José Moreira

Early years

Born in Massarelos, Porto, Moreira preferred to play as an attacking midfielder in his early years but, following the advice of his father José, soon changed his position and took trials for S.C. Salgueiros. In 1997, aged 15, Moreira caught the eye of the biggest Portuguese teams — Sporting CP, FC Porto, Boavista F.C. and S.L. Benfica. The latter made the best bid to Salgueiros and won the race to sign him, but it was later decided it was best to keep him at the club for two more years; when he arrived to the Estádio da Luz he was called for a mini-tour with the main squad in the Azores, going on to make his unofficial senior debut.

Benfica

In 1999, Moreira was selected by Portugal under–18 coach Agostinho Oliveira for the UEFA European Championship in Sweden, with the national team winning the title. Subsequently, he returned to Benfica, being called by Jupp Heynckes to join the pre-season tour in Austria; at the time, two of the three senior goalkeepers were not available (Carlos Bossio was in Argentina and Nuno Santos was injured, leaving Robert Enke as the only available keeper). He was an unused substitute in several matches during August/December 1999, but would only play two years later in a home game against Vitória de Guimarães, replacing the injured Enke after 24 minutes and delivering a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw. Moreira conquered the junior national championship in 2000, adding the following year's Toulon Tournament with the…

Moreira represented Portugal from under-15 to under-21 levels. He was picked by senior team manager Luiz Felipe Scolari alongside Ricardo and Quim for UEFA Euro 2004 which was contested on home soil, but did not take any part in the tournament. In a one-and-half-month period in the summer of 2004, Moreira represented Portugal at the European Under-21 Championship in Germany and acted as backup at Euro 2004, before a trip to Athens for the Summer Olympics, where he started. On 12 August 2009, five years after his Euro 2004 selection, Moreira finally made his full debut, playing 30 minutes in a friendly win in Liechtenstein (3–0).

Benfica

Primeira Liga: 2004–05 Taça de Portugal: 2003–04 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2005 Taça da Liga: 2009–10, 2010–11 Portugal

UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2004 Portugal U21

Toulon Tournament: 2001 Portugal U18

UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1999 Orders

Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (House of Braganza)