Hugo Leal (footballer)

For the politician of the same name, see Hugo Leal (politician).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Ribeiroand the second or paternal family name is Leal.

Hugo Leal

Personal information
Full name	Hugo Miguel Ribeiro Leal [1]
Date of birth	(1980-05-21) 21 May 1980 (age 44) [1]
Place of birth	Cascais, Portugal
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) [1]
Position(s)	Central midfielder
Youth career
1989–1991	Alcabideche
1991–1992	Estoril
1992–1997	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–1999	Benfica	33	(3)
1997–1998	→ Alverca (loan)	20	(3)
1999–2001	Atlético Madrid	59	(5)
2001–2004	Paris Saint-Germain	53	(1)
2004–2005	Porto	7	(0)
2005	→ Académica (loan)	12	(0)
2005–2007	Braga	17	(0)
2007–2008	Belenenses	8	(0)
2008–2009	Trofense	21	(3)
2009–2010	Salamanca	36	(1)
2010–2012	Vitória Setúbal	45	(2)
2012–2013	Estoril	6	(0)
Total		317	(18)
International career
1995	Portugal U15	8	(2)
1995–1996	Portugal U16	13	(2)
1997	Portugal U17	5	(0)
1996–1998	Portugal U18	28	(1)
1999	Portugal U20	7	(0)
1998–2002	Portugal U21	20	(4)
2001	Portugal B	1	(1)
1999	Portugal	1	(0)
Managerial career
2015	Estoril
Medal record Men's football Representing   Portugal UEFA European Under-16 Championship Winner 1995 Belgium Winner 1996 Austria
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Hugo Miguel Ribeiro Leal (born 21 May 1980) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder. He was also a reliable set piece taker.

He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 148 matches and nine goals over 11 seasons, having started his career with Benfica. He also played professionally, albeit with little impact in the countries' top division, in Spain and France.

Leal played once with the Portugal national team.

Club career

Born in the Lisbon outskirts of Cascais, Leal started his career with local Benfica and, not yet 17, made his Primeira Liga debut against Espinho, in a 2–0 home win on 20 April 1997. ^[2] He made his breakthrough in the 1998–99 season, playing 27 league games and scoring three goals; in between, he served a loan stint at Benfica's farm team Alverca, at the time also in the top division. ^[3]

In the summer of 1999, Leal moved abroad with Spain's Atlético Madrid. In his first year the club was relegated to the Segunda División, and in his only goal he was also sent off, in a 13 May 2000 home draw against Sevilla. ^[4] He stayed for the following campaign but could not help the Colchoneros win promotion back into La Liga, although he had established in the starting XI (36 matches, four goals). ^[5]

Leal joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2001, helping the capital side to two French Cup finals in consecutive years. ^[6] However, on 8 March 2002, in a match against Lorient for that competition, he suffered a serious injury to his left knee, being sidelined for the rest of the campaign after undergoing surgery and also missing that year's UEFA European Under-21 Championship; ^[7] his playing time was gradually cut, and a mutual contract termination was agreed on 4 August 2004. ^[8]

In August 2004, Leal signed a four-year contract with Porto. ^[9] He spent six months with the team before moving to Académica de Coimbra on loan as he did not get enough playing time; at this point, he seriously consider ending his playing career. ^[10]

For 2005–06, Leal moved to Braga, ^[11] but left the club by mutual agreement in January 2007 after totalling only 17 league appearances in nearly two seasons. ^{[12] [13]} In August, he returned to Lisbon and joined Belenenses in a one-year deal, ^[14] in another campaign severely cut short due to injuries. ^[15]

Leal agreed to a one-year contract with newly promoted Trofense in late October 2008. ^[16] Following their top-flight relegation, he returned to Spain after eight years, joining Salamanca of the second tier in a one year deal, which would be extended for a second year only if promotion was attained. ^[17]

During his only season with the Castile and León side, Leal was an undisputed starter, but not only did they not promote but almost suffered relegation. ^[18] The 30-year-old returned to his country in late July 2010, signing for Vitória de Setúbal. ^[19] In his third game, at former club Benfica, he missed a penalty kick to equalise the score after the opponents had just been reduced to ten men, and Vitória eventually lost 3–0. ^[20]

On 5 June 2012, the 32-year-old Leal returned to Estoril after 21 years, on a one-year contract. ^[21] In March 2015, following José Couceiro's departure, both he – who worked for his former youth club in the board of directors ^[22] – and former assistant Fabiano took the reins until the end of the campaign, ^[23] eventually leading the team to the 12th position in the top flight; in July, the former was appointed the sole head coach. ^[24]

International career

Leal participated with the Portuguese under-20 team in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Nigeria, exiting in the round of 16 following a penalty shootout loss to Japan (1–1 after 120 minutes). ^[25] He also helped the under-16 side win the 1995 and the 1996 UEFA European Under-16 Championships. ^{[26] [27]}

Aged 18, Leal earned one cap for the full side, a 0–0 draw with the Netherlands in Paris on 19 February 1999. ^[28]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ^[29]

Club	Season	League			Cup [a]		Continental [b]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Benfica	1996–97	Primeira Liga	2	0	–		–		2	0
	1997–98		4	0	–		–		4	0
	1998–99		27	3	–		6	0	33	3
	Total		33	3	0	0	6	0	39	3
Atlético Madrid	1999–2000	La Liga	23	1	6	1	5	0	34	2
	2000–01	Segunda División	36	4	7	0	–		43	4
	Total		59	5	13	1	5	0	77	6
Paris Saint-Germain	2001–02	Ligue 1	21	1	5	0	5	1	31	2
	2002–03		18	0	5	1	2	0	25	1
	2003–04		14	0	5	0	–		19	0
	Total		53	1	15	1	7	1	75	3
Porto	2004–05	Primeira Liga	7	0	–		2	0	9	0
Académica (loan)	2004–05	Primeira Liga	12	0	–		–		12	0
Braga	2005–06	Primeira Liga	12	0	–		1	0	13	0
	2006–07		5	0	–		3	0	8	0
	Total		17	0	0	0	4	0	21	0
Belenenses	2007–08	Primeira Liga	8	0	–		–		8	0
Trofense	2008–09	Primeira Liga	21	3	–		–		21	3
Salamanca	2009–10	Segunda División	36	1	1	0	–		37	1
Vitória Setúbal	2010–11	Primeira Liga	24	1	1	0	–		25	1
	2011–12		21	1	–		–		21	1
	Total		45	2	1	0	0	0	46	1
Estoril	2012–13	Primeira Liga	6	0	–		–		6	0
Career total			297	15	30	2	22	1	349	18

1. Includes Copa del Rey, Coupe de la Ligue, Coupe de France and Taça de Portugal
2. Includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup

Honours

Paris Saint-Germain

• Coupe de France: 2003–04; ^[6] runner-up: 2002–03
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001

Porto

• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2004 ^[30]

Portugal

• UEFA European Under-16 Championship: 1995, 1996 ^[27]

References

1. "Hugo Leal" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
2. "Rúben Neves. Finalmente, um adulto (no papel)" [Rúben Neves. Finally, a grown up (on paper)]. i (in Portuguese). 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
3. Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo; Figueiredo, João Tiago (12 April 2012). "Gil Vicente e o satélite do Benfica que deixou de o ser" [Gil Vicente and Benfica's farm team that then was no more] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
4. "Un triste espectáculo de segunda" [A sad segunda show]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 13 May 2000. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
5. Casado, Edu (6 October 2016). "Qué fue de… Hugo Leal: talento luso en la etapa más negra del Atleti" [What happened to… Hugo Leal: Lusitanian talent in Atleti's darkest hour]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 January 2018.
6. Crépin, Timothé (26 January 2017). "Mercato, Ligue 1: Ces Portugais passés par le PSG" [Market, League 1: Portuguese men with spells at PSG] (in French). France Football . Retrieved 12 December 2018.
7. "Hugo Leal falha Europeu" [Hugo Leal to miss European Championship] (in Portuguese). TSF. 19 March 2002. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
8. "Hugo Leal rescinde com Paris St-Germain" [Hugo Leal cuts ties with Paris St-Germain] (in Portuguese). TSF. 4 August 2004. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
9. "Hugo Leal picked by Porto". UEFA. 8 August 2004. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
10. Caiado, Mary (10 March 2011). "Hugo Leal: Pensava um dia regressar ao Benfica, hoje já não" [Hugo Leal: "Once i thought about returning to Benfica, not anymore"]. i (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
11. "Hugo Leal bound for Braga". UEFA. 11 July 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
12. "Hugo Leal tramado por lesão no joelho" [Hugo Leal done in by knee injury]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 September 2005. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
13. "Hugo Leal vê reeditado o calvário das lesões" [Hugo Leal goes through new injury ordeal]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 October 2006. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
14. "Futebol | Belenenses | Hugo Leal reforca azuis por uma temporada mais uma de opcao" [Football | Belenenses | Hugo Leal bolsters blues for one season with one-year option]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 25 June 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
15. "Hugo Leal sofreu uma contractura" [Hugo Leal suffered contracture]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 August 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
16. "Hugo Leal assina pelo Trofense" [Hugo Leal signs for Trofense] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
17. "El Salamanca ficha a Hugo Leal, ex del Atlético de Madrid" [Salamanca sign Hugo Leal, formerly of Atlético de Madrid]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 July 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
18. "D'Alessandro no seguirá en el Salamanca" [D'Alessandro will not continue with Salamanca]. Marca (in Spanish). 22 June 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
19. ""A adaptação nunca chega a ser completa"" ["One is never fully adapted"]. Público (in Portuguese). 5 September 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
20. Kundert, Tom (28 August 2010). "Ten-man Benfica bounce back – Roberto redeemed?". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
21. "Estoril: Hugo Leal e Mano são reforços" [Estoril: Hugo Leal and Mano are additions] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
22. "Estoril: Alexandre Faria eleito presidente, Hugo Leal será vogal" [Estoril: Alexandre Faria elected president, Hugo Leal will be vowel] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
23. "Mais Fabiano do que Hugo" [More Fabiano than Hugo]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
24. "SAD escolhe Fabiano para treinador principal" [PLSC chooses Fabiano for head coach]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 July 2015. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
25. "Sub-20: Guardião imprevisto no adeus aos Mundiais" [Under-20: Unexpected goalie in goodbye to World Championships]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 June 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
26. "Cronologia do "caso" Hugo Leal" [How the Hugo Leal "affair" went down]. Record (in Portuguese). 1 July 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
27. "Portugal sagrou-se bicampeão europeu sub-16 há 25 anos" [Portugal crowned back-to-back under-16 European champions 25 years ago] (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
28. "Hugo Leal chamado à Selecção A" [Hugo Leal called to A national team] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 23 April 2001. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
29. Hugo Leal at WorldFootball.net
30. "FC Porto-Benfica, 1–0 (Ricardo Quaresma 56')". Record (in Portuguese). 20 August 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2022.

External links

• Hugo Leal at ForaDeJogo (archived)
• Hugo Leal at BDFutbol
• Hugo Leal – French league stats at LFP – also available in French (archived)
• Hugo Leal national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
• Hugo Leal at National-Football-Teams.com
• Hugo Leal – FIFA competition record (archived)