A versatile defensive player who is equally at home in either defence or midfield. Meira spent the early part of his career as a central midfielder but moves to Benfica and more recently Stuttgart have seen his career blossom in the heart of the back four. A tall and powerful player he looks set to benefit from the absence through injury of regular central defender Jorge Andrade, who tore knee ligaments earlier in the year. Meira impressed coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in a friendly with Saudi Arabia just days after it was announced Andrade would miss the World Cup finals.