He began the following campaign as starter, but injury to him[5] as well as Moreira saw Marcelo Moretto being signed during the winter break, controversially earning a place in the starting eleven.

[12] At the end of June 2010, however, the 34-year-old was released, returning to first professional club Braga on a three-year deal,[13] but spent his first year on the sidelines nursing an achilles tendon injury.

[16] After Beto left for Sevilla FC in January 2013[17] Quim was reinstated as the starter, one of his first appearances being a 0–0 home draw with his former side Benfica in the League Cup semi-finals, won in a penalty shootout.

[18] Manager José Peseiro also selected him for the competition's decider against Porto, where a penalty by Alan signified the game's only goal and Braga's first trophy win in 47 years.

[24] In the following season, Quim faced stiff competition from newly signed Adriano Facchini in the league,[25] but the 42-year-old started in the club's victorious run in the Taça de Portugal, which marked its first major conquest in 87 years of history.

[31] After representing his country at every level from the under-16s upwards, and winning the UEFA European Under-19 Championship (then under-18) in 1994,[32] Quim made his senior debut in August 1999 in a 4–0 victory over Andorra, after which he was Portugal's third-choice at UEFA Euro 2000,[33] enjoying a short cameo as a substitute in the 3–0 win against Germany in the group stage's final round[34] before establishing himself as number one in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

He was originally named in the squad for Euro 2008 but suffered a wrist injury the day before their first game, ruling him out of the tournament – he was replaced by Porto's Nuno.