Early career Born in
Lisbon, Lopes started his professional career with
S.L. Benfica's
B team. The following summer, he moved to the lower leagues with
CD Operário. After some solid displays, Lopes signed in the
2007–08 season with
Segunda Liga's
Rio Ave FC. In his first year, he was an habitual starter as the
Vila do Conde side returned to the
Primeira Liga after two years. In
2008–09, Lopes helped Rio Ave to home draws against Benfica and
FC Porto, and was again featured regularly, thus prompting interest from bigger clubs.
Porto On 23 January 2009, Lopes agreed to a four-year deal with Porto which was made effective on 1 July. In his
debut season, having to compete with Uruguayan
Jorge Fucile for a starting berth, he appeared sparingly in the league but did manage to play 19 official matches, 14 as a starter. In late August 2010, deemed surplus to requirements by new Porto manager
André Villas-Boas as practically all Portuguese players, Lopes moved to Spanish side
Real Betis on a one-year loan deal. He passed his medical and was unveiled on 2 September, eventually appearing in exactly half of the
Segunda División games during
the campaign as the
Andalusians returned to
La Liga as champions after three years. Lopes spent the first part of
2011–12 unregistered by Porto. In the January
transfer window he was loaned to fellow top-division side
S.C. Braga, going on to start in seven of his league appearances as they finished third and
qualified for the
UEFA Champions League for the second time in their history. Lopes returned to Porto for the
2012–13 season. On 29 September he scored through a rare header, opening the score in an eventual 2–2 draw at former team Rio Ave.
Sporting CP In January 2013, Lopes joined fellow
Big Three side
Sporting CP on a five-and-a-half-year contract, with
Marat Izmailov moving in the opposite direction. On 7 July, he agreed to a one-year loan deal at
Olympique Lyonnais in
Ligue 1. On 31 May 2015, Lopes was featured in
the final of the
Taça de Portugal against Braga, coming on as a
substitute after the first-half dismissal of
Cédric Soares. Although he was beaten by
Rafa Silva who put the opposition 2–0 up, his side eventually won in a
penalty shootout. Lopes returned to Spain on 6 August 2015, joining
Granada CF on a one-year loan deal.
Turkey The
following season, still owned by Sporting, Lopes signed with
Akhisarspor in the
Süper Lig. Subsequently, the move was made permanent. On 10 May 2018, Lopes helped the club win their first professional trophy, the
Turkish Cup. In
the final, he scored once in the 3–2 win over
Fenerbahçe SK. Lopes joined
Kayserispor of the same league in July 2019, on a two-year contract. When he returned home for injury treatment the following March, he was unable to get back into Turkey due to
COVID-19 restrictions, and his place was taken by Bosnian new signing
Zoran Kvržić.
Later career Lopes returned to Portugal in December 2021 after six years away, with the 35-year-old signing with
C.F. Estrela da Amadora who had just been promoted to the second tier. On 11 June 2023, he scored in a 2–1 loss away to
C.S. Marítimo, winning the
promotion/relegation play-offs on penalties and returning to the top flight following a lengthy absence. In his later years, Lopes featured more often than not as a
centre-back. He left the club on 18 July 2025, by mutual agreement. ==International career==