João Miguel Coimbra Aurélio (born 17 August 1988) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a right-back or a right midfielder.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | João Miguel Coimbra Aurélio[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 August 1988[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Beja, Portugal[1] | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2002 | Desportivo Beja | ||
| 2002–2005 | Despertar | ||
| 2005–2007 | Vitória Guimarães | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2008 | Penalva | 34 | (5) |
| 2008–2016 | Nacional | 186 | (6) |
| 2016–2018 | Vitória Guimarães | 47 | (0) |
| 2018–2020 | Moreirense | 50 | (4) |
| 2020–2022 | Pafos | 56 | (1) |
| 2022–2026 | Nacional | 91 | (2) |
| Total | 464 | (18) | |
| International career | |||
| 2008 | Portugal U20 | 6 | (2) |
| 2008–2010 | Portugal U21 | 11 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He spent the vast majority of his career with Nacional, making 344 competitive appearances over 12 seasons (two spells). He also represented Vitória de Guimarães and Moreirense in his country, totalling 318 Primeira Liga games.
Aurélio earned caps for Portugal at youth level.
Club career
editNacional
editBorn in Beja, Aurélio began his professional career with lower league club S.C. Penalva do Castelo. In the 2008–09 season, he moved straight into the Primeira Liga with Madeira's C.D. Nacional, managing ten league appearances in his first year and scoring in a 2–1 away win against C.F. Os Belenenses on 26 April 2009.[2]
In the following campaign, Aurélio started impressively, netting twice against Sporting CP in the opener – once in his own net – and S.C. Olhanense, both 1–1 draws.[3][4] Additionally, he scored in the UEFA Europa League 4–3 home defeat of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg (eventual 5–4 aggregate win).[5][6]
Aurélio continued to be an important first-team element in the following six top-division seasons, appearing in 149 matches and scoring in a 3–0 victory at Rio Ave F.C. on 28 September 2013.[7] He also featured regularly as a right-back.[8]
Vitória Guimarães
editOn 9 June 2016, Aurélio signed a two-year contract with Vitória de Guimarães, where he had played youth football from ages 17 to 19.[9] He totalled 62 games for the side, including four in their run to the final of the Taça de Portugal, but was unused in the decisive match that the team lost 2–1 to S.L. Benfica.[10]
Aurélio started in a 3–1 defeat to the same opponent in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira on 5 August 2017.[11]
Moreirense
editHaving turned down the chance to play in Croatia for HNK Hajduk Split, Aurélio moved to Vitória's neighbours Moreirense F.C. on a two-year deal on 20 June 2018.[12] In his third appearance, on 27 August, he scored with the last touch of the game to seal a 1–1 home draw with B-SAD.[13]
Pafos
editOn 25 August 2020, the 32-year-old Aurélio left Portugal for the first time, signed for a two-year contract at Pafos FC of the Cypriot First Division on a free transfer.[14] He made 57 appearances during his tenure,[15] scoring in the 2–1 home win over Karmiotissa FC on 1 March 2021.[16]
Return to Nacional
editAurélio returned to Nacional on 11 June 2022, agreeing to a three-year deal.[15] He helped them to promote from the Liga Portugal 2 in his second season.[17]
Aurélio played his 300th official match with the club on 6 April 2024, in a 2–1 home defeat of AVS Futebol SAD.[18][19] He reached the same figure in the Portuguese main division on 23 August 2025, but in a 1–4 loss against Sporting also at the Estádio da Madeira.[20][21]
On 2 June 2026, Aurélio announced his retirement aged 37.[22]
International career
editAfter good performances for Nacional, Aurélio was called up to the Portugal under-21 side by Oceano for 2011 UEFA European Championship qualifiers. In the 81st minute of the match against Lithuania, he came on as a substitute for S.L. Benfica's Fábio Coentrão and headed in the final 4–1 three minutes later.[23]
Personal life
editCareer statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other[a] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Penalva | 2007–08 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 5 | |||
| Nacional | 2008–09 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | 27 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 41 | 5 | ||
| 2010–11 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2014–15 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 42 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 0 | |||
| Total | 186 | 6 | 20 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 14 | 1 | — | 239 | 9 | ||
| Vitória Guimarães | 2016–17 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| Total | 47 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 0 | |
| Moreirense | 2018–19 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 2 | |||
| Total | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 51 | 4 | |||
| Pafos | 2020–21 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 37 | 1 | |||
| Career Total | 353 | 16 | 30 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 427 | 19 | |
- ↑ Includes Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 "João Aurélio" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ↑ Melo, Rui Miguel (27 April 2009). "Golo polémico do Nacional deu vitória" [Controversial Nacional goal gave win]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ↑ "Nacional e Sporting empatam 1–1 com dois golos de João Aurélio" [Nacional and Sporting draw 1–1 with two goals from João Aurélio]. Açoriano Oriental (in Portuguese). 15 August 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ↑ "Nacional e Olhanense empatam" [Nacional and Olhanense draw] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ↑ "Arrogantes russos com sorte imerecida" [Cocky Russians got more than they deserved]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 21 August 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ↑ "Zenit-Nacional, 1–1 (crónica)" [Zenit-Nacional, 1–1 (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ↑ "Eficácia madeirense arrasa o Rio Ave" [Efficiency from Madeira to crush Rio Ave]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 28 September 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ↑ Pestana, Emanuel (7 May 2016). "Regressos de João Aurélio e Rodrigo Pinho" [Returns of João Aurélio and Rodrigo Pinho]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "João Aurélio reforça o Vitória de Guimarães" [João Aurélio bolsters Vitória de Guimarães] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 9 June 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ↑ Silva, Flávio Miguel; Ponte, Pedro (28 May 2017). "Benfica-V. Guimarães, 2–1". Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ↑ Marques, José Carlos (5 August 2017). "Benfica vence Supertaça ao derrotar Guimarães por 3–1" [Benfica win Supercup by defeating Guimarães 3–1]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ↑ Freitas, Bruno (20 June 2018). "Surpresa João Aurélio chegou com Trigueira" [Surprise João Aurélio arrived with Trigueira]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "Belenenses volta a deixar escapar pontos nos descontos" [Belenenses let points get away in added time again]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 27 August 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ↑ Afonso, Jorge (25 August 2020). "João Aurélio é reforço do Pafos FC" [João Aurélio is addition to Pafos FC]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- 1 2 Fernandes, João Manuel (11 June 2022). "João Aurélio de regresso ao Nacional" [João Aurélio returns to Nacional]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "Ένα ημίχρονο ήταν αρκετό για την Πάφο... Όλο και πιο κοντά στον υποβιβασμό η Καρμιώτισσα! (βίντεο)" [One half was enough for Pafos... Karmiotissa are getting closer and closer to relegation! (video)] (in Greek). ANT1 Cyprus. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "João Aurélio promete Nacional com "ambição" para "atingir a manutenção"" [João Aurélio promises Nacional with "ambition" to "achieve survival"]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ Vieira Lopes, Paulo (6 April 2024). "Nacional vence AVS e reforça sonho da subida à I Liga" [Nacional beat AVS and solidify dream of promotion to I League]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "João Aurélio homenageado pelos 300 jogos de alvi-negro" [João Aurélio honoured for the 300 games in white-and-black] (in Portuguese). C.D. Nacional. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ Vasconcelos, Gonçalo (22 August 2025). "João Aurélio completa jogo 300 na 1ª Liga contra o Sporting" [João Aurélio completes game 300 in the 1st League against Sporting]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "Reviravolta e hat trick assinados por Pedro Gonçalves, Sporting acaba por golear na Madeira. Veja os lances" [Comeback and hat trick signed by Pedro Gonçalves, Sporting ended up thrashing in Madeira. Watch the plays] (in Portuguese). TSF. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "João Aurélio termina carreira de futebolista" [João Aurélio ends footballing career]. Correio Alentejo (in Portuguese). 2 June 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ "Oceano com maré cheia de golos" [Ocean ("Oceano" in English, pun on manager's name) with tideful of goals] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ↑ "Sub-21: Os De Boer de Beja" [Under-21: Beja's De Boers]. Record (in Portuguese). 18 April 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ "Irmãos João e Luís Aurélio vão deixar o Nacional" [Brothers João and Luís Aurélio will leave Nacional] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ↑ João Aurélio at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- ↑ João Aurélio at Soccerway
External links
edit- João Aurélio at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- João Aurélio national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)