Hélder Sousa

Portuguese footballer

Hélder Sousa
Personal information
Full name	Hélder Bruno Macedo Sousa^[1]
Date of birth	(1977-10-13) 13 October 1977 (age 46)^[1]
Place of birth	Matosinhos, Portugal^[1]
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)^[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1987–1991	Boavista
1991–1993	Gatões
1993–1994	Leixões
1994–1996	Senhora da Hora
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1997	Imperial Sobreirense
1997–1998	Padroense
1998–2000	Trofense	44	(3)
2000–2003	Braga B	76	(13)
2002	Braga	1	(0)
2003	Ovarense	16	(1)
2003–2004	Gondomar	34	(7)
2004–2005	Feirense	14	(1)
2005–2009	Vizela	113	(9)
2009–2010	Trofense	25	(1)
2010–2012	Olympiakos Nicosia	44	(4)
2012–2013	APOEL	17	(1)
2013–2016	Trofense	108	(22)
2016	Pedras Rubras	11	(2)
2016–2017	Trofense	29	(2)
2017–2018	Merelinense	27	(4)
2018–2019	Rio Ave U23	7	(0)
2018–2019	Rio Ave B	3	(0)
2019–2020	Trofense	14	(2)
Total		583	(72)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Hélder Bruno Macedo Sousa (born 13 October 1977) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Matosinhos, Sousa started his career with amateurs Padroense F.C. in 1997. In his country, in which he competed almost exclusively in the second and third divisions, he also represented C.D. Trofense (two spells), S.C. Braga's reserves, A.D. Ovarense, Gondomar SC, C.D. Feirense and F.C. Vizela. On 15 September 2002, whilst with Braga, he made his only Primeira Liga appearance, which consisted of 20 minutes as a starter in a 2–0 away loss against Varzim SC.^[2]

In the summer of 2010, aged nearly 33, Sousa moved abroad for the first time, joining Cypriot club Olympiakos Nicosia. On 10 January 2012 he signed an 18-month contract with fellow First Division team APOEL FC, for a transfer fee of €90,000.^[3] He made his official debut six days later, playing 23 minutes in a 0–0 home draw with his former employers.

Sousa made his UEFA Champions League debut on 14 February 2012 at the age of 34, featuring 72 minutes in a 1–0 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais in the round of 16.^[4] He added a further two appearances, as the side reached the quarter-finals for the first time ever.^[5]

On 29 January 2013, Sousa's contract with APOEL was terminated by mutual consent.^[6] The following day, he returned to his homeland and signed for two years with former club Trofense.^[7]

Sousa played well into his 40s, always in lower-league or amateur football.^[8]^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Hélder Sousa" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
^ "Varzim-Sp. Braga, 2–0: Autêntica procissão na vitória do futebol" [Varzim-Sp. Braga, 2–0: Procession extraordinaire as football won]. Record (in Portuguese). 16 September 2002. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
^ "Hélder Sousa given APOEL chance". UEFA. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
^ Spiro, Matthew (14 February 2012). "Lacazette rewards Lyon dominance against APOEL". UEFA. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
^ Machado, Catarina (8 March 2012). "APOEL nos quartos da Champions: sim, é verdade" [APOEL in the Champions' last-eight: yes, it's true] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
^ "Ευχαριστούμε τον Sousa" [Thank you Sousa] (in Greek). APOEL FC. 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
^ "Hélder Sousa é reforço" [Hélder Sousa is an addition] (in Portuguese). CD Trofense. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
^ Baptista Seixas, João (23 September 2018). "Hélder Sousa: Entre jovens aos 40 anos" [Hélder Sousa: Amongst youngsters at the age of 40]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 October 2021.
^ "Hélder Sousa apresentado como reforço do Trofense... mais uma vez" [Hélder Sousa presented as Trofense addition... again]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 3 September 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2021.