João Moutinho’s first competitive appearance of the new campaign arrived in late July, when Braga travelled to Serbia to face Zeležničar Pančevo in a UEFA Conference League qualifying match. 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. He completed the full 90 minutes in the away leg of the tie against Dinamo Minsk in Bulgaria, then repeated the feat on the road against Austria Vienna, and a few days later he again played the entire match as Braga secured a Derby do Minho victory over Vitória de Guimarães.
Moutinho turned 40 on September 8, and by that point he was already nine games into yet another season, having finished his most recent outing as a thirty‑something away to Alverca on a Saturday – a match Braga won, with Moutinho on the pitch for the whole duration, as expected. The midfielder crossed the 1,000‑appearance milestone back in 2024 and has now logged at least 25 matches for Braga in 23 successive seasons. Last campaign he featured in 56 games, marking the seventh occasion he has topped the 50‑match threshold in a single season. Such durability is rare, especially for a player who has already collected a European Championship with Portugal, domestic titles in France and Portugal, and a reputation as perhaps Wolverhampton Wanderers’ greatest Premier League talent during his five‑year spell in England.
What makes his longevity so extraordinary? Braga is already the fifth club for which he has accumulated a century of appearances, and he may soon become the fourth club where he reaches the 200‑match mark. The clues to his endurance appeared early.
During a visit to the Wolves training ground, a reporter observed that while most of the squad had left the facilities, Moutinho was still in the recovery pool, taking an ice bath and receiving a massage. He explained calmly, “I enjoy playing more than training, so I make sure I stay fit to play.” His routine is straightforward yet disciplined: “I do what I have to do to stay fit. I train properly, I eat well, I stay hydrated with water and sports drinks, and I rest when I need to. I treat every training session as if it were my first day.
These are small things, but they add up.” For Moutinho, such habits are as natural as breathing. In addition to recovery, he spends considerable time in the gym focusing on injury‑prevention work.
“You have to believe in this work. It’s not enough to do it because you’re told to. You need to understand that these exercises protect your body and give you an extra edge that translates onto the pitch,” he said. Former coach Carlos Carvalhal, who first worked with Moutinho at Sporting and later reunited with him at Braga fourteen years later, can attest to the midfielder’s resilience.
“I can’t recall a single serious injury,” Carvalhal told Sky Sports. “He knows his body inside out and respects its limits.” Yet when it comes to his footballing intellect, those limits are virtually non‑existent. Carvalhal likened Moutinho’s on‑field awareness to an internal GPS, noting that even as a youngster he acted as a conductor, orchestrating play from wherever he was positioned. Initially an attacking midfielder, Moutinho was redeployed as a number six at Braga – a role deemed more suitable for a player in his thirties.
Despite the positional shift, his understanding of the game remains razor‑sharp. “His touch is still immaculate, his decision‑making is spot‑on,” Carvalhal observed. “Physically, the Portuguese league may be less demanding than the Premier League, but his experience allows him to read the game and position himself perfectly.” Carvalhal praised his ability to anticipate and balance every aspect of play: “He anticipates everything, he balances everything. He was unbelievable, fantastic.” The coach added that even after leaving Braga, he continues to monitor Moutinho’s performances, noting that the midfielder delivered yet another stellar season last year.
While his minutes are now managed more carefully – he often appears as a Thursday night specialist for Braga – Moutinho remains eager to play the full 90 minutes. “It frustrates me when the coach pulls me off after 75 minutes.
I want to be on the field for the whole game,” he admitted. Teammates have long recognised his competitive nature. Ruben Neves once described him as the most competitive person he had ever met. When confronted with that comment at Wolves, Moutinho replied, “Years ago I would even avoid my family after a defeat.” His mindset is crystal clear: “I don’t like to lose, no matter the sport – football, tennis, even 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 play at all. You need something that moves you, that inspires you.” He believes that a winning mentality fuels the spirit: “If you approach every day with that attitude, you’ll naturally be winning on the weekend.” How much longer can he maintain this level?
His current contract expires at the end of the season, a situation that has repeated for the past two years. Carvalhal smiles when asked about Moutinho’s retirement: “We don’t know when he’ll stop, because if he keeps playing at this level, age becomes irrelevant.” He added, “It’s about performance and how you manage it. He manages it fantastically.
Some players reach 40, but not at Moutinho’s standard. If he repeats another season like last year, I believe he’ll keep going.” Braga’s upcoming fixture is against Estrela on Thursday, followed by a European clash in Copenhagen the next month, shortly after a match against one of Moutinho’s former clubs, Sporting. History suggests he will be fit and ready, embodying a rare blend of longevity, professionalism, and passion that few footballers ever achieve.
"It’s unbelievable, something unique," Carvalhal concluded.