# João Amaral (footballer, born 1991)

João Pedro Reis Amaral (born 7 September 1991) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Saudi club Al Batin as an attacking midfielder or a winger.

## 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. 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.
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. He scored his first goal in the competition the following weekend to help the hosts defeat F.C. Arouca 2–0, adding a further four until the end of the season – while providing two assists – to help his team finish 12th.

### Benfica and Lech Poznań

On 29 May 2018, Amaral joined Benfica on a three-year contract. Shortly after, on 21 July, he signed a four-year deal with Polish club Lech Poznań. 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.
Amaral returned to his country and its top tier on 2 January 2020, being loaned to F.C. Paços de Ferreira until 30 June. On 26 August, he agreed to a similar move to the same team.
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.

### Later career

Amaral returned abroad subsequently, where he represented Kocaelispor in the TFF 1. Lig and Al Batin FC of the Saudi First Division League.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 31 August 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Mirandela | 2013–14 | Campeonato de Portugal | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 6 |
| Pedras Rubras | 2014–15 | Campeonato de Portugal | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 |
| Pedras Rubras | 2015–16 | Campeonato de Portugal | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 6 |
| Pedras Rubras | Total | Total | 40 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 40 | 7 |
| Oliveirense | 2014–15 | Campeonato de Portugal | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 6 |
| Vitória Setúbal | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 36 | 5 |
| Vitória Setúbal | 2017–18 | Primeira Liga | 33 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 40 | 9 |
| Vitória Setúbal | Total | Total | 66 | 14 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 76 | 14 |
| Lech Poznań | 2018–19 | Ekstraklasa | 25 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 30 | 10 |
| Lech Poznań | 2019–20 | Ekstraklasa | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 3 |
| Lech Poznań | 2021–22 | Ekstraklasa | 32 | 14 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 17 |
| Lech Poznań | 2022–23 | Ekstraklasa | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| Lech Poznań | Total | Total | 93 | 27 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 34 |
| Lech Poznań II | 2019–20 | II liga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Lech Poznań II | 2022–23 | II liga | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 |
| Lech Poznań II | Total | Total | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 |
| Paços Ferreira (loan) | 2019–20 | Primeira Liga | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 1 |
| Paços Ferreira (loan) | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 |
| Paços Ferreira (loan) | Total | Total | 48 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 52 | 2 |
| Kocaelispor | 2023–24 | TFF First League | 33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 4 |
| Al Batin | 2024–25 | Saudi First Division League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 340 | 68 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 379 | 75 |
* 1 2 3 Appearances in Taça da Liga
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, eleven appearances and two goals in UEFA Conference League

## Honours

Lech Poznań
* Ekstraklasa: 2021–22