Miguel Veloso
Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso (Portuguese pronunciation: [miˈɣɛl luˈiʃ ˈpĩtu vɨˈlozu]; born 11 May 1986) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for and captains Italian club Hellas Verona. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also operate as an attacking left-back.
![]() Veloso with Dynamo Kyiv in 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | [1] | 11 May 1986|||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Coimbra, Portugal[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Hellas Verona | |||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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– | Hellas Verona | 96 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||
International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 April 2023 |
He started his career with Sporting CP, for whom he appeared in 156 games in all competitions, and also spent two years with Genoa before joining Dynamo Kyiv in 2012. After winning four domestic honours in Ukraine, he returned to Genoa in 2016.
A full international since 2007, Veloso earned 56 caps for Portugal, appearing at two World Cups and as many European Championships.
Club career
Sporting CP
Born in Coimbra, Veloso started his football career at S.L. Benfica, but was rejected for being slightly overweight at the time, entering Lisbon neighbours Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 14.[2] There, he was promoted to the first team for the 2004–05 pre-season, which took place mainly in England; he started out as a central defender.[3][4]
In order to receive more playing time, Veloso was loaned to C.D. Olivais e Moscavide in the third division,[5] and he helped them promote to the Segunda Liga with a career-best seven goals.[6] As a result, he was recalled by the Lions – though it appeared difficult for him to grab a place in the starting team, because of the presence of players with much more experience such as Ânderson Polga, Tonel, Marco Caneira or Custódio – and ended up playing 23 Primeira Liga matches during the campaign as his team finished second. He was equally impressive in his debut in the UEFA Champions League, a 1–0 home win against Inter Milan where he stopped Patrick Vieira and Luís Figo from playing effectively, earning Player of the match accolades in the process.[7]
In 2007–08, Veloso was ever-present in Sporting's central midfield alongside fellow youth graduate João Moutinho.[8][9] The club again lost the league to FC Porto, and the same befell in the following season, with the player being involved in some run-ins with manager Paulo Bento.[10] In the previous off-season and the following January transfer window, he attracted interest from several Premier League sides, but nothing materialised.[11][12][13]
Veloso helped Sporting reach the last 16 in the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, after scoring in both legs of the 4–2 aggregate victory over Everton.[14][15] They could only, however, finish fourth in the domestic league.
Italy and Dynamo Kyiv
On 30 July 2010, Veloso was sold to Genoa C.F.C. in Italy.[16] On 4 July 2012 he moved teams and countries again, signing a four-year contract with FC Dynamo Kyiv of the Ukrainian Premier League.[17][18]
On 31 July 2016, after 127 games in all competitions (14 goals) and four major titles, including the double in the 2014–15 campaign, 30-year-old Veloso returned to Genoa.[19] He left the Stadio Luigi Ferraris two years later,[20] but returned shortly after agreeing to a new deal.[21]
Veloso signed a one-year contract with Hellas Verona F.C. on 20 July 2019.[22] He scored a free kick on his debut on 25 August, equalising in a 1–1 home draw with Bologna F.C. 1909.[23]
International career
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Veloso acted as captain for Portugal at the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, helping the nation emerge victorious on home soil after defeating Spain 2–1 in an Iberian final played in Viseu.[24] He was elected the tournament's Golden Player,[25] and subsequently also helped the team reach the quarter-finals in that year's FIFA World Cup held in Finland.
On 14 August 2007, following impressive performances for the under-21s in the 2007 UEFA European Championship in June (the skipper scored twice in three games, albeit in a group stage exit),[26] Veloso was called up to the full side for the first time, for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Armenia,[27] but only made his international debut against Azerbaijan on 13 October.[28] In the finals' group stage, he appeared in the 0–2 loss against Switzerland, a game in which nine out of 11 regular starters were rested.[29]
Veloso was recalled by coach Carlos Queiroz after a long spell out of the squad, for vital 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches with Denmark and Hungary in September 2009,[30] but did not leave the bench on either occasion;[31][32] he did take the field when they met the latter again the following month, winning 3–0.[33] He netted his first international goal in the same competition, in a 4–0 victory over Malta in Guimarães on 14 October.[34]
On 15 November 2011, Veloso scored from a free kick as Portugal defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 6–2 at the Estádio da Luz in a play-off for a place at Euro 2012.[35] He played every minute of their finals campaign in Poland and Ukraine, before being substituted at half-time in extra time of an eventual penalty shootout loss to Spain in the semi-finals.[36]
In September 2015, after one year in the international wilderness,[37] Veloso was picked by manager Fernando Santos for a friendly with France and a Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania.[38] In the second game, on the 7th, he headed home after a 92nd-minute corner kick for the only goal.[39]
Personal life
Veloso's father, António, was also a footballer. A defender, he played several years with Benfica, and was also a longtime Portuguese international.[10][40]
In 2013, Veloso married the daughter of Genoa club president Enrico Preziosi, Paola.[41]
Career statistics
Club
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Olivais Moscavide (loan) | 2005–06 | Segunda Divisão | 28 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 7 | ||
Sporting CP | 2006–07 | Primeira Liga | 23 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |
2007–08 | 29 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 6[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
2008–09 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
2009–10 | 25 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14[lower-alpha 3] | 4 | — | 45 | 12 | |||
Total | 98 | 4 | 24 | 5 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 156 | 14 | ||
Genoa | 2010–11 | Serie A | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | ||
2011–12 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 2 | ||||
Total | 49 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 2 | ||
Dynamo Kyiv | 2012–13 | Ukrainian Premier League | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12[lower-alpha 4] | 1 | — | 37 | 3 | |
2013–14 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8[lower-alpha 5] | 1 | — | 32 | 2 | |||
2014–15 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 9[lower-alpha 5] | 3 | — | 28 | 6 | |||
2015–16 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 6] | 0 | 30 | 3 | ||
Total | 78 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 34 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 127 | 14 | ||
Genoa | 2016–17 | Serie A | 23 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 25 | 1 | ||
2017–18 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 1 | ||||
2018–19 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | ||||
Total | 66 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 2 | ||
Hellas Verona | 2019–20 | Serie A | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 3 | ||
2020–21 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 2 | ||||
2021–22 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | ||||
2022–23 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 | ||||
Total | 96 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 5 | ||
Career total | 415 | 25 | 50 | 9 | 66 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 534 | 44 |
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
- Four appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, ten appearances and three goals in UEFA Europa League
- Ten appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in Ukrainian Super Cup
International
Portugal[44] | ||
Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|
2007 | 4 | 0 |
2008 | 3 | 0 |
2009 | 3 | 1 |
2010 | 5 | 0 |
2011 | 6 | 1 |
2012 | 13 | 0 |
2013 | 11 | 0 |
2014 | 8 | 0 |
2015 | 3 | 1 |
Total | 56 | 3 |
- Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 14 October 2009 | Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal | ![]() | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification[34] |
2 | 15 November 2011 | Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal | ![]() | 5–2 | 6–2 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs[35] |
3 | 7 September 2015 | Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying[39] |
Honours
Olivais e Moscavide
Sporting CP
- Taça de Portugal: 2006–07, 2007–08[43]
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2007, 2008[43]
- Taça da Liga runner-up: 2007–08, 2008–09[43]
Dynamo Kyiv
- Ukrainian Premier League: 2014–15, 2015–16[43]
- Ukrainian Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15[43]
- Ukrainian Super Cup runner-up: 2014, 2015[43]
Portugal U17
Individual
References
- "Miguel Veloso" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- Tavares Teles, Alexandra (13 October 2012). "'Se passar por um bando de miúdos a jogar, paro logo o carro'" ['If I pass by a group of kids playing, I immediately stop my car'] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- Sporting secure Veloso future; UEFA, 8 January 2007
- Miguel Veloso treina-se para tapar falhas centrais (Miguel Veloso trains to cover for stoppers); Record, 22 February 2005 (in Portuguese)
- Palma, Irene (12 August 2005). "Sporting: Miguel Veloso emprestado ao Olivais e Moscavide" [Sporting: Miguel Veloso loaned to Olivais e Moscavide] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- "Os 12 golos de Miguel Veloso" [Miguel Veloso's 12 goals] (in Portuguese). Record. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- Caneira strike sends Inter crashing; UEFA, 13 September 2006
- Tadeia, António; Negrão, Leonardo; Cabrita, Rodrigo (25 October 2008). "As voltas que se dá ao losango" [How many times can one twist and turn a rhombus] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- "O plantel do Sporting e o losango de Paulo Bento" [Sporting's squad and Paulo Bento's rhombus] (in Portuguese). Relvado. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ""Miguel Veloso está lesionado", diz o pai" ["Miguel Veloso is injured", says father] (in Portuguese). Record. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- Friday's gossip column; BBC Sport, 27 June 2008
- Spurs to revive Arshavin interest; BBC Sport, 27 August 2008
- Bolton priced out of Veloso race; BBC Sport, 31 January 2009
- Everton 2–1 Sporting; BBC Sport, 16 February 2010
- We deserved to lose, admits Everton boss David Moyes; BBC Sport, 25 February 2010
- Veloso leaves Sporting in Zapater swap; UEFA, 3 August 2010
- Мигел Велозу – игрок «Динамо»! (Miguel Veloso – Dinamo player!); Dinamo Kiev, 4 July 2012 (in Ukrainian)
- Мигел ВЕЛОЗУ: «Перешел в клуб с большой историей и амбициями» (Miguel Veloso – "Moved to club with history and ambition"); Dinamo Kiev, 4 July 2012 (in Ukrainian)
- "M. Veloso ha firmato per il Genoa" [M. Veloso has signed for Genoa] (in Italian). Genoa C.F.C. 31 July 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- "Esclusiva OkC, Miguel Veloso nel mirino di un club turco" [Exclusive OkC, Miguel Veloso in sights of Turkish club] (in Italian). OK Calcio Mercato. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
- "Genoa, Miguel Veloso è ufficiale: il portoghese è rossoblù per la terza volta" [Genoa, Miguel Veloso is official: Portuguese a red-and-blue for the third time] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- Bargellini, Luca (20 July 2019). "UFFICIALE: Hellas Verona, contratto annuale per Miguel Veloso" [OFFICIAL: Hellas Verona, one-year contract for Miguel Veloso] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- "'Exceptional courage': Cancer-stricken Mihajlovic on bench but Bologna held by Verona". France 24. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- Portugal secure maximum points; UEFA, 11 May 2003
- 2003: Miguel Veloso; at UEFA
- Sunny vista for Miguel Veloso; UEFA, 22 June 2007
- "Scolari convoca Miguel Veloso para jogo frente à Arménia" [Scolari calls Miguel Veloso for match against Armenia] (in Portuguese). Público. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- "Tudo fácil em dia de estreias" [Everything easy on day of debuts] (in Portuguese). Correio da Manhã. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- Yakin goals send hosts out on a high; UEFA, 16 June 2008
- Ferreira, Victor (26 August 2009). "Queiroz chama Liedson e mais cinco novidades para Dinamarca e Hungria" [Queiroz calls Liedson and five more new for Denmark and Hungary] (in Portuguese). Público. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- "Portugal empata e fica mais longe do mundial" [Portugal draw and get further away from World Cup] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. 6 September 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- "Portugal vence na Hungria e mantém-se na corrida" [Portugal win in Hungary and are still on track] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- "Portugal-Hungria, 3–0 (Simão 18', 79', Liedson 74')" [Portugal-Hungary, 3–0 (Simão 18', 79', Liedson 74')] (in Portuguese). Record. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- Portugal secure World Cup play-off spot with win over Malta; The Guardian, 15 October 2009
- Pimentel, José Nuno (15 November 2011). "Portugal overwhelm ten-man Bosnia and Herzegovina". UEFA. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
- Burke, Chris (27 June 2012). "Spain survive test of nerve to reach final". UEFA. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
- Regresso à selecção é objectivo de Miguel Veloso (Return to national team is the goal of Miguel Veloso); Rádio Renascença, 8 April 2015 (in Portuguese)
- Miguel Veloso "orgulhoso" por regressar à seleção portuguesa (Miguel Veloso "proud" to return to the national team); TSF, 31 August 2015 (in Portuguese)
- Veloso sinks Albania as Portugal close on finals; UEFA, 7 September 2015
- Os Velosos (The Velosos); Record, 18 March 2009 (in Portuguese)
- Miguel Veloso partilha fotos do casamento (Miguel Veloso shares wedding photos); Lux, 25 June 2013 (in Portuguese)
- Miguel Veloso at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- "Miguel Veloso". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
- "Miguel Veloso". European Football. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- Soares, Ana (17 May 2003). "Sub-17 campeões europeus: Portugal vence Espanha (2–1)" [Under-17 European champions: Portugal beat Spain (2–1)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- "Veloso é a revelação, Simão é a consagração" [Veloso is the breakthrough, Simão the consecration] (in Portuguese). CNID. 30 June 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
- Haslam, Andrew (29 June 2007). "Il dream team Under 21" [The Under 21 dream team] (in Italian). UEFA. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
External links

- Miguel Veloso at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- Miguel Veloso at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)
- Miguel Veloso national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
- Miguel Veloso at National-Football-Teams.com
- Miguel Veloso – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Miguel Veloso – UEFA competition record (archive)