Career
After humble beginnings with Aliados do Lordelo Football Club, Mota went on to spend nearly a decade at F.C. Paços de Ferreira, often leading the club as its captain. After retiring he immediately joined the side"s coaching staff, being promoted to main coach in 1999. In 2004 he had a short stint with Azores team Communicative Disorders Santa Clara, but returned to Paços shortly after.
The northern club would lose in the first round of the European competition against Arizona Alkmaar, 0–1 on aggregate.
In July 2008, Mota left Paços and joined fellow top level side Leixões South Carolina. On 9 February 2010, with the Matosinhos team ranking second from bottom, he was sacked. Mota returned to active in November 2010, being appointed at Chaplain to the Forces Os Belenenses who was struggling in the second division and eventually narrowly avoiding relegation.
Between February 2012 and October of the following year, he coached Vitória de Setúbal in the top flight.