Moutinho was born in Barreiro, Setúbal District, but his birth was registered Portimão, Algarve, where he grew up.
After showing great promise as a boy playing for Portimonense SC, he signed with Sporting CP when he turned 13 to continue his football education.

During the 2004–05 pre-season, at only 17 years of age, Moutinho was called by manager José Peseiro to the main squad, where he displayed some talent early on.
However, he then returned to the junior team coached by Paulo Bento and featured alongside such players such as Miguel Veloso and Nani, helping the side win the national title that season.

In the beginning of 2005, Moutinho was called up for a Taça de Portugal match, eventually playing 20 minutes against F.C. Pampilhosa, and made his Primeira Liga debut on 23 January, staying in the entire 3–0 win at Gil Vicente F.C. and wearing the #28 shirt previously worn by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Based on consistent displays, he wasted no time in establishing himself as a regular while being able to play in any position across a flat midfield or in a diamond formation; his box-to-box dynamism and determination quickly made him a firm fan favourite, as he rarely missed a game since becoming first-choice.

Moutinho's performances in the closing stages of the campaign, especially in the UEFA Cup with player of the match displays against Feyenoord and Newcastle United that helped the Lions reach the final of the competition, made him an automatic starter despite his young age; he contributed with 15 league games as his team finished second and, during the summer, he agreed to a one-year extension.

In his first full season, Moutinho's further progress and exceptional consistency (he was the only player to play every minute of every match in the domestic league) was one of the brightest spots in Sporting's runner-up final place.
Incidentally, he scored his team's final goal of the campaign, a 1–0 win over S.C. Braga to ensure a return to UEFA Champions League football for the Lisbon side.

In 2006–07, following the departure of veteran Ricardo Sá Pinto, Moutinho was made vice-captain at just 19 years of age.
The following season, after Custódio and Ricardo also left, he would be named captain, the second youngest in the history of the club's professional football, behind first captain and associate founder Francisco Stromp.

That campaign, with Leandro Romagnoli (an attacking midfielder) also in the starting eleven, Moutinho, more often than not, moved from his natural "behind-the-forwards" midfield role to the right flank, where he still managed to deliver impressive performances.
Additionally, he began earning plaudits as one of the league's top players.

In 2008–09, after an aborted deal with Premier League's Everton, Moutinho was again ever present, only missing three league matches (43 overall appearances) as Sporting finished once again runners-up; he also had the dubious distinction of netting his side's only goal in the Champions League round of 16 clash against FC Bayern Munich, a 1–12 aggregate loss.
Moutinho was born in Barreiro, Setúbal District, but his birth was registered Portimão, Algarve, where he grew up. After showing great promise as a boy playing for Portimonense SC, he signed with Sporting CP when he turned 13 to continue his football education.
During the 2004–05 pre-season, at only 17 years of age, Moutinho was called by manager José Peseiro to the main squad, where he displayed some talent early on. However, he then returned to the junior team coached by Paulo Bento and featured alongside such players such as Miguel Veloso and Nani, helping the side win the national title that season.
In the beginning of 2005, Moutinho was called up for a Taça de Portugal match, eventually playing 20 minutes against F.C. Pampilhosa, and made his Primeira Liga debut on 23 January, staying in the entire 3–0 win at Gil Vicente F.C. and wearing the #28 shirt previously worn by Cristiano Ronaldo. Based on consistent displays, he wasted no time in establishing himself as a regular while being able to play in any position across a flat midfield or in a diamond formation; his box-to-box dynamism and determination quickly made him a firm fan favourite, as he rarely missed a game since becoming first-choice.
Moutinho's performances in the closing stages of the campaign, especially in the UEFA Cup with player of the match displays against Feyenoord and Newcastle United that helped the Lions reach the final of the competition, made him an automatic starter despite his young age; he contributed with 15 league games as his team finished second and, during the summer, he agreed to a one-year extension.
In his first full season, Moutinho's further progress and exceptional consistency (he was the only player to play every minute of every match in the domestic league) was one of the brightest spots in Sporting's runner-up final place. Incidentally, he scored his team's final goal of the campaign, a 1–0 win over S.C. Braga to ensure a return to UEFA Champions League football for the Lisbon side.
In 2006–07, following the departure of veteran Ricardo Sá Pinto, Moutinho was made vice-captain at just 19 years of age. The following season, after Custódio and Ricardo also left, he would be named captain, the second youngest in the history of the club's professional football, behind first captain and associate founder Francisco Stromp.
That campaign, with Leandro Romagnoli (an attacking midfielder) also in the starting eleven, Moutinho, more often than not, moved from his natural "behind-the-forwards" midfield role to the right flank, where he still managed to deliver impressive performances. Additionally, he began earning plaudits as one of the league's top players.
In 2008–09, after an aborted deal with Premier League's Everton, Moutinho was again ever present, only missing three league matches (43 overall appearances) as Sporting finished once again runners-up; he also had the dubious distinction of netting his side's only goal in the Champions League round of 16 clash against FC Bayern Munich, a 1–12 aggregate loss.
João Moutinho