Early career Born in
Barcelos, Hugo Vieira made his debut as a senior with
FC Girondins de Bordeaux's reserve team, after finishing his development with
Santa Maria FC. In July 2007, he was loaned to
G.D. Estoril Praia, but made no appearances for the side. In 2009, Hugo Vieira signed for
Gil Vicente F.C. in the
Segunda Liga, helping achieve promotion to the
Primeira Liga as champions at the end of the
2010–11 season. On 22 March 2012, he scored to open their 2–2 draw with
S.C. Braga at the
Estádio Cidade de Barcelos in
the semi-finals of the
Taça da Liga, eventually won in a
penalty shootout.
Benfica and Braga Hugo Vieira agreed to a four-year deal with
S.L. Benfica on 18 May 2012. On 28 August, he was loaned to Spanish
Segunda División club
Sporting de Gijón in a
season-long deal, but after being rarely used he returned to Gil on 22 January 2013, being loaned until June. On 23 August 2013, Hugo Vieira moved to Braga after agreeing to a four-year contract, but started only once over the course of the
top-flight campaign. He returned to Gil Vicente for a third spell the following 30 January, on a temporary basis.
Torpedo Moscow On 1 September 2014, Hugo Vieira joined
FC Torpedo Moscow, newly promoted to the
Russian Premier League. On his debut thirteen days later, he replaced
Kirill Kombarov at the hour-mark and scored a consolation in a 3–1 defeat at
FC Spartak Moscow. In
a season troubled by the death of his partner Edina Carvalho from cancer in January 2015, Hugo Vieira did not find the net again until the penultimate game, when his two
penalties helped to a 3–1 win over
FC Ural Sverdlovsk Oblast at the
Eduard Streltsov Stadium. The team would eventually suffer a double relegation.
Red Star On 30 June 2015, Hugo Vieira signed a two-year deal with
Red Star Belgrade. On 12 September, he scored twice in the 3–1
Eternal Derby home victory over
FK Partizan, and later said he had dedicated it to Carvalho. He netted a brace against
FK Čukarički on 6 December (7–2 away triumph) and a
hat-trick to help beat
FK Radnik Surdulica six days later (5–0, home), as the
capital team went on to
win a 27th title; the national footballers' union voted him player of the season, and he was a contender for top scorer until missing the final game against
FK Radnički Niš, in which his teammate
Aleksandar Katai overtook him to 21 goals.
Yokohama On 7 January 2017, Hugo Vieira moved to the fifth foreign country of his career, signing for
Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan;
David Babunski made the same move from Red Star days later. He made his debut in the
J1 League as a late substitute on 25 February, scoring the equaliser in a 3–2 home defeat of
Urawa Red Diamonds in
the season opener. In his first year in the
Far East, his team came runners-up in the
Emperor's Cup, with him finishing a hat-trick at the end of extra time to best
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3–2 in the fourth round on 20 September. While Yokohama finished in the bottom half of the
2018 J1 League, Hugo Vieira was in the top ten goalscorers with 13. This included a hat-trick in a 4–4 draw with
Shonan Bellmare at the
Nissan Stadium on 21 April.
Sivasspor Hugo Vieira returned to European football in January 2019, signing an 18-month deal with
Sivasspor in Turkey. Before making an appearance, he suffered an injury to his left knee and required surgery, ending his involvement for the season. On 31 October 2019, Hugo Vieira finally made the first of only two appearances for the side from
Sivas, coming on in the 59th minute for
Abdou Razack Traoré and scoring the last goal of a 6–0 win away to
Başkent Akademi FK in the
fourth round of the
domestic cup.
Later years On 28 January 2020, after over five years abroad, Hugo Vieira returned to Portugal's top division and Gil Vicente. Despite signing a new one-year contract in August, he terminated it on 6 October. Hugo Vieira returned to Japan's top flight with
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on 29 October 2020. After playing three games in what remained of
the season, he was released. On 7 July 2021, Hugo Vieira signed a one-year deal with
FC U Craiova 1948 of the Romanian
Liga I, with the option of a further season. Nineteen days later, in his second game, he scored the only goal of a home victory over
FC Dinamo București. On 7 January 2022, his contract was unilaterally terminated by the club. On 31 January 2022, Hugo Vieira joined
Hibernians F.C. of the
Maltese Premier League until 30 June. In July 2023, the 35-year-old returned to Portugal and Santa Maria. ==Career statistics==