Vítor Paneira

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Personal information
Vitor Paneira
Full name	Vitor Paneira
Date of birth	February 16, 1966 (1966-02-16) (age 42)
Place of birth	Vizela, Porto, Portugal
Playing position	Winger
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1984-1988 1988-1995 1995-1999 1999-2000	F.C. Vizela Benfica Vitória de Guimarães Academica
National team
1988-1996	Portugal	44 (4)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Vítor Manuel da Costa Araújo, known as Vítor Paneira (born Calendário, 16 February 1966) was a charismatic Portuguese footballer of the 1990's, a key figure for SL Benfica and Portugal national football team, as a right midfielder.

He played for Vizela, a II Division team, during the 1986/87 season, and also for the U-21 national team in 1987, during the Toulon Tournament. After another great season for Vizela, he was signed for Benfica during the Summer of 1988, where he remained until 1994/95. He moved to Vitória de Guimarães, in 1995/96, due to problems with Benfica coach, Artur Jorge, where he played until 1999/2000. Before ending his career he played for Académica de Coimbra O.A.F.. He won the national championship three times, in 1988/89, 1990/91 and 1993/94, and the Cup of Portugal in 1993. He played in the final of the Champions Cup, in 1990, with Benfica losing to AC Milan (0-1).In 2000 Vitor retired at 34.

He debuted for Portugal the same year he signed for Benfica, on 12 October 1988, in a 0-0 draw with Sweden, in a friendly match. He had 44 caps for the national team, 42 of for Benfica and 2 for Vitória Guimarães, scoring 4 goals, in the next seven years, until his last game, a 1-0 win over Ireland, the 29 May 1996, in a friendly match. He was chosen by António Oliveira for the Lusitanos squad that reached the quarter-finals at Euro 1996, but was one of the few players that never left the bench.

Despite his good shape, his problems with then national team manager Artur Jorge left him out of the "Selecção Nacional" for the following season.

He's currently a football manager but his name as one of the great Portuguese footballers of his generation will never be forgotten.

v • d • e Portugal squad - UEFA Euro 1996

1 V. Baia • 2 Secretário • 3 Paulinho Santos • 4 Oceano • 5 F. Couto • 6 Tavares • 7 Paneira • 8 J. Pinto • 9 Sá Pinto • 10 Rui Costa • 11 Cadete • 12 Alfredo • 13 Dimas • 14 P. Barbosa • 15 Domingos • 16 Hélder • 17 Porfírio • 18 Folha • 19 P. Sousa • 20 Figo • 21 P. Madeira • 22 R. Correia • Coach: A. Oliveira