Hugo Moura becomes Diniz’s joker, set to break historic record at Vasco | OneFootball

Vasco’s 2025 squad has many uncertainties on the field, but one certainty: Hugo Moura will play. Whether as a defensive midfielder or a center-back, the 27-year-old athlete has become a key piece of the squad and is very close to reaching the season with the most games of his entire career.

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Hugo Moura in action for Vasco in the Brasileirão — Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

So far, Hugo has participated in 45 out of 49 matches for Cruzmaltino this year, starting in 40 of them. He shares the title of most-used player in the squad with goalkeeper Léo Jardim. He only missed games when he was suspended (against Melgar and Bragantino) or during preseason, when he missed the first two Carioca matches.

The player’s personal record was in 2023, with Athletico, when he played 48 times. Now, he has a great chance of surpassing that mark wearing Vasco’s jersey.

In addition to his consistency, Hugo is also among the leaders in minutes played in the squad: he has already logged 3,881 minutes, trailing only Léo Jardim (4,445), Vegetti (4,130), and Lucas Piton (4,047).

From midfielder to center-back

In his second year at São Januário, Hugo Moura went through an important transition: he started being used in defense. The change was solidified five rounds ago, since the historic thrashing of Santos, when coach Fernando Diniz moved him back for good.

The improvisation became a solution amid the crisis in defense, with the departures of João Victor and Luiz Gustavo and the limited use of Maurício Lemos and Lucas Oliveira.

– It’s very important to feel the trust that Diniz has been placing in me. Since I started getting opportunities as a center-back only recently, it’s a gradual process. But I feel like I’m improving with every match and every training session. I will always give my best to help the club — said Hugo, in an interview with ge.

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Hugo Moura, Vasco player, during the match against Gremio at São Januário stadium for the 2025 Brazilian Championship A. – Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

What’s next

With the arrivals of Robert Renan and Carlos Cuesta, and the serious injury to Jair (who will only return in 2026), the tendency is for Hugo Moura to return to being deployed as a defensive midfielder.

Meanwhile, the squad is preparing for the next challenge: the derby against Botafogo, on the 11th, for the second leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.