António Sousa

{{short description|Portuguese football manager and former player}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = António Sousa

| image =

| fullname = António Augusto Gomes de Sousa

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|4|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = São João da Madeira, Portugal

| height = 1.76 m

| position = Central midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Sanjoanense

| years1 = 1973–1975 | clubs1 = Sanjoanense | caps1 = 39 | goals1 = 11

| years2 = 1975–1979 | clubs2 = Beira-Mar | caps2 = 114 | goals2 = 37

| years3 = 1979–1984 | clubs3 = Porto | caps3 = 138 | goals3 = 29

| years4 = 1984–1986 | clubs4 = Sporting CP | caps4 = 54 | goals4 = 13

| years5 = 1986–1989 | clubs5 = Porto | caps5 = 79 | goals5 = 15

| years6 = 1989–1993 | clubs6 = Beira-Mar | caps6 = 117 | goals6 = 4

| years7 = 1993–1994 | clubs7 = Gil Vicente | caps7 = 7 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 1994–1995 | clubs8 = Ovarense | caps8 = 32 | goals8 = 2

| years9 = 1995–1996 | clubs9 = Sanjoanense | caps9 = 18 | goals9 = 3

| totalcaps = 598 | totalgoals = 114

| nationalyears1 = 1974–1975 | nationalteam1 = Portugal U18 | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 1976–1977 | nationalteam2 = Portugal U21 | nationalcaps2 = 8 | nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 1979 | nationalteam3 = Portugal B | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalyears4 = 1981–1989 | nationalteam4 = Portugal | nationalcaps4 = 27 | nationalgoals4 = 1

| manageryears1 = 1995–1997 | managerclubs1 = Sanjoanense

| manageryears2 = 1997–2004 | managerclubs2 = Beira-Mar

| manageryears3 = 2005–2006 | managerclubs3 = Rio Ave

| manageryears4 = 2007–2008 | managerclubs4 = Penafiel

| manageryears5 = 2008 | managerclubs5 = Beira-Mar

| manageryears6 = 2011 | managerclubs6 = Trofense

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}

{{medal|Country|{{fb|POR}}}}

}}

António Augusto Gomes de Sousa ({{IPA|pt-PT|ɐ̃ˈtɔniu ˈsozɐ}}; born 28 April 1957) is a Portuguese former football central midfielder and manager.

During his career, he played among others for Porto and Sporting CP, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 483 matches and 83 goals over 18 seasons. Subsequently, he worked as a manager for several clubs.

Earning nearly 30 caps for Portugal in the 80s, Sousa represented the nation at the 1986 World Cup and Euro 1984.

Club career

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.{{cite news|url=https://oregional.pt/desporto/nao-foi-premeditado-mas-tinha-uma-grande-vontade-de-acabar-a-minha-carreira-na-minha-cidade/|title="Não foi premeditado, mas tinha uma grande vontade de acabar a minha carreira na minha cidade"|trans-title="It did not happen on purpose, but I wanted to finish my career in my city very much"|newspaper=O Regional|first=Francisco|last=Milheiro|language=pt|date=24 February 2022|access-date=7 November 2024}}

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,{{cite web|url=https://bolanarede.pt/nacional/clubes-portugueses/capusla-lusitana-antonio-sousa-o-medio-com-alma-azul-e-branca/|title=António Sousa: O médio com alma azul e branca|trans-title=António Sousa: The midfielder with blue-and-white soul|publisher=Bola Na Rede|first=Raquel|last=Roque|language=pt|date=3 April 2018|access-date=7 November 2024}} also scoring against Juventus FC in the 1984 European Cup Winners' Cup final, lost 2–1 in Basel.{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2668712|title=Zibi Boniek should be a Juventus legend... but he isn't|publisher=Bleacher Report|first=Adam|last=Digby|date=12 October 2016|access-date=7 November 2024}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://ionline.sapo.pt/276377|title=Futre. "Eles disseram-me que estava louco e fui para o Porto"|trans-title=Futre. "They told me I was crazy and I went to Porto"|newspaper=i|language=pt|date=1 August 2014|access-date=14 November 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031183437/https://ionline.sapo.pt/276377|archive-date=31 October 2022}} 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).{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/efemeride/rubrica/o-dia-em-que-o-fc-porto-trouxe-a-supertaca-europeia-para-portugal|title=O dia em que o FC Porto trouxe a Supertaça Europeia para Portugal|trans-title=The day FC Porto brought the European Supercup to Portugal|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Sara|last=Marques|language=pt|date=11 January 2016|access-date=7 November 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec198687.html|title=European Competitions 1986–87|publisher=RSSSF|first=James M.|last=Ross|access-date=28 February 2022}}

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,{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/crise-no-fc-porto/eduardo-luis/1988-89-fc-porto-sem-trofeus-e-dez-campeoes-europeus-a-chorar|title=1988/89: FC Porto sem troféus e dez campeões europeus a chorar|trans-title=1988/89: FC Porto without trophies and ten European champions crying|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro Jorge|last=Cunha|language=pt|date=28 April 2014|access-date=11 May 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://oregional.pt/desporto/sanjoanense-homenageou-antonio-sous/|title=Sanjoanense homenageou António Sousa|trans-title=Sanjoanense honoured António Sousa|newspaper=O Regional|language=pt|date=17 October 2022|access-date=7 November 2024}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/taca-de-portugal/detalhe/beira-mar---campomaiorense-1-0.html|title=Beira Mar – Campomaiorense 1–0|newspaper=Record|language=pt|date=19 June 1999|access-date=20 May 2017}}

International career

Sousa played 27 times with the Portugal national team from 1981 to 1989,{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/geral/selecao/lista-completa-dos-internacionais-portugueses|title=Lista completa dos internacionais portugueses|trans-title=Complete list of Portuguese internationals|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|date=18 February 2004|access-date=7 November 2024}} being part of the squads at UEFA Euro 1984 – where he scored in the 1–1 group stage draw against Spain{{cite web|url=https://pt.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7b39da609a-09bc665112af-1000--platini-faz-a-diferenca-em-meia-final-de-sonho-no-euro-1984/|title=Platini faz a diferença em meia-final de sonho|trans-title=Platini makes the difference in dream semi-final|publisher=UEFA|language=pt|date=4 October 2003|access-date=18 April 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2016/06/14/desporto/noticia/epico-normal-e-desastroso-ha-de-tudo-nas-estreias-de-portugal-em-europeus-1735056|title=Épico, normal e desastroso. Há de tudo nas estreias de Portugal em Europeus|trans-title=Epic, normal and disastrous. You have it all in Portugal's debuts in Euros|newspaper=Público|first=Hugo Daniel|last=Sousa|language=pt|date=14 June 2016|access-date=23 September 2020}}– and the 1986 FIFA World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.vavel.com/br/futebol-internacional/2014/06/13/portugal/359614.html|title=Portugal no Mundial: México 1986|trans-title=Portugal in the World Cup: Mexico 1986|publisher=Vavel|first=Pedro|last=Oliveira Duarte|language=pt|date=13 June 2014|access-date=7 November 2024}}

{{International goals header|ref=no|above=António Sousa: International goal}}

{{Ig match

| n=1

| d1=17 June 1984

| st=Stade Vélodrome| ci=Marseille| co=France

| o=Spain

| sc=1–0

| fr=1–1

| comp=UEFA Euro 1984}}

Personal life

Sousa's son, Ricardo, was also a professional footballer, also in midfield. The pair shared teams at Beira-Mar in four different spells.{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/entrevista/fc-porto/afonso-sousa-filho-e-neto-que-ja-joga-em-nome-proprio-aos-15-anos|title=Afonso Sousa: filho e neto que já joga em nome próprio aos 15 anos|trans-title=Afonso Sousa: son and grandson already plays for himself at 15|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Pedro|last=Calhau|language=pt|date=2 October 2015|access-date=18 April 2017}}

His nephew, José, played ten seasons in the Portuguese top division. His grandson Afonso was also involved in the sport.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/futebol-internacional/antonio-sousa-anteve-futuro-brilhante-ao-neto-afonso_d1144500|title=António Sousa antevê futuro brilhante ao neto Afonso|trans-title=António Sousa foresees bright future for grandson Afonso|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|first=Mário|last=Aleixo|language=pt|date=30 April 2019|access-date=23 September 2020}}