He came through atSporting CP, first appearing with the first team in 2017 and also having loans atMoreirense,Belenenses andBraga. After returning in 2020, he became a starter, notably winning the2020–21 Primeira Liga and back-to-backTaças da Liga in2021 and2022. In July 2022, he was signed byPremier League sideFulham for £20 million, spending two seasons with the club and helping them achieve mid-table finishes in both. He joined Bayern Munich in July 2024.
Born inLisbon, Palhinha joined localSporting CP's youth system in 2012, aged 17.[3] He played his first game as a professional with theB team, coming on as a latesubstitute for fellow youth graduateIuri Medeiros in a 3−2 home win againstPortimonense in theSegunda Liga, on 3 February 2014;[4] it was one of only two appearances duringthe season.
Still in the second division, Palhinha scored his first senior goal on 4 April 2015, hisheader contributing to a 3−1 home victory overLeixões.[5]
From July 2015 to January 2017, Palhinha was loaned toPrimeira Liga sidesMoreirense[6] andBelenenses, respectively,[7] making his debut in the competition whilst with the former in a 0−2 home loss toArouca where he played 22 minutes from the bench.[8][9] He scored for the first time while at the service of the latter, againstVitória de Guimarães (1−1 away draw, 90 minutes played).[10]
Palhinha spent the following two seasons on loan toBraga.[14] He appeared in 76 competitive matches during his spell,[15] winning the2019–20 edition of theTaça da Liga and helping to a third-place finish in thesame season,[16] notably scoring the game's only goal againstBenfica for the club's first win at that opposition in 65 years.[17]
Having returned from his loan at Braga, Palhinha wanted to play in a different league, and thus started the2020–21 campaign training on his own in the midst of negotiations withAl-Nassr andCSKA Moscow.[18][19] However, after a move failed to materialise, due to Braga possessing a loan clause that required 15% of a future transfer, Sporting felt that the proposals they received were low, leading him to be reinstated in the main squad by his former manager at BragaRuben Amorim, who chose him as their main defensive midfielder, causing him to renew his contract until 2025.[20][21] He missed the first month after contractingCOVID-19,[22] but recovered to make his return on 17 October starting in the 2–2 home draw withrivalsPorto.[23]
On 26 January 2021, Palhinha was suspended for theLisbon derby against Benfica for accumulation ofyellow cards, after being booked in the previous round againstBoavista. However, he filed a precautionary measure with the Central Administrative Court of the South, leading him to feature off the bench in the 1–0 win on 1 February. Shortly after, theCourt of Arbitration for Sport annulled the automatic sanction of the punishment but did not remove the booking based on the admission of referee Fábio Veríssimo that he had made a mistake, and ended the season without serving the ban. ThePortuguese Football Federation took the case to CACS, and the latter's appeal was ultimately accepted given the "absence of CAS jurisdiction to assess and decide on the issue of committing the foreseen infraction", revoking the annulment; the decision was confirmed by thePortuguese Supreme Administrative Court after an appeal filed by Palhinha, who unanimously decided that this body lacked jurisdiction.[24][25][26][27]
Palhinha scored his first goal for Sporting on 15 February 2021, in a 2–0 home defeat ofPaços de Ferreira.[28] Over the following months, he proved to be an influential midfield figure, establishing himself as a ball winner and registering the most tackles for theleague campaign at 185.[29] He would contribute 32 appearances as the club won the domestic league for the first time in 19 years,[30][31] being consequently named in thePrimeira Liga Team of the Year alongside five of his teammates.[31]
In2021–22, still under Amorim, Palhinha began facing stiff competition from newly signedManuel Ugarte, with various injury issues limiting his time and his tackles also reduced compared to the previous season.[32][33] He later attributed this decline in tackles to the refereeing in Portugal, stating that "in Portugal he felt he couldn't make a tackle, every touch was a yellow card".[34] In total, he played 95 official games during his spell, scoring seven times and winning a national championship, two League Cups and aSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira.[35]
On 4 July 2022, Palhinha signed a five-year contract withFulham for £20 million.[36][37] He made hisPremier League debut on 6 August, playing the entire 2–2 home draw againstLiverpool.[38] He scored his first goal 14 days later, helping the hosts to beatBrentford 3–2.[39] He was his team's Player ofthe Season with 68% of the votes, to runner-upBernd Leno's 17%;[40] he also managed to lead all players in tackles, with a total of 147.[41]
On 26 August 2023, Palhinha scored a late equaliser in a 2–2 away draw againstArsenal.[42] On the summer transfer deadline day, he had his medical tests in Germany ahead of a €65 million transfer toBayern Munich, yet the deal collapsed as Fulham failed to find a replacement before the window shut;[43] on 14 September, he agreed to a new contract until 2028, with an option to extend a further year.[44] He again was the player with the most tackles forthe campaign, at 154.[45]
On 11 July 2024, Palhinha joined Bayern Munich on a four-year deal for €51 million, plus €5 million in add-ons, potentially taking the overall fee to €56 million (£47.4 million).[46][47][48][49] He made his official debut on 16 August, as a substitute in a 4–0 win againstSSV Ulm in thefirst round of theDFB-Pokal.[50]
In March 2021, Palhinha was called up to the full side for the first time, for2022 FIFA World Cupqualifiers againstAzerbaijan,Luxembourg andSerbia.[63] He won his firstcap in the match with the first adversary, replacingRúben Neves late into the 1–0 victory inTurin.[64] He scored his first goal in the same phase, closing the 3–1 away win over Luxembourg.[65]
Being selected forUEFA Euro 2020,[66] Palhinha appeared againstFrance in the group stage (2–2)[67] andBelgium in the round of 16 (1–0 loss).[68] In November 2022, he was named in the final squad for the World Cup finals in Qatar,[69] playing all three group-phase matches[70][71][72] in an eventual quarter-final exit toMorocco.[73]
Palhinha also made a 26-man squad forEuro 2024.[74] After not featuring in Portugal's opening match against theCzech Republic, he started in the 3–0 victory overTurkey, being substituted by Neves at half-time.[75][76] He made a further three appearances for the quarter-finalists.[77][78][79]
In May 2025, Palhinha was called to theUEFA Nations League Finals.[80] He contributed two minutes for the champions, as a late replacement in the 2–1 defeat of hostsGermany in the semi-finals.[81][82]
Palhinha is known for his defensive positioning, stamina and tackling.[83][84][85] Described as an astute ball-winning midfielder, he is especially aggressive in stopping counter-attacks early by lunging into challenges, often preferring slide tackles in order to maximise his radius. A physical and tall player, his height helps him dominate aerial duels and his strength allows him to hold off opponents when dribbling. His ability to break up opposition play, distribute the ball efficiently, and contribute defensively and offensively, as led him to be described as a complete midfielder.[86][87][88][89]
Palhinha usually stays back and covers the back line, with a largely defensive role. He sits in front of the back four, breaking up opposition play as well as acting as the focal point to his team own build-up – playing the ball diagonally into the channels for the side's marauding full-backs and wingers. He was also noted for his strong vocal leadership, serving as a pillar of support while fostering team cohesion and providing essential guidance with clear vocal commands and precise hand gestures.[90][91][86][34]
During his spell at Fulham, Palhinha registered a passing average of 81.5%, his presence helping his team in transition, timing his challenges to secure possession while enabling counter-attacks. He consistently ranked among the Premier League's top players for tackles, interceptions and duels won. In addition, he was the third player to be given 13 or more yellow cards in two separate campaigns, afterOlivier Dacourt (1998–99, 2000–01) andRobbie Savage (2001–02, 2003–04).[92][93][34]
Many pundits consider Palhinha to be one of the best defensive midfielders in world football, with former playerRio Ferdinand being impressed with his first season at Fulham stating that he had "been sensational" [...] and a team "need someone like that in front of a defender".[94] His teammate at that clubTom Cairney branded him as "one of the best [players] he had ever seen off the ball, in terms of getting back, recovering and trying to win back the ball.[95]
In March 2023, Fulham managerMarco Silva stated that Palhinha "was an important player in so many moments of the game as well as at set-pieces, due to covering many spaces and allowing the other midfielders to create more freedom."[90] His Portugal coachRoberto Martínez claimed that he had brought balance to his team due to his hard work without the ball, quick ball recovery and transitions, as well as for giving time and space with the ball to other players.[96]
Palhinha married singer Patrícia Palhares in 2021,[97] with the couple fathering son João Maria (born October 2022).[92] They separated in September 2024, while she was expecting a second child.[98]
^Miroto Simões, Luís (4 January 2017)."Palhinha: "Regresso agora a casa"" [Palhinha: "I return home now"].Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved28 August 2017.
^Pereira, David (7 August 2018)."Palhinha emprestado ao Sp. Braga até 2020" [Palhinha loaned to Sp. Braga until 2020].Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved31 August 2019.
^Ferreira, Bruno José (25 July 2020)."Sp. Braga-FC Porto, 2–1 (crónica)" [Sp. Braga-FC Porto, 2–1 (match report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved15 September 2020.
^Soares Ribeiro, João; Almeida Gonçalves, Vítor (24 September 2020)."CSKA Moscovo prepara novo ataque a Palhinha" [CSKA Moscow with new offensive for Palhinha].Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved13 October 2021.
^Pereira, António Pedro (15 February 2021)."Até na monotonia este Sporting brilha" [This Sporting can even shine in dullness].Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved19 October 2021.
^Frias, Rui (2 June 2014)."Seleção sub-19 garante apuramento para o Europeu" [Under-19 national team confirm qualification for European Championships].Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved22 March 2021.
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