Quick Facts
ScorpioBiography
Luís Miguel Brito Garcia Monteiro, OIH (born 4 January 1980), known as Miguel (Portuguese pronunciation: [miˈɣɛɫ]), is a retired Portuguese footballer who played mainly as a right back.
He played the vast majority of his professional career with Benfica (five seasons) and Valencia (seven), appearing in the vicinity of 200 official games with both clubs and winning a total of four major titles.
Miguel earned 59 caps for Portugal during the 2000s, and represented the country in two World Cups and as many European Championships.
Club career
Early years / Benfica
Born in Lisbon, Miguel started his career with local C.F. Estrela da Amadora as a winger. On 30 April 1999, he made his first-team debut by playing 17 minutes in a 1–2 away loss against Boavista FC, then added 28 Primeira Liga appearances in his only full season as the capital club retained its top division status.
Miguel moved to S.L. Benfica in the 2000 summer, making the transition to right midfielder and then right back (by the hand of former Benfica player Fernando Chalana, in his only game as a transition coach) – the position that ultimately brought him international recognition. In the 2004–05 campaign, he contributed with 22 games and two goals to a national championship conques after an 11-year wait.
Valencia
Miguel joined Valencia CF in August 2005, for a €7.5 million fee. Fully established as first-choice, he signed a new five-year deal in September 2007, and helped the Che win the Copa del Rey the following year, playing in the final 3–1 win against Getafe CF.
In 2009–10, Miguel was challenged by new signing Bruno, but still appeared in 25 matches as Valencia finished third and returned to the UEFA Champions League.
In May 2012, Miguel's contract expired and he was released. In 2014, he started practising with the SJPF (syndicate of professional football players) alongside other unemployed players to regain fitness.
International career
A Portugal international since making his debut against Italy on 12 February 2003, Miguel first played for his country in UEFA Euro 2004 which ended in a runner-up run at the hands of Greece, being subsequently selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. In Euro 2008 he backed up José Bosingwa, and only appeared in the 0–2 group stage loss to hosts Switzerland.
Picked for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – in spite of an irregular season at Valencia – Miguel was one of three right backs used during Portugal's four matches in the competition, appearing in the group stage 7–0 win against North Korea. On 9 September 2010, the 30-year-old announced his retirement from international duty.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 October 2003 | Estádio do Restelo, Lisbon, Portugal |  Albania | 5–3 | 5–3 | Friendly |
Club statistics
| Club | League | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Estrela da Amadora | Primeira Liga | 1998–99 | 4 | 0 | ? | ? | – | – | ? | ? | ||
| 1999–00 | 28 | 0 | ? | ? | – | – | ? | ? | ||||
| Total | 32 | 0 | ? | ? | – | – | ? | ? | ||||
| Benfica | Primeira Liga | 2000–01 | 23 | 1 | ? | ? | – | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| 2001–02 | 27 | 6 | ? | ? | – | – | ? | ? | ||||
| 2002–03 | 29 | 1 | ? | ? | – | 1 | 1 | ? | ? | |||
| 2003–04 | 30 | 2 | ? | ? | – | 8 | 0 | ? | ? | |||
| 2004–05 | 22 | 2 | ? | ? | – | 3 | 0 | ? | ? | |||
| Total | 131 | 12 | ? | ? | – | 12 | 1 | ? | ? | |||
| Valencia | La Liga | 2005–06 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2006–07 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | 39 | 0 | |||
| 2007–08 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |||
| 2008–09 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | 30 | 1 | |||
| 2011–12 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 172 | 2 | 8 | 0 | – | 38 | 1 | 218 | 3 | |||
?Information not available
Honours
Club
- Primeira Liga: 2004–05
- Taça de Portugal: 2003–04
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2005
- Copa del Rey: 2007–08
International
- UEFA European Championship: Runner-up 2004
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 1999
Orders
- Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)