Hugo Leal

Hugo Leal

Personal information
Full name	Hugo Miguel Ribeiro Leal
Date of birth	May 21, 1980 (1980-05-21)
Place of birth	Cascais, Portugal
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Vitória Setúbal
Number	20
Youth career
1989–1991	Alcabideche
1995–1997	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 SG	60	(2)
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–	Vitória Setúbal	24	(1)
National team
1998–2000	Portugal U21	20	(4)
1999	Portugal	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

Hugo Miguel Ribeiro Leal (born 21 May 1980 in Cascais) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Vitória de Setúbal in the Portuguese first division.

A central midfielder, he is also a reliable set piece taker. He also played professionally, albeit with little impact in the countries' top division, in Spain and France.

Club career

Born in the Lisbon outskirts, Leal started his career with local giants Sport Lisboa e Benfica and, not yet 17, made his first division debut against S.C. Espinho, in a 2–0 win on 20 April 1997. 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 feeder club F.C. Alverca, at the time also in the top level.

In the summer 1999, Leal moved abroad to play for Spanish club Atlético de Madrid. In his first year, the club was relegated to the second division; in his only goal of the season, a 13 May 2000 home draw against Sevilla FC, he was also sent off. Leal stayed for the following season, but could not help the Colchoneros win promotion back into La Liga, although he had established in the starting XI (36 games, four goals).

Leal moved to Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in 2001, helping the capital outfit to two French Cup finals in consecutive years. However, his playing time was gradually cut, forcing the player to move back to Portugal after three seasons, signing for F.C. Porto. He played six months in Porto, before moving on to Académica de Coimbra during the season.

For 2005–06, Leal signed for Sporting Clube de Braga, but left the club by mutual agreement in January 2007, after only managing 17 league contests in nearly two seasons. In August he returned to Lisbon, joining C.F. Os Belenenses in a one-year deal, in another season severely cut short due to injuries.

In late October 2008, Leal signed a one-year contract with newly promoted side C.D. Trofense. After the club's top division relegation, he returned to Spain after eight years, signing with UD Salamanca (also level two) in a 1+1 deal (second year only if club attained promotion).

During his only season with the Castile and León side, Leal was an undisputed starter, but Salamanca not only did not promote but almost suffered relegation. In late July 2010, the 30-year old returned to his country, signing for Vitória de Setúbal. In his third game, at former side Benfica, he missed a penalty kick to equalize the score, after the opposing team had just been reduced to ten men (eventually Vitória lost 0–3).

International career

Leal received one cap for Portugal, aged 18, a 0–0 draw with the Netherlands in Paris, on 19 February 1999.

Honours

• French Cup: 2003–04; Runner-up 2002–03
• Portuguese Supercup: 2004

External links

• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo (Portuguese)
• BDFutbol profile
• Hugo Leal French league stats at LFP.fr (French)
• Hugo Leal at National-Football-Teams.com