Almami Moreira Explained

Almami Moreira
Fullname:Almami Samori da Silva Moreira
Birth Date:16 June 1978
Birth Place:Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Height:1.67 m
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:1991–1994
Youthclubs1:Sacavenense
Youthyears2:1994–1997
Youthclubs2:Boavista
Years1:1997–2001
Caps1:17
Goals1:1
Years2:1997–1998
Clubs2:Gondomar (loan)
Caps2:24
Goals2:13
Years3:1998–1999
Clubs3:Gil Vicente (loan)
Caps3:33
Goals3:9
Years4:2001–2006
Caps4:114
Goals4:18
Years5:2004–2005
Clubs5:Hamburger SV (loan)
Caps5:22
Goals5:3
Years6:2006
Caps6:1
Goals6:0
Years7:2007
Caps7:8
Goals7:3
Years8:2007–2011
Caps8:88
Goals8:23
Years9:2011
Caps9:22
Goals9:4
Years10:2012
Caps10:22
Goals10:1
Years11:2013
Caps11:15
Goals11:4
Years12:2014
Caps12:11
Goals12:3
Totalcaps:377
Totalgoals:82
Nationalyears1:1998–1999
Nationalcaps1:12
Nationalgoals1:5
Nationalyears2:2002
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2010–2011
Nationalcaps3:6
Nationalgoals3:0

Almami Samori da Silva Moreira (born 16 June 1978) is a Guinea-Bissauan retired footballer who played as a midfielder. He also holds Portuguese citizenship.

After starting out at Boavista he went on to represent mainly Standard Liège and Partizan, also playing professionally in four other countries during his career.

Club career

Boavista

Born in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, Moreira reached Boavista's youth ranks in 1994, but started out professionally with northern neighbours Gondomar and Gil Vicente, on loan.

He returned in 1999 and went on to have relative impact in the first team, being mainly used as a substitute and being part of the squad as the club won the Primeira Liga in his last year, although he did not appear in any matches whatsoever due to a contract dispute.[1]

Belgium and Russia

With the start of the new millennium Moreira moved to Standard Liège,[2] where he quickly became a fan favourite, going on to spend five years in Belgium, a loan to Hamburger SV in 2004–05 notwithstanding.[3]

In August 2006, he joined Russia's Dynamo Moscow, a club that was signing a large number of Portuguese and Portugal-based players at the time. Unsettled as the vast majority of those, he returned to his country of adoption in January, as lowly Aves battled to avoid relegation from the top level,[4] which eventually did not happen.

Partizan

On 5 July 2007, Moreira signed a two-year contract with FK Partizan in Serbia, being handed the #10 shirt whilst also becoming the first Portuguese player to represent the club.[5] Very quickly he became the leading player of the team with which he managed to win two Doubles in a row, which happened for the first time in the history of the club. He made his competitive debut on 19 July in a match against HŠK Zrinjski Mostar,[6] and scored his first official goal on 2 August in a UEFA Cup fixture against the same club.[7]

On 29 September 2007, Moreira scored against city rivals Red Star in a 2–2 draw – this made him the first ever Portuguese to score in a Belgrade derby. In his first season at the club he appeared 28 times and netted seven times, as Partizan won the league title; to this he added the domestic cup.

In a UEFA Cup match at Sevilla, on 3 December 2008, Moreira collapsed early into the game, being immediately taken into observation,[8] and fully recovering. On 10 April 2009, he agreed to sign a new three-year contract, running until 2012.[9]

Following impressive and consistent performances, Moreira was named in the 2008–09 SuperLiga Team of the Year, alongside seven teammates, as the double was again conquered – he was also voted as the club's Player of the Year in 2008 by the fans.[10] On 28 February 2009, he scored the 1–1 equaliser at home against Red Star;[11] on 5 August, grieving the loss of his mother a day earlier, he decided to play in the second leg of his team's UEFA Champions League qualifier against APOEL: he scored the opener in the third minute, but the Cypriots eventually progressed 2–1 on aggregate.[12]

On 27 February 2010, Moreira made his 100th competitive match for Partizan, coming on as a 55th-minute substitute for Saša Ilić against Borac Čačak.[13] He missed several games at the beginning of the following campaign due to injury, returning to action on 15 October in a 5–3 home league victory over FK Smederevo where he provided two assists.[14] Four days later he made his Champions League debut, in a 2–0 group stage away loss to Braga;[15] late in the same month, he scored the only goal at Red Star for the domestic league.[16]

Later years

Moreira split the following years with Dalian Aerbin in China and another team in Serbia, Vojvodina.[17] In late 2012 the 34-year-old moved clubs and countries again, joining Spain's Salamanca.[18]

Moreira retired in 2013 at the age of 35, being named Atlético Clube de Portugal's director of football. He came out of retirement in January of the following year, after being convinced by newly appointed coach Neca.[19]

International career

Moreira played for Portugal under-21s on 12 occasions in the late 1990s, and in 2002 he was part of the national B-team that won the Vale do Tejo summer tournament.[20]

In 2010, with the increasing development and professionalization of football in Guinea-Bissau, he decided to represent the land of his ancestors at full level, earning his first cap in October of that year at the age of 32.

Personal life

His son Diego is also a professional footballer.[21] [22] [23]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[24]
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Boavista1999–2000Primeira Liga1713021222
2000–01000000
Total1713021222
Standard Liège2001–02Belgian Pro League2661152329
2002–0332640366
2003–0427410284
2004–0530000030
2005–0626240302
Total114181015212921
Hamburger SV2004–05Bundesliga22300223
Dynamo Moscow2006Russian Premier League101020
Aves2006–07Primeira Liga830083
Partizan2007–08Serbian SuperLiga2873021338
2008–0927952904111
2009–1025341111405
2010–11842181186
Total882314430313230
Dalian Aerbin2011China League One22400224
Vojvodina2011–12Serbian SuperLiga902000110
2012–131313041202
Total2215041312
Salamanca2012–13Segunda División B15400154
Atlético Clube de Portugal2013–14Liga Portugal 211300113
Career total3206033541739472

Honours

Partizan

2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11

2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11

Dalian Aerbin

2011[25]

Individual

2008–09, 2009–10

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Moreira: "Foi uma maldade não me darem a oportunidade de jogar um único minuto na época do Boavista campeão" . Moreira: "It was awful of them not to give me the chance to play one single minute in the season of champions Boavista" . Para Eles . Cruz Martins . André . pt . 19 September 2018 . 21 November 2018.
  2. Web site: European preview: Portugal . . 15 August 2001 . 8 August 2014.
  3. Web site: Léonard returns to Standard . UEFA . 30 August 2004 . 14 September 2012.
  4. News: As relações de forças que vão decidir a Liga . The power struggles which will decide the League . . Frias . Rui . pt . 20 May 2007 . 21 November 2018.
  5. Web site: Potpisao i Moreira! . Moreira signed! . FK Partizan . sr . 5 July 2007 . 8 August 2014 . dead . https://archive.today/20140812002317/http://www.partizan.co.rs/arhiva/vest.php?Jezik=sr&IDV=384&akcija=show&prikaz1=2007&prikaz2=7&sec=2 . 12 August 2014.
  6. Web site: Partizan deklasirao Zrinjski – 6:1! . Partizan downed Zrinjski – 6:1! . . sr . 19 July 2007 . 23 June 2017.
  7. Web site: Partizan deklasirao Zrinjski 5:0 . Partizan downed Zrinjski 5:0 . B92 . sr . 2 August 2007 . 23 June 2017.
  8. Web site: Sevilla get back in the groove . UEFA . 3 December 2008 . 14 September 2012.
  9. Web site: 'Dr Mo' keeps Partizan in peak condition . UEFA . 11 May 2009 . 8 August 2014.
  10. Web site: Moreira najbolji u 2008. godini . Moreira best in year 2008 . FK Partizan . sr . 31 December 2008 . 23 June 2017.
  11. Web site: Moreira sprečio slavlje Zvezde (FOTO i VIDEO) . Moreira prevents Star celebration (PHOTO and VIDEO) . Mondo . sr . 28 February 2009 . 23 June 2017.
  12. Web site: Partizan bez Lige šampiona . No Champions League for Partizan . . sr . 5 August 2009 . 23 June 2017.
  13. Web site: Moravac na crno-beli način . Moravian in black-and-white fashion . FK Partizan . sr . 27 February 2010 . 23 June 2017.
  14. Web site: Goleada u Humskoj – 5:3 za Partizan . Goal galore in Humska – 5:3 for Partizan . B92 . sr . 15 October 2010 . 23 June 2017.
  15. News: Treći poraz Partizana, Braga slavila sa 2:0 . Partizan's third defeat, Braga celebrated with 2:0 . . sr . 19 October 2010 . 23 June 2017.
  16. Web site: Partizan pobedom do vrha tabele . Partizan win to go top of the table . B92 . sr . 23 October 2010 . 23 June 2017.
  17. Web site: Moreira napustio Vojvodinu . Moreira leaves Vojvodina . Sportal . sr . 3 December 2012 . 4 December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204548/http://www.sportal.rs/news.php?id=88001 . 4 January 2014 . dead .
  18. News: La UDS ficha de una tacada a dos jugadores . UDS sign two players in one go . La Gaceta de Salamanca . es . 18 December 2012 . 18 December 2012.
  19. News: Almani Moreira troca gabinete pelo relvado . Almani Moreira leaves office for pitch . . pt . 31 December 2013 . 4 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204316/http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/liga_honra/atletico//interior.aspx?content_id=860659 . 4 January 2014.
  20. Web site: Torneio do Vale do Tejo . Garin . Erik . Nunes . João . 14 February 2008 . . 14 September 2012.
  21. Web site: Jacques. Maxime. 2020-08-21. Fin du bras de fer : le fils d’Almani Moreira rejoint Benfica. live. 2022-01-19. La Dernière Heure. fr. https://web.archive.org/web/20201022161118/https://www.dhnet.be/sports/football/division-1a/standard/fin-du-bras-de-fer-le-fils-d-almani-moreira-rejoint-benfica-5f3e98e17b50a677fbd28539 . 22 October 2020 .
  22. Web site: Durand. Joachim. 2020-08-21. Officiel : Le fils d'Almami Moreira quitte le Standard. live. 2022-01-19. Walfoot.be. fr. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119002324/https://www.walfoot.be/news/2020-08-21/officiel--diego-moreira-quitte-le-standard . 19 January 2022 .
  23. Web site: 20 Oct 2021. Filho de ex-jogador marca golaço ao Bayern no Seixal. live. 2022-01-19. . pt. https://web.archive.org/web/20211020151414/https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/benfica/diego-moreira/video-filho-de-ex-jogador-marca-golaco-ao-bayern-no-seixal . 20 October 2021 .
  24. Web site: Almani Moreira . Soccerway . 22 May 2014.
  25. Web site: China League One. Soccerway. 6 August 2019.