words 'Gary - Rest In Peace', in a tribute to his former Newcastle teammate Gary Speed
who committed suicide earlier that day.
on 14 November 2001, in a 5–1 friendly win over Angola
. Replacing suspended Daniel Kenedy
in the last minute, he was a non-playing squad member for Portugal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
and played for his country at the 2004 Olympics
.
Viana returned to the national squad after UEFA Euro 2004, and appeared in two matches (as a substitute) at the 2006 World Cup
.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer who plays for Sporting de Braga as a central midfielder.
His main assets are good set-pieces
Set piece (football)
The term set piece or set play is used in association football and rugby to refer to a situation when the ball is returned to open play following a stoppage, particularly in a forward area of the pitch. Most often, the term is used to refer to free kicks and corners, but sometimes throw-ins. Many...
and passing
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
skills. After starting out at Sporting, he moved abroad at the age of 19, going on to have unassuming spells in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
) and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
) before settling back in his country with Braga.
Viana represented Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in two World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
.
Sporting / Newcastle
Born in BarcelosBarcelos, Portugal
Barcelos is a city in Barcelos Municipality in Braga District. The city has a population of 20,625.-History:Originally a Roman settlement, it expanded and became the seat of the First Duke of Bragança in the 15th century...
, Viana started his professional career at Sporting Clube de Portugal where he won the Young European Footballer of the Year
European Footballer of the Year
The "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
award, after an excellent debut season in the top division and, aged 19, was signed by Premier League's Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
12 million. He played there for two seasons, scoring four times, against FK Željezničar Sarajevo and Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League and Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in the league.
However, Viana was unable to cement a starting XI position, and returned to Sporting on loan. In his return he found his old form and enjoyed a successful spell, even helping the Lions to the season's UEFA Cup final
2005 UEFA Cup Final
The 2005 UEFA Cup Final was between Sporting CP of Portugal and CSKA Moscow of Russia. The match took at place at Sporting's home, Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, on 18 May 2005. CSKA Moscow won their first UEFA Cup and became the first Russian club to win a major European championship.-Match details:...
.
Valencia
At the start of the 2005–06 season2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
, Viana moved to Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
, again on loan. In March 2006, reports stated that Valencia had signed him on a permanent deal for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1.5m. During his first season, he struggled to claim a first team spot, facing tough competition from the likes of David Albelda
David Albelda
David Albelda Aliqués is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF as a defensive midfielder.He played mainly for local Valencia during his extensive professional career, being team captain for over a decade....
and Rubén Baraja, manager Quique Flores' preferred duo. Still, Viana featured in 19 league games and displayed some flashes of talent that allowed him to preserve his place in the national squad
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
.
In a bid to secure first team football, Viana decided to join fellow La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
team CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
on loan, on August 2007. Unfortunately, a serious injury during pre-season forced him out for four months. As he recovered, he failed to make the breakthrough in an already established team, but would feature in all of the side's final three matches, as Osasuna barely avoided relegation. After the loan (nine matches, one goal, in a 3–1 home win against RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
, in which he played one minute), he returned to Valencia.
In 2008–09, Viana took absolutely no part in coach Unai Emery's plans, being restricted to three UEFA Cup contests and some domestic cup appearances.
Braga
On 31 July 2009, Viana was loaned to Sporting de Braga for one season, thus returning to Portugal after three years. As the Minho club led the league in its early stages, he scored his first goals upon returning to his country, hitting twice in a 3–1 home win against C.F. Os Belenenses, on 30 August. On 31 October, he again found the net, from a stunning free kickDirect free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
against S.L. Benfica, in a 2–0 home triumph where he received Man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
accolades) – Braga eventually finished in a best-ever second place, losing the title to precisely this team, in the last matchday, with the player appearing in 28 matches (14 as a reserve – he lost his importance after the return of Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an Luis Aguiar, on loan).
In the 2010–11 season, under the same manager, Domingos Paciência, Viana regained his starting position over Aguiar, whom eventually left the club. On 6 March 2011, again from a direct free kick and against Benfica, he equalized for the hosts, in an eventual 2–1 home win; he also appeared in nine games (all starts) in Braga's UEFA Europa League runner-up run.
On 27 November 2011, in a game against F.C. Porto, Viana displayed a white t-shirt with the words 'Gary - Rest In Peace', in a tribute to his former Newcastle teammate Gary Speed
Gary Speed
Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...
who committed suicide earlier that day.
International career
Viana made his debut in the national teamPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
on 14 November 2001, in a 5–1 friendly win over Angola
Angola national football team
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras , is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002...
. Replacing suspended Daniel Kenedy
Daniel Kenedy
Daniel Kenedy Pimentel Mateus dos Santos, known as Kenedy , is a retired Guinea-Bissauan/Portuguese footballer. As a midfielder or defender, he played on the left side of the pitch.-Club career:...
in the last minute, he was a non-playing squad member for Portugal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
and played for his country at the 2004 Olympics
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
.
Viana returned to the national squad after UEFA Euro 2004, and appeared in two matches (as a substitute) at the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
Club
- Sporting:
- Portuguese League: 2001–02
- Portuguese CupTaça de PortugalThe Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
: 2001–02 - UEFA Cup: Runner-up 2004–05
- Braga:
- UEFA Europa League: Runner-up 2010–11
Orders
- Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila ViçosaOrder of the Immaculate Conception of Vila ViçosaThe Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa is an dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Braganza, the former Portuguese Royal Family...
(House of BraganzaDuke of BraganzaThe title Duke of Braganza in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Since the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal in 1640, the male heir of the Portuguese Crown was known as the Duke of Braganza and Prince of Brazil until 1822, or...
)