He excelled in the late 80s and early 90s with Benfica,[1] to where he arrived from the lower leagues, going on to amass Primeira Liga totals of 335 games and 43 goals over 11 seasons (289/44 in official matches with his main club).
Born in Calendário, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Braga District, Paneira started playing professionally with his hometown side F.C.
Benfica, and remained there until the end of the 1994–95 campaign, being an undisputed starter for the vast majority of his spell as he helped the Lisbon club to the Primeira Liga championship three times, adding the 1993 Taça de Portugal.
[6][7] Paneira moved to Vitória S.C. for 1995–96, due to problems with Benfica manager Artur Jorge which was also part of a locker room clean-up – he was team captain when this occurred – and spent four seasons there.
[4] In total, he won 44 caps (42 for Benfica and two for Guimarães) and scored four goals in a seven-year period,[11] playing his last international in another friendly, a 1–0 victory over the Republic of Ireland on 29 May 1996.
Paneira was chosen by António Oliveira for the Lusitanos squad that reached the quarter-finals at UEFA Euro 1996, but was one of the few players that never left the bench.