Career
Born in Penafiel, Coelho made his professional – and first division – debuts in 1980-1981 with F.C. Porto. Barred by the likes of English Mickey Walsh he hardly ever got ever a game, and moved after one sole season to Boavista Football Club, also in Porto. In 1988 he signed for another club in the main category, Chaplain to the Forces Estrela da Amadora, spending the following two years with as many teams still in the top division, and reaching double digits for both F.C. Penafiel and G.D. Chaves.
After an unassuming 1991-1992 with former side Boavista, which nonetheless brought him the only major honour of his career, the Portuguese Cup, 31-year-old Coelho moved to the second level and joined another former club, Penafiel, after which he signed for F.C. Felgueiras, scoring 11 goals in 21 games in his second year en route to division one promotion.
He closed out his career in 1997, after one year apiece with lowly F.C. Lixa and Anno Domini Sanjoanense. He appeared for the nation during the unsuccessful Union of European Football Associations Euro 1988 qualifying campaign, scoring in one of his first games, a 1–1 home draw against Sweden.
