 He went instantly into coaching Académica's under-23 team.Almeida played at every level in international competitions, from the under-15 to the main Portuguese national team.He made his full debut in a friendly match against England on 18 February 2004, in a 1–1 tie, and was also part of the squad that won the 2003 Toulon Tournament, also appearing at the 2004 and 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals.