He led the under-19 team to the semi-finals of the 2018 AFC Championship, qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland where they lost all three games in a group-stage exit.
[3] His team made the Taça de Portugal semi-finals in his first season, losing 5–1 on aggregate to Benfica,[4] and won promotion to the Primeira Liga as champions with four more points than Vizela.
[7] In December 2022, Pinheiro returned to Qatar to lead the senior national team on an interim basis at the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup to be held in Iraq at the start of the new year.
[9] Pinheiro's team won 2–0 against Kuwait on his debut on 7 January,[10] then lost to Bahrain and drew with the United Arab Emirates to advance as group runners-up on goal difference over the Kuwaitis.
[12] On 12 July 2023, Pinheiro was appointed as manager of Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd, replacing Juan Manuel Lillo.