Fabio Vieira Untold: Disobeyed His Dad, Rejected Transfer as a Boy

In a nutshell, this article delves into the complete history of Fabio Vieira, a footballer who boldly decided from a young age to have no Plan B in life. He defied his father’s wishes for the love of football. We’ll narrate the journey of this skilled player known as T-Bag, a nickname earned due to his resemblance to a character from the TV series Prison Break.

Fabio Vieira, an FC Porto supporter, learned the game of football from his grandfather. At just eight years old, he boldly answered a phone call meant for his father to reject a football transfer offer—an early sign of his determination to follow his passion.

Our article tells the story of a young boy who envisioned his future at the age of seven. Fabio confidently declared to his parents that he would play for FC Porto. Not stopping there, he sternly warned them not to make any backup plans for him. Even at such a tender age, Fabio displayed unwavering self-belief in his football destiny.

This article goes beyond Fabio’s career stats to delve into his detailed biography, offering insights into his childhood story, early life, and his parents—Paula Vieira (mother) and Carlos Vítor Vieira (father)—along with details about his family background. It also covers aspects such as his girlfriend (Carina Raquel), cousin (Mara Vieira), paternal grandfather, and more. Now, let’s delve into the meat and potatoes of Fabio’s story.

Preamble:

This version of Fabio Vieira’s biography starts by outlining significant events from his childhood and early life. It then explores how growth issues impacted his unpopular early teenage years and details how he overcame health challenges to emerge not only as a leader but also as one of the most talented midfielders of his generation.

To pique your interest in Fabio Vieira’s compelling biography, we’ve included glimpses into his early life and rise through a gallery of key moments. From T-Bag’s memorable boyhood days to moments of stagnation and his remarkable rise, Fabio Vieira has truly navigated a remarkable journey in his career.

Do you know that the speed of Arsenal’s move to complete his transfer took even some of their staff by surprise? Again, Fabio’s surname (Vieira) remembers us of a Gunner’s Legend. Football Experts describe him as a creative midfielder with the intelligence of a wise old man.

Just like Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, everyone knows he plays a beautiful brand of football. However, not many football lovers have read an in-depth version of Fabio Vieira’s Biography.

So we have prepared this article to satisfy your search intent on the midfielder. Without using further of your time, let’s begin with the story of Fabio Vieira’s early life.

Fabio Vieira Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the nickname ‘T-Bag’. And his full name are Fábio Daniel Ferreira Vieira. The Portuguese footballer was born on the 30th day of May 2000 to his Mother, Paula Vieira, and Father, Carlos Vítor Vieira in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal.

The Portuguese attacking midfielder came to the world as the only child of his Dad and Mum. Now, let’s introduce you to one of Fabio Vieira’s Parents – his Mother, Paula Vieira.

She (who never gave her son riches) remains one of his pillars. And life for Fabio began with waking up and loving Paula’s face.

Growing-Up:

As a child, Fabio Vieira exhibited extroverted tendencies. He grew up in the Portuguese town of Santa Maria da Feira with the logic of being a responsible boy.

Fabio, as a kid, always had a playful side. He was a happy kid, very intelligent and always willing to play with friends in his Argoncilhe neighbourhood.

Fabio, being the only child of his parents (Carlos and Paula), never felt boredom in his early years.

Apart from his friends outside, he got very close to a particular member of his family. That person is Fabio Vieira’s grandfather, a man who first taught him how to play football.

The midfielder joins the likes of Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimarães, whose Granddads helped lay their career foundations.

Another member of Fabio Vieira’s relatives who played an instrumental role is his cousin, Mara Vieira. The good thing is, this cousin of Fabio later became a youth football coach with FC Porto. Mara Vieira coached at FC Porto as well as looking after his little niece.

Fabio Vieira’s Early Life:

The death of his Granddad, a man who laid the foundation of his football career, touched his life. At a time Fabio needed his grandfather the most, the old man left the world, no thanks to an oncological disease.

Still surrounded by football, Fábio continued to look up to his cousin Mara, who was the best example in his family to follow in terms of football.

Mara Vieira, Fabio cousin, was once a footballer who played futsal. Just maybe you didn’t know; Futsal is a football-based game which is played on a smaller hard court instead of a football pitch. During Fabio Vieira’s boyhood years, he played futsal a lot with his cousin – even inside his family home.

Young Fabio grew up to become a football lover, a boy with no alternative plan in life. One day, Fabio Vieira’s parents had their son telling them about his life’s ambition.

He said that if football didn’t work, there was absolutely nothing he would be in life. The seven-year-old told his Dad and Mum that he would dedicate himself 100% to the sport.

Fabio Vieira Family Background:

Regarding what his parents do for a living, we’ll first start with the occupation of Paula Vieira, his Mum. Fabio Vieira’s Mother is a maid who specializes in domestic services.

On the other hand, Fabio Vieira’s father is a construction worker. He is a man with vast experience in performing tasks that often involve physical labour on construction sites.

Fabio Vieira’s parents weren’t wealthy, though they were able to fend for their only child. The photo below shows the childhood home of the Portuguese professional footballer.

Paula Vieira, her husband, together with their son Fabio, once lived in this building. It is located in Argoncilhe, a Portuguese civil parish in the famous municipality of Santa Maria da Feira.

Throughout his academy football years, Fabio still lived with his parents inside that building in Argoncilhe.

The look of where Fabio lived with his parents (as a child) tells you a lot about his humble beginnings. Speaking of Fabio Vieira’s parents’ participation in the sport, Paula Vieira was less of a football lover than her husband, Carlos.

Fabio Vieira Family Origin:

Starting off, the footballer holds a Portuguese nationality. Asides from being Portuguese, you can call Fabio an Argoncillian.

By implication, both of Fabio Vieira’s Parents are natives of Argoncilhe. As observed from the map below, his hometown is just a 24-minute drive (21.4 km) from Porto (which is the second-largest city in Portugal).

Geolocational findings were made to know the street Fabio Vieira’s parents once lived in. It reveals – the Aveiro District of Argoncilhe, in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal.

Do you know?… Fabio joins the likes of Sergio Oliveira and Ruben Neves, who have Santa Maria da Feira family origins.

Fabio Vieira Ethnicity:

Portugal, his country of origin, is very much a homogeneous nation. Ethnically, Fabio Vieira belongs to the Portuguese people ethnic group, which forms around 95% of the total population in the country.

In other words, the athlete belongs to the ethnic group that is indigenous to Portugal.

Fabio Vieira Education:

The footballer attended Carvalhal Elementary School in Argoncilhe, Santa Maria da Feira. Find below a photo of Fabio Vieira’s school, which he attended from Kindergarten ages.

It was in this school (Carvalhal Kindergarten) that the dragon boy was raised – from the age of three to six years old.

Dona Inês, was Fabio Vieira’s kindergarten teacher.

In those days at school, she described him as a “loving” child who already had the spirit of a leader. Graça Marques (a teaching assistant at the Carvalhal Primary School) also contributed to Fabio’s upbringing.

Here is a photo of the two teachers, Inês and Graça, at the door of the kindergarten he attended.

While at school, Fabio Vieira was very respected, especially for the way he played soccer. He was a good student who had his parents (especially his Mum, Paula) always following up on his studies.

Fabio wasn’t the most rebellious in school, but he was a bit of a slacker. And a master of avoiding school classwork all in the name of playing football.

Career Buildup:

Fabio Vieira’s first academy is Casa do FC Porto de Argoncilhe and not FC Porto. Joaquim Avelar, the president of the club, is a neighbour to him and a close friend of Fábio Vieira’s parents (Paula and Carlos). The man (pictured here) had always known Fabio to be a spectacular and humble kid.

Back then, the environment where Fabio Vieira’s parents lived was always good for playing football.

And he doesn’t have to cross dangerous roads to play the game just like Fabio Carvalho did, which almost caused his death as a boy (as explained in his Biography).

From the age of seven, there were signs that little Fabio would go far in his football ambitions. The boy (himself) knew about his natural talent.

This is the reason why Fabio warned (Paula) his mother that there would never be a Plan B. Plan B here was more about using his educational qualification to get a job.

Fabio had a smooth journey from the school’s dirt yard of Carvalhal to Casa do FC, then to another academy, and finally to FC Porto.

As luck would have it, little Fabio wasn’t the only member of the Vieira family who joined FC Porto. His cousin (Mara) got employment as a youth coach at the same time Fabio joined the club’s academy.

Fabio Vieira Biography – How FC Porto found him:

Before joining FC Porto Academy, the youngster played briefly for C.D. Feirense. Fabio Vieira was eight years old when he became their best player in a Mundialito held in Vila Real de Santo António, in the Algarve.

That year (2008), this skinny boy (Fabio Vieira) raised the reputation of this club after he won this honour.

From the very moment that honour was given, the life of the Argoncillian talent changed forever. It was in that tournament that little Fabio started to get noticed by football scouts. Among the scouts it was two people from two different clubs who spoke to Fabio Vieira’s parents about having their son play for them.

After much convincing, Carlos Vieira and his wife (Paula) agreed for the son to join one of those clubs. FC Porto was the last club to convince Fabio Vieira’s parents.

Upon seeing them arrive, Fabio had no doubt that it had to be Porto. This is because it was the only big club he liked since he was little – from the days of Jose Mourinho.

Disobeying his Father after answering his Phone call:

Carlos Vieira, a very busy construction worker, was waiting for a call from one of those clubs. This was just before FC Porto phoned Fabio’s father to find out about his son’s availability.

Fabio Vieira’s Dad wanted to know if his son was actually going to a different club. A club in which he waited for their arranged phone call.

Fabio Vieira’s Dad simply wanted to hurry things up. That day, Carlos left his cell phone on top of the fridge and told Fabio must not to touch it.

He moved out of his family’s home to re-park his car. He told Fabio (AGAIN) not to answer any call if the phone rang.

A smart 8-year-old Fabio knew about the call his Dad was expecting. The youngster knew it would be a call from the football club he didn’t want to go to. So he decided to put up a shocking plan.

The cell phone finally ranged, and little Fabio did the unthinkable. He disobeyed his Dad’s instructions by answering the phone. Fabio heard the voice of the manager of the club asking Carlos if he had decided about his son transferring to them. Immediately, Fabio answered the man with a loud voice, saying,

No, No, I’m going to FC Porto, bye.

Quickly, the disobedient boy turned his father’s cell phone off. Fabio Vieira’s Dad later found out what his son did, a development that made him helpless about the situation.

He noticed his only child was super excited about FC Porto. Because of that and the fact that Mara, his cousin, was about to get a job there, Carlos decided to be patient with Fabio’s FC Porto transfer.

The Road to Fame Story:

Despite being looked after by his cousin (who works with Porto), the only son of Carlos and Paula endured a tough start to life with the club’s academy.

Fabio Vieira (from age eight) was no longer seen as that promising prodigy he once was. And gone are those days when the skinny boy won the hearts of football scouts.

Fabio Vieira (like Erling Haaland) suffered from growth problems in his early teenage years. As observed from the photo below, he was the shortest among his academy teammates. Because he was mostly out of favour with his coaches, some people felt Fabio was no longer destined for stardom.

During those painful years, Fabio Vieira’s parents were always present at the games. Carlos and Paula were always worried about their son’s loss of greatness.

As the rule states, players’ parents were not allowed to approach coaches directly. So, Fabio Vieira’s Dad and Mum had to go through FC Porto’s academy general manager.

At the time of his growth troubles, the Porto youngster wasn’t very dedicated at school, but he was passing his exams.

There was a lot of family support at that time, as Fabio’s parents (Carlos and Paula) did everything possible to bring back their son’s confidence.

Early Porto Rise:

It took almost five years for Fabio to restore both his growth and confidence. In no time, the boy became the leader of his team, leading them to several victories.

Fabio’s first sporting success happened when he led Porto’s juniors to become national champions.

Fabio ended the season in a big way, and he was so proud to win this trophy, which he dedicated to his family. After helping his team become a national champion, Vieira got into a bigger challenge in Europe. That challenge was the 2018–19 UEFA Youth League. A tournament that had the likes of Curtis Jones, Sergino Dest, Ryan Gravenberch (CM), Joshua Zirkzee (CF), Mason Greenwood, etc.

Fabio played the whole nine matches as he (alongside Diogo Costa (GK), Vitinha (CM), etc) helped FC Porto Juniors win the trophy.

The final was against a great Chelsea team of youngsters. That Chelsea youth team contains stars like Marc Guehi, Billy Gilmore, Conor Gallagher, Tarik Lamptey, etc.

Do you know?… Vieira’s team contains Fabio Silva (the former teenage sensation who went on to play for Wolves).

Watch that memorable 2018–19 UEFA Youth League final highlight below. It was a classic match where Fabio Vieira drew the first blood by scoring a great goal.

It was from this moment that Arsenal FC began putting their eyes on the Portuguese midfield sensation.

Fabio Vieira Biography – Success Story:

By leading FC Porto to defeat the Londoners, the son of Paula and Carlos gained his first national and European recognition. From that moment, Fabio’s name got added to the notebooks of Europe’s top talent spotters.

Did you know?… Vieira’s FC Porto team is the first club in Portugal to achieve this historical record of winning the UEFA Youth League.

Aside from lifting the UEFA Youth League triumph, Fabio collected more accolades. This time, it was from Portugal’s national youth team. His name was part of the European under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament.

Arsenal FC’s interest in the midfielder intensified after he finished strong in the European Under-21 Championship. Fabio finished strong (reaching the finals) in a team that had the likes of Diogo Dalot, Gedson Fernandes, Florentino Luís, Rafael Leão, etc.

However, they narrowly lost to Germany. That German youth team had star names like Florian Wirtz (AM), Nico Schlotterbeck (CB), Karim Adeyemi (LW), etc.

Despite losing to Germany, Fabio Vieira received the Player of the Tournament award. The previous winners of this honour include the likes of Juan Mata, Thiago and Andrea Pirlo. By winning this award, Fabio Vieira was announced as a potential international star of the future.

Becoming a Professional Footballer:

Fabio Vieira continued to impress in Porto’s B team before his first-team breakthrough. The rising star of Portuguese football made his senior debut shortly after turning 20.

Finally, a defining moment came when the boy from Argoncilhe entered the Dragon stage for the first time. On that emotional day, Fabio achieved his childhood dream.

There was huge happiness inside Fabio on the day he became a professional footballer. He dedicated his debut to his grandfather, who first taught him how to play football. On that day, Fabio said these words.

Grandpa, wherever you are, you will certainly be proud of me, I managed to give you this happiness.

In fact, from that moment plate number 50 was lifted above, the boy from Argoncilhe reflected on all the academy training, the open wounds, etc.

Most importantly, all of the sacrifices his parents (Carlos and Paula) and Cousin (Mara) made for him. In his early pro football journey, Fabio continued racking up a few cameo appearances in a team that had superstars like Pepe, Otavio, Luis Diaz (LW), Malang Sarr (on loan from Chelsea), etc.

The 2021-21 season was his breakout, where he scored seven goals and made 16 assists. Fabio was among Sérgio Conceição’s Porto side, which completed a domestic double.

When Luis Diaz left for Liverpool FC in January 2022, Fabio Vieira took over as Porto’s main creative force. Arsenal’s manager (Mikel Arteta) kept his eyes on him all along.

When the opportunity came to sign Vieira in the 2022 summer window, Gunner’s Boss didn’t hesitate to sign him – as revealed in a club statement.

Playing in England:

Many Arsenal supporters, after watching the video of Fabio Vieira’s 33 Porto goals and assists below, believed he is a good signing.

They believe he would fit perfectly in a young nucleus of attacking midfielders, including Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe.

On the other hand, some fans think that Arsenal is dangerously gambling that Vieira will fulfil his potential.

These fans see his €35 million acquisition as too much of a substantial stake. In fact, there was fear that Fabio Vieira might just be another Fabio Silva (from Porto) who did not do so well under a Wolves shirt.

Fabio Vieira’s words in his first interview in an Arsenal shirt illustrate the hype around him is legit. The Gunners’ star made his new fans believe he is truly worth the hype.

It is only a matter of time before the promising talent gets proven in a Gunner’s shirt. The rest of Fabio Vieira’s Biography, as we say, is now history.

Carina Raquel – Fabio Vieira’s Girlfriend:

Behind the Portuguese midfielder, there exists a lady of colossal beauty. Her name is Carina Raquel, and she is the proud owner of Fabio’s heart.

Fábio Vieira’s girlfriend is not just a lady of enamoured beauty (both in and out). Carina Raquel has also got great brains. Our findings revealed is an economist and Business scientist.

As you may have noticed from Fabio Vieira’s Girlfriend photo, she oozes confidence in her shape and beauty.

In addition, Carina Raquel is a supportive girlfriend. Judging by the way these two lovebirds are going, it is very likely that Carina will soon be Fabio Vieira’s wife.

Personal Life:

Fabio Vieira’s zodiac sign is Geminis. As observed from his lifestyle facts below, the Baller is someone who is sociable, emotionally communicative and ready for fun.

Another fact about Fabio is that he has a tendency to suddenly get serious. Just like James Justin and Michael Olise, he represents two different personalities, and you can’t be sure which one you’ll face.

Fabio Vieira Lifestyle:

Starting off, the Argoncillian is not the type who fancies displaying luxury cars on social media. Neither does Fabio show off his houses (mansions) nor make self-satisfaction talk about the money he makes in football. These days, Fabio Vieira’s Lifestyle is more centred around enjoying the beautiful moments with Carina Raquel.

When it comes to these two enjoying themselves, Fabio and Carina are no strangers to the most ideal holiday destinations. For these two happy lovebirds, this quiet location is the ideal and perfect place to profess the love they have for each other.

Fabio Vieira Family Life:

No matter how far the game takes him, Daniel Ferreira (his other name) is someone who doesn’t forget the people that helped him grow up.

Fabio Vieira’s parents gave him the most support to pursue his career goals. This section of our Bio tells you more about Carlos and Paula Vieira.

Fabio Vieira’s Father:

Carlos Vítor Vieira got connected more to football at the time Fabio began making headways with FC Porto Academy.

The proud Dad lost many hours in his construction work (both day and night) in order to take his son to games. Fabio owes his Dad a lot, a man whom he regards as one of the important pillars of his life.

These days, Carlos Vieira ceases to be an expert in the Portuguese construction industry. This is because of the need to manage some aspects of his son’s career. Gestifute – the agency that manages Bernardo Silva (AM), Ruben Dias (CB), Darwin Nunez (CF), etc., works closely with Carlos Vieira as regards seeing the affairs of his son’s career.

Fabio Vieira’s Mother:

From the moment Paula’s son warned her about not having a Plan B, she knew destiny was at play. Since then, Fabio Vieira’s Mum has followed her son everywhere football takes him to. Here is Paula Vieira, together with her son, after he won his first national trophy for FC Porto.

About Fabio Vieira’s Grandfather:

Although dead and buried, his grandson would forever adore him. In Fabio Vieira’s family, his Grandfather is arguably the first footballer. Fabio’s biological Dad (Carlos) never played football. His Grandfather (who died of oncological disease) played with Águias de Pereira, a team that played in Portugal’s regional championships.

Fabio Vieira’s paternal Grandfather was a staunch supporter of Benfica. He liked Fabio very much he promised him that he would go to the Dragão to see him to play when he becomes a professional. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen because his granddad died. That’s why Fabio became very emotional on the day of his debut.

About Fabio Vieira’s Relatives – Cousin:

Mara is more than a cousin, but a Big brother who helped him grow up and also gave him that logic of responsibility. Aside from his grandfather, Fábio looked up to his cousin Mara as a good example to follow in his career.

After working with FC Porto for twelve years, Fabio Vieira’s cousin (Mara) left the job. He moved to Valadares and became free from the enormous responsibility of training and mentoring a close family member.

Untold Facts:

Rounding up Fabio Vieira’s Biography, we’ll use this section to tell you facts about the Argoncillian native. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Is Fabio Vieira related to T-Bag?

Although they may have a slight resemblance, Fabio Vieira is not related to Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell. “T-Bag” as Prison Break series lovers know him as, is a character played by Robert Knepper. Nuno Tavares brought the hilarious lookalike claim after he welcomed Fabio Vieira to Arsenal.

He is the second person after Jorge Couto:

Fabio Vieira is the second person with Argoncillian family origins who made it to the A team of FC Porto. The first person on this short list is Jorge Couto [in 1989].

Fabio Vieira’s family and members of his village had to wait for 31 years (after Jorge Couto) to see another of their own with the FC Porto senior team.

Sleeping problems before his Debut:

Before he entered Estádio do Dragão as a senior player, Fabio experienced this persistent surge of adrenaline.

A night before that day, he slept around 3 am, as revealed by his mother, Paula Vieira (via O JOGO). Throughout that night and on the next day, Fabio’s head was filled with the memories of his grandfather, now deceased.

Fabio Vieira’s Net Worth:

As of 2022, the figure is approximately 2.5 million pounds. Sources of his wealth come from the salary he earns as a footballer, as well as his bonuses and endorsement deals. To get a true picture of Arsenal squad wages from TheSun.

Fabio Vieira Salary to the Average Citizen:

The average income earner in London makes around £60,921 every year. Did you know?… such a person would need 21 years and two months to make Fabio Vieira’s annual salary with Arsenal.

Fabio Vieira FIFA:

From his game statistics, we notice he is just like Nikola Vlasic (AM), Phil Foden (RW), Harvey Elliott (CM) and Dominik Szoboszlai (CM). Apart from defending, Fabio (at age 21) lacked only four things in football. These four things he lacks include jumping, heading accuracy, strength and interception stats.

Fabio Vieira FIFA:

The midfielder’s middle name, “Daniel”, is an indication that he is likely to be a Christian. In fact, our odds are in favour of Fabio Vieira’s family being catholic. The Roman Catholic is the Christian religious domination of a vast majority (81%) of Portuguese people.

EndNote:

Fabio Vieira bears the nickname ‘T-Bag’. The Portuguese attacking midfielder was born on the 30th day of May 2000 to his Mother, Paula Vieira, and Father, Carlos Vítor Vieira. Fabio was born as the only child of his parents. His birth place is Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal.

Argoncilhe (a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Santa Maria da Feira) is where Fabio Vieira’s family comes from. The midfielder grew up in a middle-class household. Paula Vieira (his Mum) was once a maid. On the other hand, Fabio Vieira’s Dad (Carlos Vítor Vieira) was once a construction worker.

Fabio Vieira’s girlfriend, Carina Raquel, is a graduate of Business Science. The paternal Granddad of Fabio Vieira (a hard-core Benfica fan) gave him his first football lessons. Sadly, he died of an oncological disease and couldn’t live to see Fabio become a professional. In the absence of his granddad, Fabio relied on his cousin (Mara Vieira) for his career guidance.

Regarding Fabio Vieira’s education, he is a graduate of Carvalhal Elementary School located in Argoncilhe. The Arsenal footballer attended the school from kindergarten ages. Young Fabio began playing football with a local team; Casa do FC Porto de Argoncilhe, located in the neighbourhood where his family lived.

The son of Paula was eight years old when he became the best player in a Mundialito held in Vila Real de Santo António. Thanks to that honour, Fabio got into the books of FC Porto. Winning the UEFA Youth League with FC Porto, alongside other honours with the club’s senior side, brought him fame. On 17 June 2022, Arsenal successfully gained his services.

Appreciation Note:

Esteemed football lovers, thank you for spending your quality time in reading our version of Fabio Vieira’s Biography. Our team of writers strive for accuracy and fairness in our routine of delivering you the European Football Stories.

Fabio, in this case, is part of our Portuguese footballer’s archive collection. Stay tuned for more football stories from Portugal. The Life History of Goncalo Inacio (CB) and Antonio Silva (CB) will excite you.

Kindly let us know (via comments) if you find anything that wasn’t written right in this Bio. Also, stay tuned for more of this page’s related Football Stories. On a final note, we would like to hear your views on Fabio Vieira and his amazing biography story.