Portugal star Manuel Cardoso Pinto set for Super Rugby Americas move

With a few weeks to go until the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship 2025, Portugal’s Manuel Cardoso Pinto is expected to leave his home country to join the Uruguayan franchise Peñarol.

The 26-year-old will meet his new club after the conclusion of the Men’s Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament, signing a one-season contract with the two-time Super Rugby Americas winners.

As reported by El Observador’s journalist Ignacio Chans, Cardoso Pinto will sign a pro contract working at the same time as a business developer:
“[Manuel Cardoso Pinto] arrival comes under very special circumstances, as it was the outside back calling Ivo Dugonjic [Peñarol’s director of rugby] to ask to join the team, combining his sports and business careers.”

Bombazo en el @SuperRugbyAM: Peñarol Rugby incorporó a Manuel Cardoso Pinto; fullback de la selección de Portugal, mundialista en 2023. 26 años, exNarbonne🇫🇷. Llega de forma muy especial: viaja a Uruguay por su profesión y le propuso al DT Ivo Dugonjic sumarse al equipo pic.twitter.com/fCXBMeUiBj

— Ignacio Chans (@ignaciochans) January 11, 2025

Cardoso Pinto started playing rugby at the age of four, quickly moving through the ranks at his club, AEIS Agronomia, and was always seen as one of the most talented players of his generation. After helping Portugal win their first U20 Rugby Europe Championship trophy, the outside back was picked for the national team in 2016 and has bagged 39 caps and 15 tries since his debut.

With Patrice Lagisquet at the helm of the Lobos, Pinto became a first-team regular and played a significant role in Portugal’s only ever win in a Men’s Rugby World Cup. With Simon Mannix on board, the vibrant sprinter has maintained his place on the roster, starting against Namibia and the Springboks last July.

This will be Cardoso Pinto’s second move abroad after an unsuccessful season with Narbonne in 2021, in which he barely played at all before moving back home.

Super Rugby Americas 2025 kicks off on the weekend of February 14/15, however, Peñarol’s new signing will only be available after the spring Test window, as Portugal have three crucial games to play against Belgium, Germany and Romania.