Bought by Club Atlético de Madrid last summer but immediately despatched on loan to domestic rivals Real Zaragoza, Rúben Micael came to prominence as a goalscoring midfielder for CD Nacional in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League before joining FC Porto and winning that competition the following season.

• A native Madeiran, he left CF União in 2008 when he moved across the island to join top-flight Nacional – proved a worthy acquisition in his debut Liga campaign, which ended with the club's highest finish (fourth) and UEFA Europa League qualification.

• Took to European football with aplomb, scoring in both legs of a play-off tie against FC Zenit St Petersburg and adding five more goals in the group stage – one apiece against Athletic Club and SV Werder Bremen and three in the two games versus FK Austria Wien.

• Left Nacional for mainland Portugal in January 2010, joining Porto in a €3m deal on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

• Scored twice on his international debut, a 2-0 friendly victory against Finland in March 2011.

• Sporadically involved as Porto reached the 2011 UEFA Europa League final – for which he was an unused substitute – and left the club three months later when he moved, along with prolific team-mate Falcao, to Atlético.

UEFA honours
UEFA Europa League: winner 2011