João Moutinho’s first competitive appearance of the current campaign arrived in late July, when Braga travelled to Serbia to face Zeležničar Pančevo in a UEFA Conference League qualifier. Even at 40, the veteran Portuguese midfielder shows no signs of slowing down; he continues to feature prominently and to perform at a high level.
Just a few weeks later he completed the full 90 minutes in the away leg of the tie against Dinamo Minsk in Bulgaria, then repeated the feat in the trip to Austria Vienna. A few days after that, he again played the entire match as Braga secured a victory in the Derby do Minho against Vitória de Guimarães. In short, Moutinho is still an ever‑present figure on the pitch. Moutinho will turn 40 on September 8th, and he is already nine games into yet another season.
His most recent outing was a weekend fixture against Alverca, a match Braga won, with Moutinho again featuring from start to finish – a routine that has become almost expected of him. He crossed the 1,000‑appearance threshold back in 2024 and has now logged at least 25 games for Braga in 23 consecutive seasons. Last season alone he amassed 56 appearances, marking the seventh time he has topped the 50‑match mark in a single campaign. Those numbers illustrate not just durability but a remarkable consistency over two decades.
Moutinho’s talent is indisputable. He was a European champion with Portugal, lifted domestic titles in France and Portugal, and during his five‑year spell in England he arguably became Wolverhampton Wanderers’ greatest Premier League player. Yet, as his career progresses, it is his extraordinary longevity that draws the most admiration.
Braga is the fifth club for which he has reached a hundred games, and he may soon become the fourth club where he exceeds two hundred appearances. How does he manage to stay fit and competitive for so long? A clue emerged during a visit to the Wolves training ground when a journalist caught Moutinho taking an ice‑bath and receiving a massage while most of his teammates had already left.
He explained, "I enjoy playing more than training, so I make sure I stay fit to play." His routine is simple but disciplined: "I do what I need to stay in shape – train properly, eat well, stay hydrated, and rest when my body asks for it. I come to training every day as if it were my first day. Those small habits add up and make a big difference." For Moutinho, these practices are as natural as breathing. He also emphasizes injury‑prevention work in the gym, saying, "You have to believe in the work you do.
It’s not enough to just go through the motions; you need to understand that these exercises protect your body and give you an extra edge that helps on the pitch." Former coach Carlos Carvalhal, who first guided Moutinho at Sporting and later reunited with him at Braga fourteen years later, is perhaps best placed to comment on the midfielder’s durability. "I can’t recall him suffering a serious injury," Carvalhal told Sky Sports.
"He knows his body inside out and respects its limits." When it comes to football intelligence, the limits are far less obvious. Carvalhal likens Moutinho’s on‑field awareness to an internal GPS, noting that even as a youngster he acted as a conductor for his teammates. "He started as an attacking midfielder, but at Braga we deployed him as a number six because he’s no longer a youngster. Yet his understanding of the game remains flawless." His touch is still immaculate, his decision‑making remains razor‑sharp, and while the Portuguese league may be less physically demanding than the Premier League, Moutinho leverages his vast experience to compensate for any loss of pace.
"He anticipates everything and balances the whole game," Carvalhal said, adding that Moutinho was "unbelievable, fantastic" in the previous season and continues to deliver the same level of performance. Management of his minutes has become more strategic. He is often used as a Thursday‑night specialist for Braga, a role he does not particularly relish. "He gets frustrated if the coach pulls him off after 75 minutes; he wants to play the full ninety," Carvalhal explained.
Teammates have long praised his competitive nature. Ruben Neves once described Moutinho as the most competitive person he had ever met. When asked about that comment at Wolves’ training ground, Moutinho replied, "Years ago I would even avoid my family after a defeat." Moutinho’s mindset is crystal clear: "I don’t like to lose, no matter the sport – football, tennis, head‑to‑head games. If I’m playing, I’m playing to win.
If I’m not playing to win, I don’t want to be on the field. There has to be something that drives you, that inspires you." He believes that a winning mentality fuels the spirit: "It’s good for the soul to have that attitude.
You can’t neglect the small things. Play to win every day. If you live like that, the results will follow on the weekend." This philosophy has guided him through every stage of his career. How much longer can he continue?
His current contract expires at the end of the season, but the same situation existed last year and the year before. Carvalhal smiles when asked about Moutinho’s future, saying, "We don’t know when he’ll stop because if he keeps playing at this level, age becomes irrelevant. It’s all about performance and how he manages himself, and he does it brilliantly. Some players reach 40, but not at Moutinho’s level.
If he repeats another season like last year, I believe he’ll keep going." Braga’s upcoming match against Estrela on Thursday, followed by a European fixture in Copenhagen after a game against his former club Sporting, will likely see Moutinho ready and fit. As Carvalhal puts it, "It’s unbelievable, something unique."