Rui Manuel Lima Correia Palhares (born 4 November 1954) is a retired Portuguese professional footballer who played as a left midfielder.
Born in Évora, Portugal, Palhares began his youth career at Sporting CP in 1970 and progressed to the senior team, where he played from 1974 to 1977. He subsequently played for Vitória Setúbal (1977–1979), Varzim (1979–1980), Boavista (1980–1985), Braga (1985–1986), and Estrela Amadora (1986–1989). At the international level, he represented the Portugal national team between 1981 and 1985.
Note: The name "Rui Palhares" also refers to a younger Portuguese basketball player, Rui Manuel Costa Palhares (born 24 December 2000 in Lisbon), who plays as a power forward/center. Standing approximately 2.03–2.04 m (6'7"–6'8") and weighing around 103 kg, he has played for Galitos Barreiro and, as of 2025, for Sporting CP in the Portuguese Liga Betclic. He has also appeared for the Portuguese national basketball team.
