Hugo Viana

Infobox Football biography
playername = Hugo Viana


fullname = Hugo Miguel Ferreira Gomes Viana
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|1|15
cityofbirth = Barcelos
countryofbirth = Portugal
height = height|m=1.79
currentclub = Valencia CF
clubnumber = 25
position = Attacking midfielder
youthyears = 1998-2001
youthclubs = Sporting Lisbon
years = 2001–2002 2002–2004 2004–2005 2005–present 2007–2008
clubs = Sporting Lisbon Newcastle United →Sporting Lisbon (loan) Valencia CF →Osasuna (loan)
caps(goals) = 26 (1)
39 (2)
32 (6)
44 (2) 9 (1)
nationalyears = 2001–
nationalteam = Portugal
nationalcaps(goals) = 26 (1)
pcupdate = 1 August 2008
ntupdate = 1 August 2008

Hugo Miguel Ferreira Gomes Viana (pron. IPA2|'ugu vi'ɐnɐ; born January 15, 1983 in Barcelos) is a Portuguese football player. He plays for Valencia CF as an attacking midfielder, with good set-pieces and passing skills.

Club career

Viana started his career at Sporting Clube de Portugal, and where he won the Young European Footballer of the Year award, after an excellent 2001-02 debut season and, aged 19, was signed by Newcastle United for €12m. He played there for two seasons and, unable to cement a starting XI position, returned to Sporting on loan.

At the start of the 2005-06 season, Viana went to Valencia, again on loan. In March 2006, reports stated that Valencia had signed him on a permanent deal for £1.5m. [ [http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~800578,00.html It's off Hugo as Viana joins Valencia] ] During his first season, he struggled to claim a first team spot, facing tough competition from the likes of David Albelda and Ruben Baraja, manager Quique Sanchez Flores' preferred duo. Still, Viana featured in 19 league games, and displayed some flashes of talent that allowed him to preserve his place in the national squad.

In a bid to secure first team football, Viana decided to join fellow first division CA Osasuna on loan, on August 2007. Unfortunately, a serious injury during pre-season forced him out for 4 months. As he recovered, he failed to make the breakthrough in an already established team, but would feature in all of the side's final three matches, as Osasuna barely avoided relegation. After the loan (9 matches, 1 goal, in a 3-1 home win against Real Mallorca, in which he played 1 minute), Viana returned to Valencia. [cite news
title=Hugo Viana returned to "Camp de Mestalla"
url=http://www.valenciacf.es/noticias/prelimin.asp?idnoticia=15508&idioma=1&IdBanner=Aleatorio
publisher=Valencia CF
date=2008-04-27
accessdate=2008-07-16
language=Spanish]

International career

Viana made his debut in the national team on November 14, 2001, in a 5-1 friendly win over Angola. Replacing suspended Daniel Kenedy in the last minute, he was a non-playing squad member for Portugal at the 2002 World Cup and played for his country at the 2004 Olympics.

Viana returned to the national squad after Euro 2004, and appeared in two matches (as a substitute) at the 2006 World Cup.

Honours

*Portuguese League: 2001–02
*Portuguese Cup: 2001–02

References

External links

* [http://www.zerozero.eu/uk/jogador.php?id=1663 Stats and profile at zerozero.pt]
* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=7594 Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional] es icon