Steven Moreira at FIFA World Cup 2026
Columbus Crew
Primary
Centre-Back
Others
Defender
Steven Moreira is a 31-year-old Cape Verdean centre-back who plays for Columbus Crew. This page covers his profile, personal information, club career, Cape Verde record, transfer value, salary, net worth, playing style, and 2026 World Cup outlook.
Quick Answer
Steven Moreira is a 31-year-old Cape Verde defender for Columbus Crew.
He is primarily used as a centre-back, with cover across defender.
His current club contract runs through 31 December 2026.
His reported weekly salary is ~$12,000, and his estimated net worth is ~$3 million.
Early Life and Background
Steven Moreira's early football path matters because Cape Verde's squad is built from island roots, Portuguese football ties, European academies, and diaspora pathways. Rennes, Toulouse, Lorient, and Columbus shaped a defender who brought French youth pedigree into Cape Verde's senior team.
That route shaped the current version of his game. Defenders become tournament options when coaches trust their spacing, body shape, and first pass against stronger opponents. Cape Verde need that development to show up in short tournament windows, where one role mistake can change a match.
Birthplace, family, and youth football journey
Birthplace and youth football context explain more than a date line for Steven Moreira. Cape Verde players often build senior value by handling different leagues, travel demands, and tactical jobs before the national team relies on them.
Family support, early coaching, and weekly competition shape habits that remain visible at senior level: first touch, body position, scanning, recovery runs, and response after mistakes. Those habits matter when Cape Verde ask him to face stronger teams in the 2026 World Cup.
Steven Moreira Personal Info and Profile
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Steven Moreira |
| Date of birth | 13 August 1994 |
| Age | 31 |
| Nationality | Cape Verde |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 165 lbs (75 kg) |
| Position | Defender |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Current club | Columbus Crew |
| Jersey number | 22 |
| Weekly salary | ~$12,000 |
| Estimated net worth | ~$3 million |
| Contract end | 31 December 2026 |
| Transfer value | €720k |
Steven Moreira's profile starts with fixed football details: age 31, Cape Verde nationality, centre-back role, current club Columbus Crew, and market value €720k. Those fields help readers separate public profile data from selection debates that can change during a tournament year.
The salary and net worth fields use public estimates, while the football section gives more weight to club rhythm, Cape Verde caps, position, and the role he can perform in 2026.
Steven Moreira Club Career
Early clubs and development
Steven Moreira's early club career built the base for his Cape Verde case. The first senior steps gave him match responsibility, while later moves tested whether his strongest traits could travel into faster and more tactical football.
That development arc matters because Cape Verde need players who can adapt. A player who has handled different coaches, leagues, and dressing rooms gives the staff evidence that his game can survive a tournament opponent changing the rhythm.
Current club and recent form
Columbus Crew is the club setting that now frames Steven Moreira's 2026 preparation path. Cape Verde need players arriving from real weekly pressure, with a role that keeps their core actions sharp.
As a defender, he must bring duel work, recovery runs, aerial defending, line control, and simple passing from the back. Club form does not guarantee a Cape Verde role, but it gives the staff a live picture of timing, fitness, and decision-making.
Cape Verde's World Cup squad will need clear jobs around the headline names. Steven Moreira strengthens his case when he makes his zone reliable and gives the team a role that works against more than one type of opponent.
Steven Moreira - Stats and Performance
| Season | Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Columbus Crew | 20 | 0 | 5 |
Steven Moreira's stats need to be read through his job rather than one headline number. Defensive tables miss much of the job. Appearances, role stability, and the ability to defend space explain more than goals.
The club table gives readers a quick view of his current minutes and output. Cape Verde also judge pressing choices, defensive recovery, spacing, and decision speed, so the numbers work best as a base layer rather than a full report.
Steven Moreira has 11 senior Cape Verde caps and 0 goals in the profile data used here. That record shows whether he already owns tournament trust or still needs club form to push him toward a stronger 2026 role.
International Career
Caps, goals, and major tournaments
Steven Moreira's Cape Verde career now sits inside the country's first World Cup qualification story. Every position carries a different standard because the squad must prepare for opponents with deeper tournament history.
His senior record lists 11 caps and 0 goals. Those numbers matter because they show how much trust he has already earned in competitive windows and friendly camps.
Cape Verde need role clarity. Steven Moreira can help if his club form keeps matching the job the national team need from him: duel work, recovery runs, aerial defending, line control, and simple passing from the back.
| National team | Caps | Goals | Tournament involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde | 11 | 0 | Senior Cape Verde player in the 2026 World Cup preparation path |
World Cup Record by Tournament
| Year | Host | Matches | Goals | Assists | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | USA / Canada / Mexico | 0 | 0 | 0 | World Cup debut - upcoming |
Steven Moreira does not have a previous senior World Cup appearance because Cape Verde are preparing for a first tournament at this level. The 2026 row stays forward-looking until final squad selection and minutes are confirmed by matches.
First-time World Cup players can still matter. Cape Verde need energy, role discipline, and current club form around the experienced core.
Honours and Trophies
| Trophy | Times Won | Years |
|---|---|---|
| MLS Cup | 1 | (2023) |
Steven Moreira's honours record gives useful context for pressure. Trophies do not guarantee a World Cup role, but they show that he has worked inside squads where results carry weight.
Cape Verde can use that experience because tournament football compresses pressure into short windows. Players who have lived through trophy races often manage momentum swings with more control.
Transfer News and Market Value
Steven Moreira's transfer and market section separates club status from market price. His current club is Columbus Crew, while the listed market value is €720k. Market value helps readers understand public football valuation, but it does not measure every part of his usefulness to Cape Verde.
Contract context also matters. A younger player may carry resale upside, while an older specialist can remain useful in tournament football even when the price drops. Cape Verde judge the player by the job he can perform, not by the market line alone.
Steven Moreira Salary and Net Worth
Steven Moreira's weekly salary is listed at ~$12,000. That figure should be read separately from transfer value because wages reflect contract terms, not resale price.
Steven Moreira's estimated net worth is listed at ~$3 million. Net worth estimates combine football earnings and commercial income, so they should not be confused with weekly salary.
Steven Moreira 2026 Style, Strengths, and Tournament Outlook
Steven Moreira's 2026 outlook depends on whether his club form keeps matching Cape Verde's squad need. His strongest case is the role he gives the defensive unit: duel work, recovery runs, aerial defending, line control, and simple passing from the back.
Cape Verde need defenders who can protect wide spaces, win first contacts, and keep the next pass clean when pressure arrives. The next months matter because Cape Verde need more than names. They need players who can complete specific jobs without forcing the whole team to adjust around them.
The realistic outlook is selection competition unless he is already a fixed starter. Steven Moreira can strengthen his place by staying fit, keeping minutes at Columbus Crew, and giving the staff a role that holds up against stronger opponents.
