Rui Pires
{{short description|Portuguese footballer}}
{{Portuguese name|Guerra|Pires}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Rui Pires
| fullname = Rui Miguel Guerra Pires
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|3|22|df=yes}}
| image = Rui Pires 2019.png
| caption = Pires in a press conference with Troyes in 2019
| birth_place = Mirandela, Portugal
| height = 1.82 m
| position = Defensive midfielder
| currentclub = Lion City Sailors
| clubnumber = 8
| youthyears1 = –2008
| youthclubs1 = Mirandela
| youthyears2 = 2009–2015
| youthclubs2 = Porto
| years1 = 2016–2019
| clubs1 = Porto B
| caps1 = 69
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019–2022
| clubs2 = Troyes
| caps2 = 32
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2021–2023
| clubs3 = Paços de Ferreira
| caps3 = 52
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2023–
| clubs4 = Lion City Sailors
| caps4 = 10
| goals4 = 0
| years5 =
| clubs5 =
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016
| nationalteam1 = Portugal U18
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2016–2017
| nationalteam2 = Portugal U19
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam3 = Portugal U20
| nationalcaps3 = 6
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 3 August 2024
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Rui Miguel Guerra Pires (born 22 March 1998) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors.
Club career
= Porto B =
Rui began his journey in the acclaimed youth system of FC Porto, where he progressed through the ranks, featuring prominently in its Under-15, U17, and U19 sides. He was subsequently promoted to Porto's B side.
On 7 August 2016, Pires made his professional debut with Porto B in a 2016–17 LigaPro match against Aves.{{cite news | date=7 August 2016| title=Aves 2-1 Porto B| url=https://www.foradejogo.net/match.php?match=1563947| publisher=ForaDeJogo| accessdate=9 August 2016}}
= Troyes =
On 9 July 2019, Pires moved on a free transfer to Ligue 2 side Troyes. He make his debut for the club on 26 July in 2–0 win over Chamois Niort. On 26 October, Pires assisted Lenny Pintor who then went on to scored the winner in the 85th minute in a 1–0 win over Lorient. In December, he suffered anterior cruciate ligament injury ending his season prematurely. He ended up making 13 appearances in his first season.{{cite web | url=https://tvi24.iol.pt/made-in/internacional/rui-pires-ex-fc-porto-operado-ao-joelho-direito | title=Rui Pires (Ex-FC Porto) operado ao joelho direito }}
Pires make his returned on 28 September 2020 coming on as a substitution in a 1–0 win over Clermont Foot. He won the French second-tier Ligue 2 with Troyes in the 2020–21 season where he make 19 appearances.
= Paços de Ferreira =
On 26 July 2021, Pires returned to Portugal and joined Paços de Ferreira on loan.{{cite web|publisher=Paços de Ferreira|url=https://www.fcpf.pt/2021/07/26/rui-pires-chega-ao-fc-pacos-de-ferreira/|title=RUI PIRES CHEGA AO FC PAÇOS DE FERREIRA|date=26 July 2021|accessdate=17 September 2021|language=pt}} His loan was made permanent after a successful loan.
During his time with Paços Ferreira, Rui showed his capabilities on the European stage, making two appearances in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers against Tottenham Hotspurs.
= Lion City Sailors =
On 29 June 2023, it was reported by the Portuguese press that Pires had moved to Singapore to play for Lion City Sailors.{{cite web |title=Piers leaves Paco for LCS |url=https://www.zerozero.pt/news.php?id=491561}} He was officially announced as the new signing for the team on 14 July 2023 signing a two-year contract however, as the foreign quota for the league slot is full, Pires will be registered in the club 2023–24 AFC Champions League matches instead.{{cite web |title=Rui Pires signs to power Sailors’ second foray into AFC Champions League |url=https://www.lioncitysailorsfc.sg/rui-pires-signs-to-power-sailors-second-foray-into-afc-champions-league/}} On 26 July 2023, Pires make his debut for the club in a friendly match against Tottenham Hotspurs at the Singapore National Stadium. On 20 September 2023, Pires played his first official game for the club in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage fixture against Thai club Bangkok United in a 2–1 lost.
On 18 July 2024, Pires make his league debut in a 5–0 lost to Tampines Rovers. During the 2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship against Indonesian club Borneo Samarinda, he picked up his second yellow card 35 seconds after receiving the first yellow where he sees red for the first time of his career.
Despite Maxime Lestienne's equaliser in the 91st minute of the 2025 AFC Champions League Two final against Sharjah, the Sailors finished as a runner-up after conceding in the 97th minute to finish the game in a 1–2 defeat.{{cite web|title= Sharjah edge Sailors to savour glory |url= https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_two.html/news/sharjah-edge-sailors-to-savour-glory|accessdate=19 May 2025|date=18 May 2025|work=AFC.com}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 20 Mar 2025|{{cite web |title=Rui Pires |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/rui-pires/377309/ |work=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=17 January 2018}}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="4"|Porto B
|rowspan="3" |LigaPro |14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2017–18
|28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 2018–19
|27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 0 | |
| rowspan="3"|Troyes
|rowspan="2"|Ligue 2 |13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| rowspan="3"|Paços de Ferreira
|rowspan="2"|Primeira Liga |21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 2022–23
|31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!52 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 61 | 0 | |
| rowspan="4"|Lion City Sailors
|2023 |rowspan="3"|Singapore Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024–25
|10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 {{efn|2 in ASEAN Club Championship and 8 in AFC Champions League Two}} | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| 2025–26
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| colspan="3"|Career Total
!163 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 192 | 0 |
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
=International=
== U20 International caps==
| class="wikitable"
! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition | |||||
| align=center| 1 | 31 August 2017 | Estádio Municipal de Abrantes, Portugal | {{fbu|20|CZE}} | align=center| 0-3 (lost) | 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League |
| align=center| 2 | 4 September 2017 | Sportpark Middelmors, Netherlands | {{fbu|20|NED}} | align=center| 0-1 (lost) | 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League |
| align=center| 3 | 5 October 2017 | Stade des Arbères, Switzerland | {{fbu|20|SUI}} | align=center| 1-1 (draw) | 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League |
| align=center| 4 | 9 November 2017 | Stadion Miejsk, Poland | {{fbu|20|POL}} | align=center| 2-1 (won) | 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League |
| align=center| 5 | 22 March 2018 | Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição, Portugal | {{fbu|20|GER}} | align=center| 0-1 (lost) | 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League |
| align=center| 6 | 27 March 2018 | Academy Stadium, England | {{fbu|20|ENG}} | align=center| 0-3 (lost) | 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League |
== U19 International caps==
| class="wikitable"
! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition | |||||
| align=center| 1 | 6 October 2016 | Estádio Municipal de Fátima, Portugal | {{fbu|19|ITA}} | align=center| 1-2 (lost) | Friendly |
| align=center| 2 | 9 October 2016 | Municipal da Marinha Grande, Portugal | {{fbu|19|ITA}} | align=center| 2-1 (won) | Friendly |
| align=center| 3 | 15 November 2016 | Stadion Beroe, Bulgaria | {{fbu|19|DEN}} | align=center| 2-1 (won) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification |
| align=center| 4 | 23 March 2017 | Estádio da Mata Real, Portugal | {{fbu|19|CRO}} | align=center| 2-1 (won) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification |
| align=center| 5 | 28 March 2017 | Estádio da Mata Real, Portugal | {{fbu|19|POL}} | align=center| 3-1 (won) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification |
| align=center| 6 | 2 July 2017 | Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, Georgia | {{fbu|19|Georgia}} | align=center| 1-0 (won) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship |
| align=center| 7 | 5 July 2017 | David Petriashvili Stadium, Georgia | {{fbu|19|CZE}} | align=center| 2-1 (won) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship |
| align=center| 8 | 12 July 2017 | David Petriashvili Stadium, Georgia | {{fbu|19|NED}} | align=center| 1-0 (won) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship |
| align=center| 9 | 15 July 2017 | Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, Georgia | {{fbu|19|ENG}} | align=center| 1-2 (lost) | 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship |
Honours
= Club =
== Troyes ==
== Lion City Sailors ==
= Individual =
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2017{{cite web|title=Technical Report|url=http://www.uefa.com/under19/season=2017/technical-report/uefa-technical-team/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104084104/http://www.uefa.com/under19/season=2017/technical-report/uefa-technical-team/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2017|publisher=UEFA|access-date=5 October 2017}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{ForaDeJogo}}
- {{Soccerway|rui-pires/377309}}
- [http://www.ligaportugal.pt/oou/clube/20162017/ledmanligapro/424/jogador/71975 Stats and profile at LPFP] {{in lang|pt}}
- [https://www.fpf.pt/pt/Jogadores/Pesquisar-Jogadores-Internacionais/Jogador/playerId/794314 National team data] {{in lang|pt}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pires, Rui}}
Category:People from Mirandela
Category:Sportspeople from Bragança District
Category:Portuguese men's footballers
Category:Portugal men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:F.C. Paços de Ferreira players
Category:Lion City Sailors FC players
Category:Liga Portugal 2 players
Category:Championnat National 3 players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:Singapore Premier League players
Category:Portuguese expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France
Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in France
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Singapore