Tiago César Moreira Pereira (born 4 July 1975), known simply as Tiago (), is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 282 matches and six goals over 12 seasons, mainly in representation of União de Leiria (five years) and Boavista (three). He started and ended his extensive career with Trofense.
Born in Trofa, Porto District, tough-tackling Tiago started his professional career with F.C. Famalicão in 1993. He went on to represent in his country C.S. MarÃÂtimo, S.L. Benfica, U.D. Leiria, FC Porto (he won the 2002âÂÂ03 UEFA Cup with the club while totalling 32 appearances in all competitions that season to claim a treble, and finished the following campaign on loan with Leiria) and Boavista FC.
In July 2007, the 32-year-old Tiago returned to União Leiria. Two years later, after being instrumental in their return to the Primeira Liga after one year out, only missing one game, he joined another team in the Segunda Liga, C.D. Trofense, which had just moved in the opposite direction. He remained in the second tier of Portuguese football with the latter side for several seasons, retiring at the age of 40.
Tiago also had abroad stints with Rayo Vallecano (1998âÂÂ99) and CD Tenerife (1999âÂÂ2000, both in the Spanish Segunda División), helping the Madrid club promote to La Liga by scoring once in the 4âÂÂ0 aggregate win against CF Extremadura in the playoffs, 2âÂÂ0 in the final leg.
Porto
União Leiria