António Sousa

Born in São João da Madeira, Aveiro District, Sousa started professionally with local A.D. Sanjoanense at only 16, with his team in the Segunda Liga. In 1975 he signed with S.C. Beira-Mar, scoring a career-best 15 goals in his third year as the Aveiro club returned to the Primeira Liga; three of his four seasons there were spent in the top division. Sousa was then bought by FC Porto, where he remained an undisputed starter. He won the league championship once and the Taça de Portugal twice in his first spell, also scoring against Juventus FC in the 1984 European Cup Winners' Cup final, lost 2–1 in Basel. In summer 1984, Sousa and longtime Porto central midfield partner Jaime Pacheco joined Sporting CP – as part of the deal that sent 17-year-old prodigy Paulo Futre in the opposite direction – with the pair returning after two seasons. He then proceeded to claim the European Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with the northerners, continuing to appear regularly (he also scored in the second leg of the Super Cup final). Sousa retired in 1996 at 39, as player-coach of his first club Sanjoanense. He then dedicated himself exclusively to management, working mainly with another side he played for, Beira-Mar, where he remained for seven and a half years, with four consecutive top-flight seasons. On 19 June 1999, he led the latter to their biggest achievement, the Portuguese Cup, after defeating S.C. Campomaiorense 1–0.

Sousa played 27 times with the Portugal national team from 1981 to 1989, being part of the squads at UEFA Euro 1984 – where he scored in the 1–1 group stage draw against Spain– and the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Sousa's son, Ricardo, was also a professional footballer, also in midfield. The pair shared teams at Beira-Mar in four different spells. His nephew, José, played ten seasons in the Portuguese top division. His grandson Afonso is also involved in the sport.

Player

Porto

Primeira Divisão: 1987–88 Taça de Portugal: 1983–84, 1987–88 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1981, 1983, 1986 European Cup: 1986–87 European Super Cup: 1987 Intercontinental Cup: 1987

Manager

Beira-Mar

Taça de Portugal: 1998–99