Miguel Lopes

Hugo Miguel Almeida Costa Lopes (born 19 December 1986) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Turkish club Akhisar Belediyespor on loan from Sporting Clube de Portugal as a right back.
During his career, he played for each of the Big Three of Portuguese football – Benfica, Porto and Sporting – as well as spending time on loan in Spain and France.
Lopes represented Portugal at Euro 2012.

Club career

Early career

Born in Lisbon, Lopes started his professional career with S.L. Benfica's B-team. In the following summer, he moved to the lower leagues with C.D. Operário.

After some solid displays, Lopes signed in the 2007–08 season with second division's Rio Ave FC. In his first year, he was an habitual starter as the Vila do Conde side returned to the Primeira Liga after two years.

In 2008–09, Lopes helped Rio Ave to home draws against Benfica and FC Porto, and was again featured regularly, thus prompting interest from bigger clubs.

Porto

In January 2009, Lopes agreed to a four-year deal with Porto: in his debut season, having to compete with Uruguayan Jorge Fucile for a starting berth, he appeared sparingly in the league but did manage to play in 17 official games, 13 as a starter.

In late August 2010, deemed surplus to requirements by new Porto manager André Villas-Boas as practically all Portuguese players in the team, Lopes moved to Spanish side Real Betis on a one-year loan deal. He passed his medical and was unveiled on 2 September, eventually appearing in exactly half of the league games during the campaign as the Andalusians returned to La Liga as champions after three years.

Lopes spent the first part of 2011–12 unregistered by Porto. In the January transfer window he was loaned to fellow league club S.C. Braga, going on to start in seven of his league appearances as it finished third and qualified to the UEFA Champions League for the second time in its history.

Lopes returned to Porto for the 2012–13 season. On 29 September he scored through a rare header, opening the score in an eventual 2–2 draw at former team Rio Ave.

Sporting

In January 2013, Lopes joined fellow Big Three side Sporting Clube de Portugal on a five-and-a-half-year contract, with Marat Izmailov moving in the opposite direction. On 7 July he moved to Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1, on a one-year loan deal.

On 31 May 2015, Lopes was featured in the final of the Taça de Portugal against Braga, coming on as a substitute after the first-half dismissal of Cédric Soares. Although he was beaten by Rafa who put the opposition 2–0 up, his team eventually won in a penalty shootout.

Lopes returned to Spain on 6 August 2015, joining Granada CF on a one-year loan deal. The following season, still owned by Sporting, he signed with Akhisar Belediyespor in the Turkish Süper Lig.

International career

Due to his ability to play as both a right and a left back, Lopes was selected by Portugal coach Paulo Bento for his UEFA Euro 2012 squad. He made his national team debut on 2 June, a 1–3 friendly loss against Turkey in Lisbon, being an unused member in the finals in Poland and Ukraine.

Personal life

Lopes' twin brother, Nuno, is also a footballer and a right-back. Both came through exactly the same youth system setup, with the exception of Benfica.

Career statistics

As of 23 March 2015

Honours

Club

Porto

• Taça de Portugal: 2009–10
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2010, 2011, 2012

Betis

• Segunda División: 2010–11

Sporting

• Taça de Portugal: 2014–15

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