Nuno Morais

2025-07-13T22:35:05Z

2001:8A0:766E:7A00:C9F3:C287:F5C3:A49: /* External links */ And the categories?! Starting to annoy BIG TIME (no sources, no summaries, no nothing)!!

{{short description|Portuguese footballer}}
{{for|the Portuguese sprinter|Nuno Morais (athlete)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Portuguese name|Barbosa|Morais}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nuno Morais
| image = Morais.jpg
| image_size = 175
| caption = Morais as a [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] player
| fullname = Nuno Miguel Barbosa Morais<ref name=Profile>{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/jogador/nuno-morais/4447|title=Nuno Morais|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=pt|access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|1|29|df=yes}}<ref name=Profile/>
| birth_place = [[Penafiel]], Portugal<ref name=Profile/>
| height = 1.85 m<ref name=Profile/>
| position = [[Midfielder#Defensive midfielder|Defensive midfielder]], [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|centre-back]]
| currentclub = [[Esteghlal F.C.|Esteghlal]] (assistant)
| youthyears1 = 1994–2002 | youthclubs1 = [[F.C. Penafiel|Penafiel]]
| years1 = 2002–2004 | clubs1 = [[F.C. Penafiel|Penafiel]] | caps1 = 49 |goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2004–2007 | clubs2 = [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] | caps2 = 4 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2005–2006 | clubs3 = → [[C.S. Marítimo|Marítimo]] (loan) | caps3 = 17 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2007–2019 | clubs4 = [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] | caps4 = 347 | goals4 = 44
| totalcaps = 417 | totalgoals = 46
| nationalyears1 = 2004 | nationalteam1 = [[Portugal national under-20 football team|Portugal U20]] | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2004–2006 | nationalteam2 = [[Portugal national under-21 football team|Portugal U21]] | nationalcaps2 = 14 | nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2006 | nationalteam3 = [[Portugal national football B team|Portugal B]] | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2020–2021 | managerclubs1 = [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2021–2023 | managerclubs2 = [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] (youth)
| manageryears3 = 2023–2024 | managerclubs3 = [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] (assistant)
| manageryears4 = 2024 | managerclubs4 = [[Raja CA]] (assistant)
| manageryears5 = 2025– | managerclubs5 = [[Esteghlal F.C.|Esteghlal]] (assistant)
}}
'''Nuno Miguel Barbosa Morais''' (born 29 January 1984) is a Portuguese former professional [[Association football|footballer]]. Mainly a [[Midfielder#Defensive midfielder|defensive midfielder]], he could also appear as a [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|central defender]].

He was signed by [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] in 2004, but stayed only two years with the club, going on to spend the vast majority of his career with [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] and win 16 major titles, including nine [[Cypriot First Division]] championships.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/internacional/detalhe/nuno-morais-capitao-que-conquistou-o-chipre|title=Nuno Morais: Capitão que conquistou o Chipre|trans-title=Nuno Morais: Captain who conquered Cyprus|newspaper=[[Record (Portuguese newspaper)|Record]]|first=Filipe|last=Balreira|language=pt|date=7 May 2019|access-date=1 August 2019}}</ref>

==Career==
===Chelsea===
Born in [[Penafiel]], [[Porto District]], Morais started his career at his hometown club [[F.C. Penafiel]], but in August 2004 was signed by England's [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract, after a successful trial period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3609590.stm|title=Chelsea snap up Morais|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=29 August 2004|access-date=26 November 2010}}</ref> He made his debut for the latter in an [[FA Cup]] [[2004–05 FA Cup|win]] against [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]] in January 2005, playing the full 90 minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4139387.stm|title=Chelsea 3–1 Scunthorpe|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 January 2005|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> His first [[Premier League]] appearance occurred on 10 May, as a late [[Substitute (association football)|substitute]] in a 3–1 away victory over [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4528525.stm|title=Man Utd 1–3 Chelsea|publisher=BBC Sport|date=10 May 2005|access-date=16 January 2014}}</ref>

Due to the fact that Morais struggled to get first team action in his first season, he was loaned to [[C.S. Marítimo]] in [[2005–06 Primeira Liga|2005–06]], alongside compatriot [[Filipe Oliveira (footballer, born 1984)|Filipe Oliveira]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jn.pt/arquivo/2005/interior/chelsea-cede-nuno-morais-505248.html|title=Chelsea cede Nuno Morais|trans-title=Chelsea loan Nuno Morais|newspaper=[[Jornal de Notícias]]|language=pt|date=26 July 2005|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> In that summer, he appeared twice for the [[Portugal national under-21 football team|Portuguese under-21s]] at the [[2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship]] on home soil, with Oliveira.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsf.pt/arquivo/2006/desporto/interior/portugal-perde-por-1-0-com-franca-na-estreia-751196.html|title=Portugal perde por 1–0 com França na estreia|trans-title=Portugal lose 1–0 to France in debut|publisher=[[TSF (radio station)|TSF]]|language=pt|date=23 May 2006|access-date=23 March 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323220124/https://www.tsf.pt/arquivo/2006/desporto/interior/portugal-perde-por-1-0-com-franca-na-estreia-751196.html|archive-date=23 March 2018}}</ref>

===APOEL===
[[File:Nuno Morais with APOEL fan.jpg|thumb|Morais at APOEL]]
Returning to Chelsea, Morais only appeared twice in the league, totalling less than 20 minutes in home draws against Manchester United<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6627707.stm|title=Chelsea 0–0 Man Utd|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Phil|last=McNulty|date=9 May 2007|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> and [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6627785.stm|title=Chelsea 1–1 Everton|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Jonathan|last=Stevenson|date=13 May 2007|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> and playing three times between the FA Cup and the [[Football League Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/6213819.stm|title=Chelsea 6–1 Macclesfield|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Caroline|last=Cheese|date=6 January 2007|access-date=16 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/6282077.stm|title=Chelsea 4–0 Wycombe (Agg: 5–1)|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Owen|last=Phillips|date=23 January 2007|access-date=16 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/6282195.stm|title=Chelsea 3–0 Nottingham Forest|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Saj|last=Chowdhury|date=28 January 2007|access-date=16 January 2014}}</ref> On 11 May 2007, he signed a two-year deal with [[2006–07 Cypriot First Division|Cypriot champions]] [[APOEL FC]] on a [[Free transfer (association football)|free transfer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/6649387.stm|title=Chelsea's Morais moves to Cyprus|publisher=BBC Sport|date=12 May 2007|access-date=12 May 2007}}</ref>

Morais was converted to a [[Midfielder#Defensive midfielder|defensive midfielder]] during his time in [[Nicosia]], and signed a new contract until June 2012. Since his debut he was an essential defensive unit as the side won, amongst other trophies, nine [[Cypriot First Division|championships]], three [[Cypriot Cup|cups]] and four [[Cypriot Super Cup|super cups]]; he also appeared in all six group-stage matches of the club in its first [[2009–10 UEFA Champions League#Group stage|participation]] in the [[UEFA Champions League]].

In the [[2011–12 UEFA Champions League|2011–12 Champions League]], Morais was an undisputed starter for the side as they [[2011–12 UEFA Champions League knockout phase#Quarter-finals|reached the quarter-finals]] for the first time ever, playing all ten fixtures – including the [[Single-elimination tournament|round-of-16]] defeat of [[Olympique Lyonnais]] where he converted his attempt in the [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shootout]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01fb-0e7c4364f0b4-d33095de1f71-1000--lyon-stunned-as-apoel-fairy-tale-continues/|title=Lyon stunned as APOEL fairy tale continues|publisher=UEFA|first=Andrew|last=Haslam|date=7 March 2012|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/apoel-nos-quartos-da-champions-sim-e-verdade|title=APOEL nos quartos da Champions: sim, é verdade|trans-title=APOEL in the Champions' last-eight: yes, it's true|publisher=Mais Futebol|first=Catarina|last=Machado|language=pt|date=8 March 2012|access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref> On 4 May 2012, he agreed to a three-year extension to his link.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apoelfc.com.cy/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=6856&tt=graphic&lang=l1|script-title=el:Ανανέωσε ο Μοράϊς|trans-title=Morais boost|publisher=APOEL FC|language=el|date=6 May 2012|access-date=6 May 2012}}</ref>

During [[2013–14 Cypriot First Division|2013–14]], Morais appeared in every [[2013–14 UEFA Europa League group stage|group stage game]] in APOEL's [[UEFA Europa League]] campaign, and scored the 2–1 winner against [[FC Girondins de Bordeaux]] at [[GSP Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/020f-0e879451a737-155be7fa8df3-1000--alexandrou-rocket-helps-apoel-achieve-lift-off/|title=Alexandrou rocket helps APOEL achieve lift-off|publisher=UEFA|date=7 November 2013|access-date=7 November 2013}}</ref> The following season, he was also first-choice in his team's [[2014–15 UEFA Champions League|Champions League campaign]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/clubs/50118--apoel/|title=APOEL FC|publisher=UEFA|access-date=12 December 2014}}</ref>

On 7 May 2016, following a [[2015–16 Cypriot First Division|league]] match against [[Apollon Limassol FC]], Morais reached 251 for APOEL and became the foreigner with the most appearances in the history of the Cypriot top division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sigmalive.com/en/sports/football/cyprus-football/a-league/144728/apoel-star-nuno-morais-breaks-league-appearances-record|title=APOEL star Nuno Morais breaks league appearances record|publisher=Sigma Live|date=8 May 2016|access-date=8 May 2016}}</ref> On 16 August, after playing against [[F.C. Copenhagen]] in the [[2016–17 UEFA Champions League|Champions League play-off round]], he reached a club-best 81 games in [[UEFA|European competitions]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goal.com.cy/o-athlos-tou-nouno-morais/|script-title=el:Ο "άθλος" του Νούνο Μοράις|trans-title=The "feat" of Nuno Morais|publisher=[[Goal (website)|Goal]]|first=Andrea|last=Mavrou|language=el|date=17 August 2016|access-date=17 August 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818175015/http://goal.com.cy/o-athlos-tou-nouno-morais/|archive-date=18 August 2016}}</ref>

Morais retired in July 2019, at the age of 35. He finished his career as APOEL's highest appearance maker of all time, with 524 matches to his name.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abola.pt/Internacional/Noticias/Ver/795967|title=Nuno Morais coloca ponto final na carreira|trans-title=Nuno Morais puts the full stop to his career|newspaper=[[A Bola]]|language=pt|date=3 July 2019|access-date=13 July 2019}}</ref> Following his retirement, he remained at his main club as the youth team coach and assistant manager, joining the coaching team of compatriot [[Ricardo Sá Pinto]] in June 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2023/06/08/desporto/noticia/sa-pinto-vai-treinar-apoel-proxima-epoca-2052712|title=Sá Pinto vai treinar o APOEL na próxima época|trans-title=Sá Pinto will manage APOEL next season|newspaper=[[Público (Portugal)|Público]]|language=pt|date=8 June 2023|access-date=9 June 2023}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
<ref>{{ForaDeJogo}}</ref><ref>{{Soccerbase}}</ref><ref name=SW>{{Soccerway player|nuno-miguel-barbosa-morais/2534}}</ref><ref>{{WorldFootball.net|nuno-morais}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|National Cup
!colspan="2"|League Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Other{{efn|Appearance in [[Cypriot Super Cup]]|name=SUC}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3" valign="center"|[[F.C. Penafiel|Penafiel]]
|[[2002–03 Segunda Liga|2002–03]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Liga de Honra]]
|17||0||2||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||19||1
|-
|[[2003–04 Segunda Liga|2003–04]]
|32||2||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||35||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!49!!2!!5!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!54!!3
|-
|valign="center"|[[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]
|[[2004–05 FA Premier League|2004–05]]
|[[Premier League]]
|2||0||1||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[C.S. Marítimo|Marítimo]]
|[[2005–06 Primeira Liga|2005–06]]
|[[Primeira Liga]]
|17||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!17!!0!!3!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!20!!0
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]
|[[2006–07 Premier League|2006–07]]
|Premier League
|2||0||2||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||5||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!4!!0!!3!!0!!1!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!9!!0
|-
| rowspan="13" valign="center" |[[APOEL FC|APOEL]]
|[[2007–08 Cypriot First Division|2007–08]]
| rowspan="12" |[[Cypriot First Division]]
|13||0||8||1||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||23||1
|-
|[[2008–09 Cypriot First Division|2008–09]]
|30||3||5||0||colspan="2"|—||6||0||1||0||42||3
|-
|[[2009–10 Cypriot First Division|2009–10]]
|29||1||5||0||colspan="2"|—||11||0||1||0||46||1
|-
|[[2010–11 Cypriot First Division|2010–11]]
|30||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||3||0||colspan="2"|—||35||0
|-
|[[2011–12 Cypriot First Division|2011–12]]
|28||1||3||2||colspan="2"|—||16||1||1||0||48||4
|-
|[[2012–13 Cypriot First Division|2012–13]]
|27||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||6||0||colspan="2"|—||35||4
|-
|[[2013–14 Cypriot First Division|2013–14]]
|34||5||7||0||colspan="2"|—||10||1||1||0||52||6
|-
|[[2014–15 Cypriot First Division|2014–15]]
|27||2||6||0||colspan="2"|—||10||0||1||0||44||2
|-
|[[2015–16 Cypriot First Division|2015–16]]
|34||3||6||1||colspan="2"|—||12||0||1||0||53||4
|-
|[[2016–17 Cypriot First Division|2016–17]]
|33||3||7||0||colspan="2"|—||15||0||1||0||56||3
|-
|[[2017–18 Cypriot First Division|2017–18]]
|34||9||0||0||colspan="2"|—||12||0||1||0||47||9
|-
|[[2018–19 Cypriot First Division|2018–19]]
|28||13||6||0||colspan="2"|—||8||2||1||0||43||15
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!347!!44!!57!!4!! colspan="2" |—!!111!!4!!9!!0!!524!!52
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!417!!46!!68!!5!!1!!0!!112!!4!!9!!0!!607!!55
|}
{{notelist}}

==Honours==
'''Chelsea'''
*[[FA Cup]]: [[2006–07 FA Cup|2006–07]]<ref name=SW/>
*[[Football League Cup]]: [[2006–07 Football League Cup|2006–07]]<ref name=SW/>

'''APOEL'''
*[[Cypriot First Division]]: [[2008–09 Cypriot First Division|2008–09]], [[2010–11 Cypriot First Division|2010–11]], [[2012–13 Cypriot First Division|2012–13]], [[2013–14 Cypriot First Division|2013–14]], [[2014–15 Cypriot First Division|2014–15]], [[2015–16 Cypriot First Division|2015–16]], [[2016–17 Cypriot First Division|2016–17]], [[2017–18 Cypriot First Division|2017–18]], [[2018–19 Cypriot First Division|2018–19]]<ref name=SW/>
*[[Cypriot Cup]]: [[2007–08 Cypriot Cup|2007–08]], [[2013–14 Cypriot Cup|2013–14]], [[2014–15 Cypriot Cup|2014–15]]<ref name=SW/>
*[[Cypriot Super Cup]]: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013<ref name=SW/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{ForaDeJogo}}
*{{Soccerbase}}
*{{FPF national player|499606}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morais, Nuno}}
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Portuguese sportsmen]]
[[Category:Portuguese men's footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Penafiel]]
[[Category:Men's association football central defenders]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Men's association football utility players]]
[[Category:Primeira Liga players]]
[[Category:Liga Portugal 2 players]]
[[Category:F.C. Penafiel players]]
[[Category:C.S. Marítimo players]]
[[Category:Premier League players]]
[[Category:Chelsea F.C. players]]
[[Category:Cypriot First Division players]]
[[Category:APOEL FC players]]
[[Category:Portugal men's youth international footballers]]
[[Category:Portugal men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Portugal men's B international footballers]]
[[Category:Portuguese expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Morocco]]
[[Category:Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Iran]]

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Nuno Morais