Hélder Barbosa

Braga On 2 July 2010, after helping Setúbal avoid top-flight relegation, Barbosa was released by Porto, signing a three-year contract with S.C. Braga. Rarely used in the first months, he began gaining more playing time after the January 2011 departure of Matheus, who left for a team in Ukraine, and contributed four league goals in an eventual fourth-place finish.

In less than one month, starting on 25 August 2011, Barbosa scored in four consecutive games for Braga, including one goal in a 3–1 home victory over Gil Vicente F.C. and two at Birmingham City in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, in another 3–1 win. The following 14 February, he was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 0–2 home loss to Beşiktaş J.K. for the Europa League round-of-32, after diving in the penalty area.

Barbosa was loaned to La Liga side UD Almería on 28 August 2013. He netted his only goal for the Andalusians on 11 January 2014, but in a 6–1 away defeat against Athletic Bilbao.

AEK Athens On 31 July 2014, Barbosa signed a three-year deal with AEK Athens F.C. on a free transfer. He scored five goals in 26 appearances in his debut season, helping the club return to the Super League Greece after a two-year absence.

Later years On 24 August 2016, Barbosa joined Al-Wasl F.C. from the UAE Arabian Gulf League on a three-year contract for a transfer fee of €750.000, earning €600.000 per year. The following summer, he moved to the Süper Lig with Akhisarspor after agreeing to a two-year deal. On 10 May 2018, both he and countryman Miguel Lopes scored as the latter club beat Fenerbahçe S.K. 3–2 in the final of the Turkish Cup, for its first-ever major trophy.

Barbosa continued in Turkey in the 2019–20 season, signing with Hatayspor of the TFF First League. The 33-year-old returned to the Greek top tier on 14 January 2021, on a one-and-a-half-year contract at Panetolikos FC.

On 18 November 2022, Barbosa returned to his country for the first time in nine years, signing for Varzim S.C. until the end of the Liga 3 season. In January 2024, he announced his retirement.

International career Barbosa made his debut for Portugal on 14 November 2012 in a friendly with Gabon, playing the last 11 minutes of the 2–2 draw in Libreville after coming on as a substitute for Braga teammate Custódio.

Career statistics

Honours Porto Primeira Liga: 2005–06, 2007–08

Braga Taça da Liga: 2012–13

AEK Athens Greek Football Cup: 2015–16 Football League (Greece): 2014–15 (South Group)

Akhisarspor Turkish Cup: 2017–18 Turkish Super Cup: 2018