Vítor Paneira

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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, were he will remain 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 titles for National Champion, 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. lost to Milan (0-1).

He debuted for the National Team, the same year he signed for Benfica, at 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, at 29 May 1996, in a friendly match. He was chosen by António Oliveira for the National Team of the "Lusitanos" that reached the quarter-finals at Euro 1996, but he 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.

	Portugal squad - 1996 European Football Championship Quarter-finalists
1 Baía | 2 Secretário | 3 Paulinho Santos | 4 Oceano | 5 F. Couto | 6 J. Tavares | 7 Paneira | 8 João 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 Paulo Sousa | 20 Figo | 21 P. Madeira | 22 Rui Correia | Coach: António Oliveira