Vitinha (footballer, born February 2000)

Vítor Machado Ferreira (born 13 February 2000), known as Vitinha, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Portugal national team.

Coming through Porto's youth system, Vitinha was promoted to the first-team in 2020. He was loaned to Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2020, before returning the following season. He established himself as an integral player for Porto winning a domestic double, while being named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year and the Best Young Player of the Year award. In June 2022, he joined Paris Saint-Germain for a transfer worth €41.5 million.

Vitinha is a former Portugal youth international, representing his country at various youth levels, being part of the under-19 and under-21 teams that finished as runners-up in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and 2021 European Under-21 Championship, respectively. He made his senior international debut in 2022, representing Portugal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024.

2019–20: Early career
Vitinha was born in Santo Tirso. He started playing football at Desportivo das Aves, where his father formerly played for the club, aged 7, before moving to Pinheirinhos de Ringe, where he started to stand out alongside goalkeeper and future teammate Diogo Costa. After going through some training sessions with Benfica, he was integrated into one of Benfica's feeder club Póvoa de Lanhoso, where he stayed for three years, before being dismissed because of his slight frame. Despite Sporting CP being interested in him, Vitinha ended up joining the youth ranks of FC Porto two years later, aged eleven, being subsequently loaned to Padroense for a season.

He made his LigaPro debut for the reserve team on 11 August 2019 in a game against Sporting da Covilhã. He was also part of Porto's squad that won the 2018–19 UEFA Youth League. On 28 January 2020, Vitinha made his first appearance for the first team, coming on as a substitute for Wilson Manafá in the 61st minute in a match against Gil Vicente. He made a total of eight appearances as the club won the league title.

2020–21: Loan to Wolves
On 9 September 2020, Vitinha moved on a season-long loan to English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. The club held an option to make the loan into permanent deal at its conclusion for a fee of €20 million, as Porto were forced to loan him due to UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations. He made his debut on 14 September away to Sheffield United as a second-half substitute, and his first start three days later in a home EFL Cup defeat to Stoke City.

Vitinha made his full Premier League debut away to Manchester United on 29 December 2020, a game which Wolves lost narrowly to a deflection in added time. On 22 January, he scored his first goal for the club with a 35-yard strike in a 1–0 away win over non-League team Chorley in the fourth round of the FA Cup. At the end of the season, the club declined to exercise his buy option.

2021–22: Return and domestic double
Vitinha began the 2021–22 season on the bench, but following his impressive performances during the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, he began finding more and more space as a starter, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3–0 away win against Portimonense on 3 December. On 23 December, Vitinha impressed during the 3–0 home over rivals Benfica in O Clássico in the Taça de Portugal, scoring and assisting a goal, as he was named man of match. Shortly after Sérgio Oliveira departed to Roma in January 2022, Vitinha further consolidated his place as starter, impressing Porto's manager Sérgio Conceição, with his performances without the ball and his pressing, being named the league's Player of the Month and Midfielder of the Month for two consecutive months in December and January, a feat which he repeated in March.

Vitinha would contribute to 47 appearances, with a goal in the 3–1 defeat of Tondela in the domestic cup final, to help Porto win the domestic double of the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal, while also being named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year and the Primeira Liga Best Young Player of the Year.

2022–23: Adaptation to France
On 30 June 2022, Vitinha signed a five-year contract with Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), for a fee of €41.5 million, after triggering the release clause of his contract.

Vitinha made his debut for the club on 31 July, starting in PSG's 4–0 victory over Nantes in the Trophée des Champions, registering a 100% passing rate, completing 43 out of his 43 passes, while also being booked in the match and winning his first trophy with the club. Brought in as a signing for the future, Vitinha was seen as a player that could grow and develop during his tenrue with the club and quickly his performances throughout the start of the season were highly lauded, receiving various praises for the central midfield combination of him and Marco Verratti and his quick adaption into his new team, despite fierce competition from more experienced players like Carlos Soler, Renato Sanches and Fabián Ruiz.

However, the following months, proved to be difficult for him, due to having a complicated relationship with fellow team-mate Lionel Messi and those close to him in the team, after a reported training ground bust-up between them. He was reportedly the target of Neymar's outburst after a 3–1 loss to Monaco on 11 February 2023, who complained that the squad had been significantly weakened with the arrival of players such as Vitinha. Those incidents took a toll on him and his performances declined on the second half of the season, to the point where he lost his starting spot.

He scored his first goal for PSG, a long-range strike in a 3–1 home victory over Lens on 15 April. During the season, he was a key contributor to his team's record 11th Ligue 1 title, despite his irregular form.

2023–24: Domestic treble and breakthrough
The following season, despite the ire and consternations of the senior players, PSG kept their belief in Vitinha and after the departures of Messi and Neymar, his performances improved, gaining fully the trust of new manager Luis Enrique, with his attacking style being put to good use in his system. He also became a popular figure in the dressing room, with his grasp of multiple languages, making him a positive influence that helped unite various factions within the club. He was named man of the match in PSG's 2–0 win over Borussia Dortmund on matchday one of the group stage of the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League on 19 September. On 20 December, he scored his fifth league goal of the season, PSG's first in a 3–1 home victory over Metz, while also maintaining a 90% pass completion rate despite being assigned to a deeper midfield role.

On 10 April 2024, Vitinha scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–2 home defeat to Barcelona in the quarter-finals. He scored another goal against Barcelona in the second leg six days later, helping PSG to a 4–1 victory and qualification to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, PSG was knocked out by Borussia Dortmund, after losing 2–0 on aggregate. Despite the defeat, Vitinha received praise for his performances over both legs, with some arguing that he was "let down by his teammates".

After helping PSG win a domestic treble with record-extending successes in Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Trophée des Champions, he achieved his most prolific season, finishing the campaign with 14 goal involvements (9 goals and five assists), leading Enrique to credit Vitinha as the club's player of the season. His performances throughout the season also saw him being included in Ligue 1's Team of the Year and the Champions League team of the tournament.

Youth
Having played at various youth levels for Portugal, Vitinha was named captain for the under-19 squad at the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Armenia, playing all five matches, scoring twice and assisting once as the team finished runners-up to Spain.

Vitinha was named in the under-21 squad for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He was named for the team of the tournament as Portugal finished as runners-up after losing in the final 1–0 to Germany, on 6 June 2021.

Senior
On 21 March 2022, Vitinha received his first call-up to the senior squad for the 2022 World Cup qualification play-offs, as a replacement for the injured Rúben Neves. Eight days later at his club ground, he made his senior national team debut, replacing João Moutinho in added time in a 2–0 victory over North Macedonia in the play-off final.

In October, he was named in Portugal's preliminary 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, being included in the final 26-man squad for the tournament. He only started in the 2–1 loss to South Korea in Portugal's final group stage match, and appeared off the bench in two knockout-phase matches, in an eventual quarter-final exit.

On 21 May 2024, he was selected in the 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024. In the opening match against the Czech Republic, on 18 June, after being one goal down, Vitinha created Robin Hranáč's own goal, following a cross to Nuno Mendes at the back post, in a 2–1 comeback victory for Portugal, being awarded player of the match. His performances earned him a spot in the starting eleven, despite fierce competition from teammates Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes, leading him to start in Portugal's 3–0 win against Turkey on 22 June, helping his country secure qualification to the knockout phase. He made his third appearance of the tournament in Portugal's round of 16 match against Slovenia and played 65 minutes before being substituted for Diogo Jota as Portugal won 3–0 in a penalty shootout. Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals to France after losing 5–3 in another penalty shootout.

Style of play
Vitinha is a highly creative and technically gifted playmaker, with excellent dribbling skills and ball control, which allows him to operate effectively in a deep-seated playmaking role as a central midfielder, although he is also capable of playing in a more advanced role as an attacking midfielder.

He is a central midfielder who enjoys taking the ball off the toe of his centre-back before distributing to a teammate near or far, but always with forward momentum in mind. His skill and quick control make it almost impossible for the opposition press to work when he is in possession. He excells at progressing the ball and has the ability to get the ball into dangerous locations with his passes and counter-pressing, recovering and tackling. Off the ball, he tries to prevent the opposition's attacks, and when he is on the ball, he helps his side in retaining the ball as he has excellent on-the-ball composure.

According to his manager Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain, he's capable of varying his game and playing in multiple positions, namely on both sides of the midfield or even in the wide areas, as a winger.

Personal life
Vitinha's father is Vítor Manuel, a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for several clubs including his hometown's Desportivo das Aves for several years and Faro's Farense from 1999 to 2001.

Vitinha and his wife Tatiana Torres have a daughter born in 2021, named Mafalda Ferreira.

Honours
Porto Youth
 * UEFA Youth League: 2018–19

Porto
 * Primeira Liga: 2019–20, 2021–22
 * Taça de Portugal: 2019–20, 2021–22

Paris Saint-Germain
 * Ligue 1: 2022–23, 2023–24
 * Coupe de France: 2023–24
 * Trophée des Champions: 2022, 2023

Portugal U19
 * UEFA European Under-19 Championship runner-up: 2019

Portugal U21
 * UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2021

Individual
 * Primeira Liga Young Player of the Year: 2021–22
 * Primeira Liga Player of the Month: December 2021, January 2022, March 2022
 * Primeira Liga Midfielder of the Month: December 2021, January 2022, March 2022
 * Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2021–22
 * UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2023–24
 * UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2023–24
 * Toulon Tournament Breakthrough player: 2019
 * Toulon Tournament Best XI: 2019
 * UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2021