João Amaral (footballer, born 1991)

For other people named João Amaral, see João Amaral (disambiguation).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Reis and the second or paternal family name is Amaral.

João Pedro Reis Amaral (born 7 September 1991) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for TFF 1. Lig club Serik Belediyespor.

João Amaral

Amaral in 2023
Personal information
Full name	João Pedro Reis Amaral[1]
Date of birth	(1991-09-07) 7 September 1991 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth	Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal[1]
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team	Serik Belediyespor
Number	10
Youth career
2003–2009	Vilanovense
2009	Vila
2009–2010	Candal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2012	Candal	63	(14)
2012–2013	Padroense	30	(3)
2013–2014	Mirandela	32	(6)
2014–2016	Pedras Rubras	40	(7)
2015	→ Oliveirense (loan)	21	(6)
2016–2017	Vitória Setúbal	33	(5)
2017–2018	Benfica	0	(0)
2017–2018	→ Vitória Setúbal (loan)	33	(9)
2018–2023	Lech Poznań	93	(27)
2019–2023	Lech Poznań II	4	(2)
2020–2021	→ Paços Ferreira (loan)	48	(2)
2023–2024	Kocaelispor	33	(4)
2024–2025	Al Batin	12	(1)
2025	Politehnica Iași	6	(0)
2025–	Serik Belediyespor	1	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 May 2025

Club career

Vitória Setúbal

Born in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto District, Amaral played lower league and amateur football until the age of 24, working in a wine bottle label factory during this timeframe.^[2] On 6 June 2016, he moved straight into the Primeira Liga after signing a three-year contract with Vitória F.C. from F.C. Pedras Rubras.^[3][4]

Amaral made his debut in the Portuguese top division on 21 August 2016, starting and featuring 64 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against S.L. Benfica.^[5] He scored his first goal in the competition the following weekend to help the hosts defeat F.C. Arouca 2–0,^[6] adding a further four until the end of the season – while providing two assists – to help his team finish 12th.^[7]

Benfica and Lech Poznań

On 29 May 2018, Amaral joined Benfica on a three-year contract.^[8][9] Shortly after, on 21 July, he signed a four-year deal with Polish club Lech Poznań.^[10] He made his debut for the latter five days later, netting in the last minute of the 1–1 away draw against FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.^[11]

Amaral returned to his country and its top tier on 2 January 2020, being loaned to F.C. Paços de Ferreira until 30 June.^[12] On 26 August, he agreed to a similar move to the same team.^[13]

Back at Lech, Amaral scored a career-best 14 goals in the 2021–22 campaign (17 in all competitions, with eight assists), as they won the Ekstraklasa for the eighth time in history.^[14]

Later career

Amaral returned abroad subsequently, where he represented Kocaelispor and Serik Belediyespor in the TFF 1. Lig,^[15][16] Al Batin FC of the Saudi First Division League.^[17][18] and FC Politehnica Iași from the Romanian Liga I.^[19]

Career statistics

As of match played 9 August 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Mirandela	2013–14[20]	Campeonato de Portugal	32	6	0	0	—		—		32	6
Pedras Rubras	2014–15[20]	Campeonato de Portugal	8	1	0	0	—		—		8	1
	2015–16[20]	Campeonato de Portugal	32	6	0	0	—		—		32	6
	Total		40	7	0	0	—		—		40	7
Oliveirense	2014–15[20]	Campeonato de Portugal	21	6	0	0	—		—		21	6
Vitória Setúbal	2016–17[20]	Primeira Liga	33	5	1	0	—		2[b]	0	36	5
Vitória Setúbal (loan)	2017–18[20]	Primeira Liga	33	9	1	0	—		6[b]	0	40	9
	Total		66	14	2	0	—		8	0	76	14
Lech Poznań	2018–19[21]	Ekstraklasa	25	8	2	1	3[c]	1	—		30	10
	2019–20[22]	Ekstraklasa	15	3	2	0	—		—		17	3
	2021–22[23]	Ekstraklasa	32	14	4	3	—		—		36	17
	2022–23[24]	Ekstraklasa	21	2	0	0	13[d]	2	0	0	34	4
	Total		93	27	8	4	16	3	0	0	117	34
Lech Poznań II	2019–20	II liga	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
	2022–23	II liga	3	2	—		—		—		3	2
	Total		4	2	—		—		—		4	2
Paços Ferreira (loan)	2019–20[20]	Primeira Liga	19	1	1	0	—		—		20	1
	2020–21[20]	Primeira Liga	29	1	2	0	—		1[b]	0	32	1
	Total		48	2	3	0	—		1	0	52	2
Kocaelispor	2023–24[20]	TFF 1. Lig	33	4	1	0	—		—		34	4
Al Batin	2024–25[20]	Saudi First Division League	12	1	1	0	—		—		13	1
Politehnica Iași	2024–25[20]	Liga I	6	0	—		—		1[e]	0	7	0
Kocaelispor	2025–26[20]	TFF 1. Lig	1	0	0	0	—		—		1	0
Career total			356	69	15	4	16	3	10	0	397	76

1. Includes Taça da Liga, Polish Cup, Turkish Cup, King's Cup
2. Appearances in Taça da Liga
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, eleven appearances and two goals in UEFA Conference League
5. Appearance in Liga I promotion/relegation play-offs

Honours

Vitória Setúbal

• Taça da Liga runner-up: 2017–18^[20]

Lech Poznań

• Ekstraklasa: 2021–22^[25]
• Polish Cup runner-up: 2021–22^[20]