Hugo Morais

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Hugo Morais

| image =

| fullname = Hugo Eduardo dos Santos Morais

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|2|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Lisbon, Portugal

| height = {{height|m=1.81}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1989–1994 | youthclubs1 = Benfica

| youthyears2 = 1994–1996 | youthclubs2 = Estrela Amadora

| years1 = 1996–1997 | clubs1 = Futebol Benfica | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1997–1998 | clubs2 = Casa Pia | caps2 = 30 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1998 | clubs3 = Sintrense | caps3 = 1 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1999 | clubs4 = Estrela Vendas Novas | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 1999–2003 | clubs5 = Marítimo B | caps5 = 80 | goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2000–2004 | clubs6 = Marítimo | caps6 = 6 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2001–2002 | clubs7 = → Camacha (loan) | caps7 = 37 | goals7 = 11

| years8 = 2003–2004 | clubs8 = → União Madeira (loan) | caps8 = 29 | goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2004–2005 | clubs9 = Aves | caps9 = 30 | goals9 = 3

| years10 = 2005–2006 | clubs10 = Barreirense | caps10 = 27 | goals10 = 3

| years11 = 2006–2010 | clubs11 = Leixões | caps11 = 115 | goals11 = 14

| years12 = 2010–2012 | clubs12 = Académica | caps12 = 37 | goals12 = 1

| years13 = 2012–2014 | clubs13 = União Madeira | caps13 = 60 | goals13 = 10

| totalcaps = 452 | totalgoals = 49

| nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 =

| club-update =

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Hugo Eduardo dos Santos Morais (born 12 February 1978) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

Club career

Morais was born in Lisbon. After finishing his development at local C.F. Estrela da Amadora's youth system, he played for a series of clubs in the lower leagues. In 1999 he joined C.S. Marítimo, but his spell was very unsuccessful as he only appeared in six Primeira Liga games, also being loaned two times and very often demoted to the reserves, finally being released in June 2004.

Subsequently, Morais played one year for C.D. Aves and F.C. Barreirense in the second division, after which he was left out of work, even having to resort to taking an intensive course for unemployed players arranged by the Portuguese Footballers Association.{{cite news|url=https://jn.sapo.pt/2007/04/26/desporto/hugo_morais_feliz_clube_unico.html|title=Hugo Morais feliz num clube único|trans-title=Hugo Morais happy with one single club|newspaper=Jornal de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=26 April 2007|accessdate=17 January 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070917100016/http://jn.sapo.pt/2007/04/26/desporto/hugo_morais_feliz_clube_unico.html|archivedate=17 September 2007}} He was then "rescued" by Leixões SC, scoring three goals in 30 matches as the Matosinhos team returned to the top flight after a lengthy absence.

In the 2009–10 season, Morais netted seven times – all through penalty kicks{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2009/10/04/desporto/noticia/leixoes-acabou-por-ganhar-apos-estar-duas-vezes-em-desvantagem-1403664|title=Leixões acabou por ganhar após estar duas vezes em desvantagem|trans-title=Leixões eventually won after being down twice|newspaper=Público|language=Portuguese|date=4 October 2009|accessdate=8 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/futebol-nacional/nacional-bate-leixoes_d293502|title=Nacional bate Leixões|trans-title=Nacional beat Leixões|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|language=Portuguese|date=8 November 2009|accessdate=8 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2009/11/29/desporto/noticia/pacos-e-leixoes-dividem-pontos-1411935/amp|title=Paços e Leixões dividem pontos|trans-title=Paços and Leixões share the points|newspaper=Público|language=Portuguese|date=29 November 2009|accessdate=8 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/futebol-nacional/interior/belenenses-perde-com-leixoes-no-restelo-1472254.html|title=Belenenses perde com Leixões no Restelo|trans-title=Belenenses lose with Leixões at the Restelo|newspaper=Diário de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=17 January 2010|accessdate=8 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ojogo.pt/arquivo/2010/02/interior/ilheus-lancaram-se-ao-mar-e-pescaram-2557974.html|title=Ilhéus lançaram-se ao mar e pescaram|trans-title=Islanders went to sea and fished|newspaper=O Jogo|language=Portuguese|date=2 February 2010|accessdate=8 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/leixoes-naval-1-0-ficha|title=Leixões-Naval, 1–0 (ficha)|trans-title=Leixões-Naval, 1–0 (match sheet)|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=Portuguese|date=28 March 2010|accessdate=8 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cmjornal.pt/desporto/detalhe/academica-atira-leixoes-ao-mar|title=Académica atira Leixões ao mar|trans-title=Académica throw Leixões to the sea|newspaper=Correio da Manhã|language=Portuguese|date=25 April 2010|accessdate=8 January 2018}}– whilst only missing one league game, but Leixões dropped down to the second level. On 21 June 2010, aged 32, he signed a two-year contract with Académica de Coimbra.{{cite web|url=https://desporto.sapo.cv/futebol/primeira-liga/artigos/hugo-morais-assinou-por-duas-epocas|title=Hugo Morais assinou por duas épocas|trans-title=Hugo Morais signed for two seasons|publisher=SAPO|language=Portuguese|date=21 June 2010|accessdate=8 January 2018}}

In the summer of 2012, Morais returned to former club C.F. União (he had already played there in 2003–04 on loan from Madeiran neighbours Marítimo), moving to the second tier side on a free transfer.{{cite web|url=https://desporto.sapo.ao/futebol/segunda-liga/artigos/uniao-da-madeira-inicia-nova-epoca-com-cinco-reforcos|title=União da Madeira inicia nova época com cinco reforços|trans-title=União da Madeira start new season with five additions|publisher=SAPO|language=Portuguese|date=9 July 2012|accessdate=8 January 2018}}