Miguel Veloso

On 20 July 2019, Veloso signed a one-year contract with Hellas Verona FC. He scored a free kick on his debut on 25 August, equalising in a 1–1 home draw with Bologna F.C. 1909.

On 31 July 2016, after 127 games across all competitions (14 goals) and four major titles, including the double in the 2014–15 campaign, 30-year-old Veloso returned to Genoa. He left the Stadio Luigi Ferraris two years later, but returned shortly after agreeing to a new deal.

In September 2015, after one year in the international wilderness, Veloso was recalled to the Portuguese squad by manager Fernando Santos, for a friendly with France and a Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania. In the latter game, on the 7th, he headed home after a 92nd-minute corner kick for the only goal of the game.

In order to give him more playing time, Sporting loaned Veloso to C.D. Olivais e Moscavide in the third division, and he helped them promote to the second level with a career-best seven goals. As a result, he was recalled by the Lions – though it appeared difficult for him to grab a place in the starting team, because of the presence of players with much more experience such as Ânderson Polga, Tonel, Marco Caneira or Custódio – and ended up playing 23 Primeira Liga matches during the campaign as his team (again) finished second. He was equally impressive in his debut in the UEFA Champions League, a 1–0 home win against Inter Milan where he stopped Patrick Vieira and Luís Figo from playing effectively, earning Man of the match accolades in the process.

In 2013, Veloso married the daughter of Genoa club president Enrico Preziosi, Paola.

He started his career with Sporting, for which he appeared in 165 games all competitions comprised, and also spent two years with Genoa before joining Dynamo Kyiv in 2012. After winning four domestic honours in Ukraine, he returned to Genoa in 2016.

On 15 November 2011, Veloso scored from a free kick as Portugal defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 6–2 at the Estádio da Luz in a play-off for a place at Euro 2012. He played every minute of their finals campaign in Poland and Ukraine, before being substituted at half time in extra time of an eventual penalty shootout loss to Spain in the semi-finals.

On 30 July 2010, Veloso was sold to Genoa C.F.C. in Italy. On 4 July 2012 he moved teams and countries again, signing a four-year contract with FC Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian Premier League.

After a long spell out of the Portugal squad, Veloso was recalled by coach Carlos Queiroz for a vital 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Denmark in September 2009, which ended with a 1–1 draw. He netted his first international goal in the same competition, as the national side defeated Malta 4–0 in Guimarães on 14 October.

Veloso helped Sporting reach the last-16 in the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, after scoring in both legs of the 4–2 aggregate win against Everton; the club could only, however, finish fourth in the domestic league.

A full international since 2007, Veloso earned over 50 caps for Portugal, appearing at two World Cups and as many European Championships.

In 2007–08, Veloso was ever-present in Sporting's central midfield, alongside fellow youth graduate João Moutinho. The club again lost the league to FC Porto, and the same befell in the following season, with the player being involved in some run-ins with manager Paulo Bento; in the previous off-season and following January transfer window, he attracted interest from several Premier League sides, but nothing materialized.

On 14 August 2007, following impressive performances for the under-21s in the 2007 UEFA European Championship in June (the skipper scored twice in three games, albeit in a group stage exit), Veloso was called up for the full squad for the first time, for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Armenia. He would make his international debut against Azerbaijan, on 13 October; in the finals' group stage, he appeared in the 0–2 loss against Switzerland, a game in which nine out of 11 regular starters were rested.

Born in Coimbra, Miguel Veloso started his football career at S.L. Benfica, but was rejected for being slightly overweight at the time, entering Lisbon neighbours Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 14. There, he was promoted to the first team for the 2004–05 pre-season, which took place mainly in England; he started out as a central defender.

Veloso acted as captain for Portugal at the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, helping the nation emerge victorious on home soil after defeating Spain 2–1 in an Iberian final played in Viseu. He was elected the tournament's Golden Player, and subsequently also helped the team reach the quarter-finals in that year's FIFA World Cup held in Finland.

Miguel Luís Pinto Veloso (Portuguese pronunciation:  [miˈɣɛɫ ˈlwiʃ ˈpĩtu vɨˈlozu] ; born 11 May 1986) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Italian club Hellas Verona. Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also operate as an attacking left back.