Vitória do it again! Scouting report on Diogo Sousa, the latest gem out of Guimarães | OneFootball

Diogo Sousa celebrates scoring against Estrela da Amadora at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques

Vitória Sport Clube is one of the most emblematic clubs in Portuguese football with intense supporters, a town fully behind the team, and over the last five years, a club consistently developing young talent.

Today’s focus is on one of the newest academy products, but he is by no means the only young player making a splash in recent times. In the footsteps of players like André Almeida, Dani Silva and Tomás Händel, this season it is Diogo Sousa enjoying a fantastic breakthrough campaign.

At just 20 years old, he has already featured in 19 matches for the first team, contributing one goal and one assist, but his impact goes beyond the numbers.

Tactical role and playing style

Under coach Luís Pinto, Vitória operate in a 4-2-3-1 system. Diogo typically plays on the left side of the midfield double pivot.

In possession, he frequently drops deep to receive from the centre-backs and initiate build-up play. As Vitória progress into the second phase, either higher up the pitch or during transitional moments, Diogo has the freedom to carry the ball forward, using his driving ability to break opposition lines.

Defensively, within Luís Pinto’s structure, his role is demanding. Vitória looks to press high initially, and Diogo plays an active part in that first moment. If the press is bypassed, the team drops into a medium-to-low block, where his responsibility is to support Beni in controlling central zones and preventing direct access to the opposition striker.

Strengths

Diogo Sousa’s overall technical level is very strong.

When space opens ahead of him, he can drive forward with purpose. In 1v1 situations, he is intelligent and composed enough to overcome opponents.

What truly makes him stand out, however, is his timing in offensive moments. He has the capacity to release the ball at the right moment when he’s able to have an opponent pinned or unbalanced accelerating the attack.

Another key aspect of his game is confidence. He is always connected to the match, constantly available to receive under pressure, even in difficult environments. Recent matches against Braga, including the League Cup final and the away fixture at Braga, were clear examples of this maturity.

Without the ball, his physical output is notable. He presses aggressively in the opposition half and, in more physical encounters, has shown the ability to regain possession even against stronger opponents.

Points to Improve

The most obvious area for improvement in Diogo’s game is his positioning without the ball.

When the high press fails or Vitória is forced into a deeper block, he can sometimes be dragged away from central areas, leaving space in the half-spaces, particularly between the left centre-back, left-back, and his own position as the left-sided central midfielder.

This issue is accentuated by Luís Pinto’s setup, where neither Diogo nor Beni operates as a clear, traditional defensive midfielder. In a system with a more defined number 6 during defensive phases, this weakness would likely be less exposed.

Similar players in the league / conclusion

What makes Diogo Sousa special is his potential.

Looking at the midfielders produced by Vitória’s academy in recent seasons, Diogo arguably combines some of the best traits of several of them. Even if he has not yet fully expressed all of those qualities. The capacity is clearly there.

At present, his role sits somewhere between a number 6 and a number 8. However, given his ball-carrying ability and willingness to arrive near the opposition box, in a more advanced or free midfield role he could produce higher numbers in goals and assists.

One statistic that underlines his potential in offensive contribution: he averages 7.59 passes in the final third per 90 minutes, placing him in the 81st percentile in the league.

It is difficult to find a direct comparison in the league given that he has only 19 senior appearances so far. However, purely in terms of potential and role interpretation, he could evolve into something similar to what Victor Froholdt represents at FC Porto.

For Vitória fans, the hope is that Diogo stays longer than previous academy graduates. It would be a shame to see another high-potential midfielder leave one of Portugal’s most historic clubs for peripheral leagues abroad.