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The rise of a star player
Whenever football fans discuss who ranks among the world’s best midfielders, it is hard not to mention Vitinha.
Over the last four seasons, the 26-year-old Portuguese player has gained increasing prominence and established himself as one of the key players in Luis Enrique’s dominant Paris Saint-Germain side, playing a vital role in the club’s successes.
It is therefore intriguing to think that, not so long ago, Vitinha was considered expendable.
Having come through the youth ranks at Porto, the midfielder helped the ‘Dragões’ win the UEFA Youth League in 2019. The following year, however, he was sent out on loan amid the financial difficulties faced by the club.
A low-key spell at Wolves
Needing to temporarily part with one of its players, Porto decided to loan out Vitinha, then aged 20 and still without a guaranteed place in the first team.
He moved to Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he joined a strong contingent of Portuguese players already at the club under the guidance of influential manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
But Vitinha also found it difficult to break into the first team in England. Behind his compatriots João Moutinho and Rúben Neves in the pecking order, he spent much of the season on the bench and, on a few occasions, was even played out of position to get more minutes on the pitch.
In total, he made 22 appearances for Wolves that season.
The club had the option to sign Vitinha permanently for €20 million at the end of his loan spell. However, not seeing him as a key player for the future, they decided not to exercise the option and sent him back to Porto.
Today, that decision is widely regarded as one of the biggest mistakes in Wolves’ recent history.
The return to Porto and the rise
Back at Porto, Vitinha earned more and more playing time the following season, eventually establishing himself as a regular starter in early 2022 under manager Sérgio Conceição. That year, he won the Primeira Liga and the Portuguese Cup, as well as being named Man of the Match in the ‘Clássico’ against Benfica and scoring in the Cup final against Tondela.
Vitinha was also selected for the Primeira Liga Team of the Year and stood out for the Portuguese national team at the Under-21 European Championship. His progress caught the eye of PSG, who signed him in June 2022 for around €41 million – more than double the €20 million that Wolves are said to have paid to secure his services a year earlier.
The start of a new era in Paris
Vitinha won his first title for PSG on his very debut, in a 4–0 victory over Nantes in the Trophée des Champions. And he began his time at the club in style: he completed all 43 passes he attempted, finishing the match with an impressive 100 per cent pass completion rate.
Despite a difficult first season, in which he had not yet secured a place in the starting line-up and faced stiff competition from players such as Carlos Soler, Renato Sanches and Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha continued to perform well in midfield and played a key role in PSG’s 11th Ligue 1 title, in 2023.
The partnership behind the success
His form improved even further after Luis Enrique replaced Christophe Galtier as manager in July of that year.
“I don’t see any midfielder better than Vitinha in any team in the world.” – Luis Enrique
Since then, Vitinha has become just as important to PSG’s successes as Enrique himself.
The Portuguese midfielder has praised the manager on several occasions, stating: “As well as being an excellent manager from a technical and tactical point of view, he’s a fantastic person, and I feel very much at ease working alongside him.” (UEFA)
And the admiration is mutual. The experienced Spanish manager, who has previously managed teams featuring stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez, was also full of praise for Vitinha: “I can’t think of a better midfielder than Vitinha in any team in the world. I may be wrong, but I’m rarely wrong.” (Mais Futebol)
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The maestro of the champion PSG side
In total, the Portuguese player has won 14 titles with PSG, including four consecutive Ligue 1 titles – featuring in three Team of the Year line-ups – two French Cups, four Trophées des Champions and the club’s first FIFA Intercontinental Cup, in which he was named Player of the Tournament.
But the biggest trophy came in 2025, when Vitinha helped PSG win their first-ever Champions League – a feat he would repeat in 2026, for the second year running.
Selected for three consecutive Champions League Teams of the Season, Vitinha helped transform PSG into one of the most feared teams in world football. In midfield, he acts as the team’s ‘metronome’, controlling possession and dictating the tempo that links a solid defence to a lethal attack.
In this year’s final, in which PSG retained their Champions League title against Premier League champions Arsenal, Vitinha was once again a key figure. Voted Man of the Match, the former Porto player had the most touches of the ball in the match, with 105, and completed 141 passes with 94 per cent accuracy. This was the highest number of passes ever recorded by a player in a Champions League final since statistics began being compiled in 2004 – a feat previously achieved only by Xavi in the 2011 final against Manchester United.
The performance also extended Vitinha’s record for successful passes in a single Champions League season. In total, he made 1,589, surpassing Xavi’s previous record of 1,299 passes, set in the 2012–13 season.
Xavi himself, one of the most respected midfielders of his generation and a seven-time nominee for the ‘Ballon d’Or’, recently stated: “I’m delighted with Vitinha. The way he controls the game, covers the entire pitch and doesn’t lose the ball.” (Jornal de Notícias)
In 191 appearances for PSG, Vitinha has established himself as a key player in the team: an intelligent and versatile midfielder, who remains extremely calm under pressure. Despite standing at just 1.72m tall, he makes up for his lack of physical presence with his ability to be involved in every stage of build-up play, protect the ball and speed up the transition from defence to attack.
The statistics help to explain his impact. In addition to his 27 goals and 22 assists for the club, Vitinha has already completed 1,667 passes in the final third of the pitch – 464 of them inside the penalty area – and created 212 goal-scoring chances, demonstrating his technical quality and vision.
The brains behind the Portuguese national team
These same characteristics are also evident in his performances for the Portuguese national team. Vitinha helped Portugal win their second UEFA Nations League title last year and was one of the mainstays of the midfield at this year’s World Cup, despite their elimination by Spain in the round of 16.
In Portugal’s opening match of this year’s tournament, a 1–1 draw with DR Congo, Vitinha completed 121 passes in 83 minutes on the pitch – the highest number ever recorded by a player who featured for less than 90 minutes in a World Cup match since statistics began to be compiled in 1966.
In both that match and the next (a 5–0 thrashing of Uzbekistan), he was the player who touched the ball the most on the pitch.
In the third group stage match, a 0–0 draw with Colombia, Vitinha completed all 54 passes he attempted, finishing the match with 100 per cent accuracy.
“Vitinha is one of the best midfielders in the world, if not the best.” – Luka Modrić
Even without playing a single full match at the World Cup, the midfielder finished the tournament with 394 successful passes and 95 per cent accuracy. Of these, 68 took place in the final third of the pitch, demonstrating his constant search for space and opportunities for his teammates.
His performances were instrumental in Croatia’s elimination in the knockout stages, a team led by one of Vitinha’s greatest football idols – the 40-year-old veteran Luka Modrić. The winner of the 2018 ‘Ballon d’Or’ recently stated: “Vitinha is one of the best midfielders in the world, if not the best.” (Sports Illustrated)
And Modrić is far from being the only one who thinks so.
From rising star to global icon
Vitinha has come a long way since the days when he was loaned out by Porto to help the club weather financial difficulties and then sent back by Wolves after an unremarkable spell in England. Today, he ranks among the ten most valuable players on the planet and is a key player for both his club and his national team.
None of this happened by chance. It was the result of determination, dedication and a lot of hard work.
As Enrique explains: “It’s great to have a player like Vitinha. He loves playing football and wants to train hard every day. Sometimes, I even have to ask him to take it easy.” (Record)
It is precisely this desire to keep working, day after day, to improve and refine his game that has placed the Portuguese player amongst the world’s best midfielders.
“I’m very happy with everything I’ve achieved here at Paris Saint-Germain. I hope to keep going down this path, always moving forward.” – Vitinha
Vitinha himself recognises just how much he has developed throughout this journey, marked by ups and downs, challenges and achievements. Reflecting on his time at PSG, Vitinha values everything he has achieved, but makes it clear that his greatest satisfaction lies in the person and the player he has become, knowing that this process is still far from over: “It would be a huge mistake if I hadn’t grown and improved in many ways over these four years in Paris, both as a person and as a player. If you ask me how the Vitinha of 2022 compared to the one I am now, I feel I’ve developed in both respects, and I’m happy about that. I cherish the titles I’ve won with the club, but for me, what’s even more important is who I’ve become and who I’m continuing to become, because this is an ongoing process. I’m very happy with everything I’ve become here at Paris Saint-Germain. I hope to continue along this path, always moving forwards.” (UEFA)
On the podium at the Ballon d'Or
Last year, on his first nomination for the ‘Ballon d’Or’, he finished third in the voting, behind only his PSG team-mate Ousmane Dembélé, the winner, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who came second.
When asked about the main contenders for this year’s award, Vitinha chose to set his own season aside to praise his PSG teammates. In his view, it would be only fair for a player from the club to win the Ballon d'Or: “For me, it would be fair to see a PSG player win the Ballon d’Or this year. It could be Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who’s had an incredible season, particularly in the Champions League. It could be Ousmane Dembélé, who’s had yet another great season. Or even Fabián Ruiz, who’s won everything. For me, it would be one of those three. I hope and am rooting for a Parisian to win the ‘Ballon d'Or’.” (TNT Sports BR)
The statement sums up well the team spirit that has characterised recent years at PSG and in Vitinha’s own career.
After a season in which he took on an even more prominent role, the Portuguese star made a point of singling out his teammates. At the same time, his comments show just how important he has become to the team: rather than simply standing out as an individual, Vitinha has become a key player in helping the whole team perform better.
