Rui Pires

Last updated

Rui Pires
Rui Pires 2019.png
Pires in a press conference with Troyes in 2019
Personal information
Full name Rui Miguel Guerra Pires
Date of birth (1998-03-22) 22 March 1998 (age 27)
Place of birth Mirandela, Portugal
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Lion City Sailors
Number 8
Youth career
–2008 Mirandela
2009–2015 Porto
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2019 Porto B 69 (0)
2019–2022 Troyes 32 (0)
2021–2023 Paços de Ferreira 52 (0)
2023– Lion City Sailors 10 (0)
International career
2015–2016 Portugal U18 7 (0)
2016–2017 Portugal U19 5 (0)
2017–2018 Portugal U20 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 August 2024

Rui Miguel Guerra Pires (born 22 March 1998) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors.

Contents

Club career

Porto B

Rui began his journey in the acclaimed youth system of FC Porto, where he progressed through the ranks, featuring prominently in its Under-15, U17, and U19 sides. He was subsequently promoted to Porto's B side.

On 7 August 2016, Pires made his professional debut with Porto B in a 2016–17 LigaPro match against Aves. [1]

Troyes

On 9 July 2019, Pires moved on a free transfer to Ligue 2 side Troyes. He make his debut for the club on 26 July in 2–0 win over Chamois Niort. On 26 October, Pires assisted Lenny Pintor who then went on to scored the winner in the 85th minute in a 1–0 win over Lorient. In December, he suffered anterior cruciate ligament injury ending his season prematurely. He ended up making 13 appearances in his first season. [2]

Pires make his returned on 28 September 2020 coming on as a substitution in a 1–0 win over Clermont Foot. He won the French second-tier Ligue 2 with Troyes in the 2020–21 season where he make 19 appearances.

Paços de Ferreira

On 26 July 2021, Pires returned to Portugal and joined Paços de Ferreira on loan. [3] His loan was made permanent after a successful loan.

During his time with Paços Ferreira, Rui showed his capabilities on the European stage, making two appearances in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers against Tottenham Hotspurs.

Lion City Sailors

On 29 June 2023, it was reported by the Portuguese press that Pires had moved to Singapore to play for Lion City Sailors. [4] He was officially announced as the new signing for the team on 14 July 2023 signing a two-year contract however, as the foreign quota for the league slot is full, Pires will be registered in the club 2023–24 AFC Champions League matches instead. [5] On 26 July 2023, Pires make his debut for the club in a friendly match against Tottenham Hotspurs at the Singapore National Stadium. On 20 September 2023, Pires played his first official game for the club in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage fixture against Thai club Bangkok United in a 2–1 lost.

On 18 July 2024, Pires make his league debut in a 5–0 lost to Tampines Rovers. During the 2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship against Indonesian club Borneo Samarinda, he picked up his second yellow card 35 seconds after receiving the first yellow where he sees red for the first time of his career.

Despite Maxime Lestienne's equaliser in the 91st minute of the 2025 AFC Champions League Two final against Sharjah, the Sailors finished as a runner-up after conceding in the 97th minute to finish the game in a 1–2 defeat. [6]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 Mar 2025 [7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueDomestic CupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Porto B 2016–17 LigaPro 140000000140
2017–18 280000000280
2018–19 270000000270
Total690000000690
Troyes 2019–20 Ligue 2 130101000150
2020–21 190100000200
Total320201000350
Paços de Ferreira 2021–22 Primeira Liga 210302020280
2022–23 310101000330
Total520403020610
Lion City Sailors 2023 Singapore Premier League 0000006060
2024–25 100100010 [a] 0210
2025–26 10001 [b] 01 [c] 030
Total1101010170300
Career Total164070501901950

International

U20 International caps

NoDateVenueOpponentResultCompetition
131 August 2017 Estádio Municipal de Abrantes, PortugalFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 0-3 (lost) 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League
24 September 2017Sportpark Middelmors, NetherlandsFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 0-1 (lost) 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League
35 October 2017 Stade des Arbères, SwitzerlandFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 1-1 (draw) 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League
49 November 2017Stadion Miejsk, PolandFlag of Poland.svg  Poland 2-1 (won) 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League
522 March 2018 Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição, PortugalFlag of Germany.svg  Germany 0-1 (lost) 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League
627 March 2018 Academy Stadium, EnglandFlag of England.svg  England 0-3 (lost) 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League

U19 International caps

NoDateVenueOpponentResultCompetition
16 October 2016Estádio Municipal de Fátima, PortugalFlag of Italy.svg  Italy 1-2 (lost)Friendly
29 October 2016Municipal da Marinha Grande, PortugalFlag of Italy.svg  Italy 2-1 (won)Friendly
315 November 2016 Stadion Beroe, BulgariaFlag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2-1 (won)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification
423 March 2017 Estádio da Mata Real, PortugalFlag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 2-1 (won)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification
528 March 2017 Estádio da Mata Real, PortugalFlag of Poland.svg  Poland 3-1 (won)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification
62 July 2017 Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, GeorgiaFlag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 1-0 (won)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship
75 July 2017David Petriashvili Stadium, GeorgiaFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 2-1 (won)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship
812 July 2017David Petriashvili Stadium, GeorgiaFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1-0 (won)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship
915 July 2017 Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, GeorgiaFlag of England.svg  England 1-2 (lost)2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship

Honours

Club

Troyes

Lion City Sailors

Individual

References

  1. "Aves 2-1 Porto B". ForaDeJogo. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  2. "Rui Pires (Ex-FC Porto) operado ao joelho direito".
  3. "RUI PIRES CHEGA AO FC PAÇOS DE FERREIRA" (in Portuguese). Paços de Ferreira. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  4. "Piers leaves Paco for LCS".
  5. "Rui Pires signs to power Sailors' second foray into AFC Champions League".
  6. "Sharjah edge Sailors to savour glory". AFC.com. 18 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  7. "Rui Pires". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  8. "Technical Report". UEFA. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.