# João Mário (footballer, born 1993)
**João Mário** (João Mário Naval da Costa Eduardo; born 1993 in Porto) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder, most recently for AEK Athens of Super League Greece, and who was a member of the Portugal squad that won [UEFA Euro 2016](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-euro-2016).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | João Mário Naval da Costa Eduardo[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729) |
| Born | 1993, Porto, Portugal; height 1.79 m; right-footed[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729) • [2](https://www.fpf.pt/pt/Jogadores/Pesquisar-Jogadores-Internacionais/Joao-Mario/contextId/1619469) |
| Position | Attacking midfield; also central midfield and left winger[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729) |
| International career | 56 caps and 3 goals for Portugal; Euro 2016 winner[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729) • [3](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/04/primera/1470321186_043766.html) |
| Record transfer | Inter Milan paid €45 million for him in 2016[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/) |
| Current club | AEK Athens, signed as a free agent on 2 September 2026, contract to 30 June 2028[5](https://www.flashscore.com/player/joao-mario/QLI33Ipl/transfers/) |
| Career output | 73 goals and 62 assists in 504 official matches[6](https://footlab.ai/joueur/206) |
## Youth career and Sporting breakthrough
João Mário began in [FC Porto](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-porto)'s youth setup, which he attended from 2002 to 2004 before moving to [Sporting CP](https://www.edgepedia.org/sporting-cp)'s academy, where he stayed from 2004 to 2012[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729). The [Portuguese Football Federation](https://www.edgepedia.org/portuguese-football-federation)'s Euro 2016 media guide records that he relocated with his brother, the footballer Wilson Eduardo, from Porto to Odivelas for the move, and that he carried the nickname Pantufas (Slippers)[7](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697). On the pitch he progressed through a series of positions, from center-back to defensive midfielder, then central and attacking midfielder, and was also used as a second forward or right-sided midfielder[7](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697).
The 2015/16 season at Sporting was his breakout: 7 goals and 12 assists in 45 games in all competitions, played largely as a right-sided midfielder[7](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697). That form made him one of the leading players in the Portuguese league and drew offers from abroad; Sporting rejected bids of €35 million from [Inter Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/inter-milan) and €40 million from Liverpool in August 2016, according to reporting that cited A Bola[3](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/04/primera/1470321186_043766.html).
## Euro 2016
At UEFA Euro 2016 in France, João Mário was one of the revelations of the Portugal squad under coach [Fernando Santos](https://www.edgepedia.org/fernando-santos-footballer-born-1954). He started six of the seven matches Portugal played in the tournament and accumulated 562 minutes on the pitch[3](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/04/primera/1470321186_043766.html). Portugal won the final against the host nation, giving him a major international title at age 23[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/).
## Inter Milan and the loan years
Inter Milan completed the transfer after the tournament, paying €45 million for the international[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/). The move did not bring continuity: from 2016 to 2021 he made only 69 appearances for Inter and scored 4 goals[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/). During those seasons he sought minutes on loan at West Ham United, Lokomotiv Moscow, and, in a return, Sporting[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/).
## Benfica revival
In July 2021 he rescinded his Inter contract and signed for Benfica as a free agent, with the transfer recorded on 13 July 2021[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/) • [5](https://www.flashscore.com/player/joao-mario/QLI33Ipl/transfers/). His first season was one of adaptation, but in 2022/23 he became the leading scorer of the Portuguese league from midfield. By February 2023 he had 12 goals in 19 league matches, including all 8 penalties he had taken, and analytics from the firm Olocip valued him at 10.15 for the season, ahead of Galeno (8.11) and Taremi (8.0), both of Porto[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/). He also scored 4 goals in that season's Champions League group stage[4](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/).
He left Benfica in September 2024 for Besiktas after three seasons and 149 appearances for the Lisbon club[8](https://www.correiodamanhacanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CMC_04_SEP-2024.pdf).
## Besiktas and AEK Athens
Besiktas signed him from Benfica for a €2.0 million fee on 1 July 2025[5](https://www.flashscore.com/player/joao-mario/QLI33Ipl/transfers/). His spell in Turkey included a loan to AEK Athens beginning 12 September 2025; he returned to Besiktas on 30 June 2026 and then joined AEK permanently as a free agent on 2 September 2026, on a contract running to 30 June 2028[5](https://www.flashscore.com/player/joao-mario/QLI33Ipl/transfers/).
## International record and career totals
Transfermarkt credits him with 56 senior caps and 3 goals for Portugal, and lists him as a former international[1](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729). Across all clubs and the national team, his career record stands at 73 goals and 62 assists in 504 official matches, of which 3 goals came for Portugal[6](https://footlab.ai/joueur/206).
## References
1. [João Mário – Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/joao-mario/profil/spieler/149729)
2. [João Mário, Federação Portuguesa de Futebol player page](https://www.fpf.pt/pt/Jogadores/Pesquisar-Jogadores-Internacionais/Joao-Mario/contextId/1619469)
3. [Pelea Real Madrid-PSG por Joao Mario, según A Bola, AS (4 August 2016)](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/04/primera/1470321186_043766.html)
4. [João Mário: de fracasar en el Inter de Milan a goleador en el Benfica, AS (15 February 2023)](https://as.com/futbol/champions/joao-mario-de-fracasar-en-el-inter-de-milan-a-goleador-en-el-benfica-n/)
5. [Joao Mario Transfers, Flashscore](https://www.flashscore.com/player/joao-mario/QLI33Ipl/transfers/)
6. [João Mário: stats, club, career, Footlab AI](https://footlab.ai/joueur/206)
7. [FPF Media Guide, UEFA EURO 2016](https://www.fpf.pt/Portals/0/FPF_Documents/Media-Guide-AA-Euro-2016.pdf?ver=2016-06-09-165248-697)
8. [Correio da Manhã Canada, 4 September 2024 edition](https://www.correiodamanhacanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CMC_04_SEP-2024.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Portuguese footballers › Midfielders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license