Miguel Veloso

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Pinto and the second or paternal family name is Veloso.
Miguel Veloso
Veloso with Dynamo Kyiv in 2015
Personal information
Full name Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso[1]
Date of birth (1986-05-11) 11 May 1986 (age 38)[1]
Place of birth Coimbra, Portugal[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) 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)
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)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Poland-Ukraine
UEFA European U17 Championship
Winner 2003 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso (Portuguese pronunciation: [miˈɣɛl luˈiʃ ˈpĩtu vɨˈlozu]; born 11 May 1986) is a Portuguese former professional footballer. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also operate as an attacking left-back.

He started his career with Sporting CP, for whom he appeared in 156 games in all competitions, and spent several years in Italy with Genoa and Hellas Verona, making over 200 Serie A appearances. In four years with Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine, he won as many domestic honours.

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 to 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.

Genoa and Dynamo Kyiv

On 30 July 2010, Veloso was sold to Genoa CFC in Italy for €9 million, while Alberto Zapater went the other way to Sporting for €2 million.[16] He and compatriot goalkeeper Eduardo debuted in Serie A on 28 August, in a 1–0 win at Udinese Calcio.[17] After a challenging first season at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, his first goal opened a 2–2 home draw with Atalanta BC on 11 September 2011.[18]

Veloso moved teams and countries again, signing a four-year contract with FC Dynamo Kyiv of the Ukrainian Premier League on 4 July 2012 after impressing at UEFA Euro 2012; the transfer fee was €7 million, while his €5 million annual salary put him second only to Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-paid Portuguese footballer.[19][20] He played 127 games in all competitions (14 goals) and won four major titles, including the double in the 2014–15 campaign; in that cup campaign he scored twice in a 4–1 semi-final victory over FC Olimpik Donetsk but he and compatriot Vitorino Antunes missed penalties in a shootout defeat of rivals FC Shakhtar Donetsk.[21]

On 31 July 2016, 30-year-old Veloso returned to Genoa.[22] He left the Rossoblù two years later,[23] but returned shortly after agreeing to a new deal.[24]

Hellas Verona

Veloso signed a one-year contract with Hellas Verona FC on 20 July 2019.[25] He scored a free kick on his debut on 25 August, equalising in a 1–1 home draw with Bologna F.C. 1909,[26] and added further goals in a to open a loss at Juventus FC and conclude a draw with Inter Milan, matching his best tally for a top-flight season.[27][28]

On 29 June 2020, with his first season still ongoing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Veloso agreed to a deal for a second campaign at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi,[29] in which he added two more goals and renewed again.[30] Serving as captain since the retirement of Giampaolo Pazzini in 2020, he penned a new one-year contract in April 2022.[31]

Pisa

On 2 August 2023, aged 37, Veloso joined Pisa SC of Serie B on a one-year deal.[32]

International career

Veloso in action against Russia in 2012

Veloso acted as captain for Portugal at the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, helping the nation to emerge victorious on home soil after defeating Spain 2–1 in an Iberian final played in Viseu.[33] He was elected the tournament's Golden Player,[34] 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),[35] Veloso was called up to the full side for the first time, for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Armenia,[36] but only made his international debut against Azerbaijan on 13 October.[37] In the finals' group stage, he appeared in the 2–0 loss against Switzerland, a game in which nine out of 11 regular starters were rested.[38]

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,[39] but did not leave the bench on either occasion;[40][41] he did take the field when they met the latter again the following month, winning 3–0.[42] He netted his first international goal in the same competition, in a 4–0 victory over Malta in Guimarães on 14 October.[43] He was chosen for the finals in South Africa where he made two brief substitute appearances in the group stage, assisting the concluder by Tiago in a 7–0 rout of North Korea.[44]

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.[45] 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.[46]

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Veloso was withdrawn at the interval for defender Ricardo Costa in a 4–0 opening defeat to eventual champions Germany.[47] In the final group game against Ghana, he played at left-back due to Fábio Coentrão's injury;[48][49] a 2–1 win was not enough to beat the United States' goal difference and advance to the last 16.[50]

In September 2015, after one year in the international wilderness,[51] Veloso was picked by manager Fernando Santos for a friendly with France and a Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania.[52] In the second game, on the 7th, he headed home after a 92nd-minute corner kick for the only goal.[53]

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][54]

In 2013, Veloso married the daughter of Genoa club president Enrico Preziosi, Paola.[55] Their son was born in 2016.[56]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[57][58]
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[a] 0 — 34 0
2007–08 29 1 9 0 6[a] 0 1[b] 0 45 1
2008–09 21 0 3 0 7[a] 1 1[b] 0 32 1
2009–10 25 3 6 5 14[c] 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[d] 1 — 37 3
2013–14 20 1 4 0 8[e] 1 — 32 2
2014–15 14 1 5 2 9[e] 3 — 28 6
2015–16 20 2 4 1 5[a] 0 1[f] 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 22 0 0 0 — — 22 0
Total 99 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 103 5
Pisa 2023–24 Serie B 27 1 1 0 — — 28 1
Total 27 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 28 1
Career total 445 26 51 9 66 10 3 0 565 45
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ a b Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  3. ^ Four appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, ten appearances and three goals in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Ten appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ Appearance in Ukrainian Super Cup

International

Veloso at Euro 2012
Portugal[59]
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.
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[43]
2 15 November 2011 Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal  Bosnia and Herzegovina 5–2 6–2 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying play-offs[45]
3 7 September 2015 Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania  Albania 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying[53]

Honours

Olivais e Moscavide

Sporting CP

Veloso in action in 2014–15, a season in which Dynamo won the league and cup double

Dynamo Kyiv

Portugal U17

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Miguel Veloso" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Sporting secure Veloso future; UEFA, 8 January 2007
  4. ^ Miguel Veloso treina-se para tapar falhas centrais (Miguel Veloso trains to cover for stoppers); Record, 22 February 2005 (in Portuguese)
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Os 12 golos de Miguel Veloso" [Miguel Veloso's 12 goals] (in Portuguese). Record. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  7. ^ Caneira strike sends Inter crashing; UEFA, 13 September 2006
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ a b ""Miguel Veloso está lesionado", diz o pai" ["Miguel Veloso is injured", says father] (in Portuguese). Record. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  11. ^ Friday's gossip column; BBC Sport, 27 June 2008
  12. ^ Spurs to revive Arshavin interest; BBC Sport, 27 August 2008
  13. ^ Bolton priced out of Veloso race; BBC Sport, 31 January 2009
  14. ^ Everton 2–1 Sporting; BBC Sport, 16 February 2010
  15. ^ We deserved to lose, admits Everton boss David Moyes; BBC Sport, 25 February 2010
  16. ^ Veloso leaves Sporting in Zapater swap; UEFA, 3 August 2010
  17. ^ "Eduardo e Veloso estreiam-se a ganhar na Serie A" [Eduardo and Veloso win on Serie A debut] (in Portuguese). Record. 28 August 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  18. ^ Stella, M. (11 September 2021). "Genoa Atalanta 2–2, le pagelle. Veloso ritrovato, male Kucka" [Genoa Atalanta 2–2, the ratings. Veloso reborn, Kucka bad] (in Italian). Genova Today. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  19. ^ Ruela, João (15 July 2012). "Miguel Veloso faz 20 milhões de euros na Ucrânia" [Miguel Veloso makes 20 million euros in Ukraine] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Destaque de Portugal na Eurocopa, Miguel Veloso acerta com Dínamo de Kiev" [Highlight for Portugal in the Euro, Miguel Veloso agrees with Dynamo Kyiv] (in Portuguese). ESPN. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  21. ^ "'Ceni da Ucrânia' pega cobrança decisiva, Dynamo vira nos pênaltis e faz dobradinha de títulos" ['Ukrainian Ceni' takes decisive kick, Dynamo win on penalties and do the double] (in Portuguese). ESPN. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  22. ^ "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.
  23. ^ "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.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ 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.
  26. ^ "'Exceptional courage': Cancer-stricken Mihajlovic on bench but Bologna held by Verona". France 24. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  27. ^ Gamba, Emanuele (21 September 2019). "Juventus-Verona 2–1: Ramsey risponde a Veloso, decide un rigore di Ronaldo" [Juventus-Verona 2–1: Ramsey responds to Veloso, a Ronaldo penalty decides it] (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  28. ^ Stopele, Luca (9 July 2020). "L'Hellas va in vantaggio e viene rimontato, ma Veloso inchioda l'Inter sul pareggio" [Hellas go ahead and endure comeback, but Veloso nails Inter to a draw] (in Italian). Verona Sera. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Hellas Verona, Miguel Veloso rinnova fino al 2021" [Hellas Verona, Miguel Veloso renews until 2021] (in Italian). Sky Sport. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  30. ^ Raggio, Filippo (10 June 2021). "Calcio: Veloso rinnova il contratto con il Verona per la stagione 2021–22" [Football: Veloso renews contract with Verona for the 2021–22 season] (in Italian). Cronache di. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  31. ^ Cazzola, Francesco (14 April 2022). "Ufficiale: Hellas, Veloso rinnova fino al 2023" [Official: Hellas, Veloso renew until 2023] (in Italian). Verona Sera. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Miguel Veloso ha firmato per il Pisa!" [Miguel Veloso has signed for Pisa!] (in Italian). Pisa SC. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  33. ^ Portugal secure maximum points; UEFA, 11 May 2003
  34. ^ a b 2003: Miguel Veloso; at UEFA
  35. ^ Sunny vista for Miguel Veloso; UEFA, 22 June 2007
  36. ^ "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.
  37. ^ "Tudo fácil em dia de estreias" [Everything easy on day of debuts] (in Portuguese). Correio da Manhã. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  38. ^ Yakin goals send hosts out on a high; UEFA, 16 June 2008
  39. ^ 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.
  40. ^ "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.
  41. ^ "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.
  42. ^ "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.
  43. ^ a b Portugal secure World Cup play-off spot with win over Malta; The Guardian, 15 October 2009
  44. ^ Hytner, David (21 June 2010). "World Cup 2010: Tiago leads rout for Portugal after North Korea lose way". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  45. ^ a b Pimentel, José Nuno (15 November 2011). "Portugal overwhelm ten-man Bosnia and Herzegovina". UEFA. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  46. ^ Burke, Chris (27 June 2012). "Spain survive test of nerve to reach final". UEFA. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  47. ^ Ornstein, David (16 June 2014). "Germany 4–0 Portugal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  48. ^ Pedroso Faria, Jorge (19 June 2014). "Miguel Veloso diz que Portugal tem "duas finais para ganhar"" [Miguel Veloso says that Portugal have "two finals to win"] (in Portuguese). Jornal de Notícias. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  49. ^ "PORTUGAL-GANA: William e Amorim de início (oficial)" [PORTUGAL-GHANA: William and Amorim from the start (official)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  50. ^ "World Cup Group G: Germany beat USA 1–0 in Recife and are joined in last 16 by Americans". Sky Sports. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  51. ^ 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)
  52. ^ Miguel Veloso "orgulhoso" por regressar à seleção portuguesa (Miguel Veloso "proud" to return to the national team); TSF, 31 August 2015 (in Portuguese)
  53. ^ a b Veloso sinks Albania as Portugal close on finals; UEFA, 7 September 2015
  54. ^ Os Velosos (The Velosos); Record, 18 March 2009 (in Portuguese)
  55. ^ Miguel Veloso partilha fotos do casamento (Miguel Veloso shares wedding photos); Lux, 25 June 2013 (in Portuguese)
  56. ^ "Genoa, Miguel Veloso è diventato papà. Anche la famiglia Preziosi in festa" [Genoa, Miguel Velaso has become a father. Preziosi family also celebrating] (in Italian). Liguria Oggi. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  57. ^ Miguel Veloso at ForaDeJogo (archived) Edit this at Wikidata
  58. ^ a b c d e f g "Miguel Veloso". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  59. ^ "Miguel Veloso". European Football. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  60. ^ 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.
  61. ^ "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.
  62. ^ 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.
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