Júnior Santos (footballer, born 1994)

Júnior Santos
Santos in 2019
Personal information
Full name José Antonio dos Santos Júnior
Date of birth (1994-10-11) 11 October 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Conceição do Jacuípe, Brazil
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Botafogo
Number 11
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Osvaldo Cruz 20 (5)
2018 Ituano 11 (4)
2018 → Ponte Preta (loan) 38 (9)
2019 Fortaleza 27 (10)
2019–2020 Kashiwa Reysol 10 (0)
2020 → Yokohama F. Marinos (loan) 23 (14)
2021–2022 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 74 (15)
2022 → Botafogo (loan) 15 (1)
2023 Fortaleza 4 (0)
2023– Botafogo 72 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:41, 1 December 2024 (UTC)

José Antonio dos Santos Júnior (born 11 October 1994), known as Júnior Santos, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Botafogo.[1]

Career

Early career

Born in Conceição do Jacuípe, Bahia, Júnior Santos never represented any clubs as a youth. Known as Berimbau, after impressing for amateur sides in his hometown, he was invited for a trial period at Osvaldo Cruz.[2] He subsequently signed a contract with the club, and made his senior debut on 8 August 2017 by starting in a 1–1 away draw against Presidente Prudente FC for the Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão championship.

Júnior Santos scored his first senior goals on 25 June 2017, netting a brace in a 2–2 home draw against José Bonifácio.[3] He finished the season with five goals in 20 appearances, as his side was knocked out in the quarterfinals.

Ituano

On 11 January 2018, Júnior Santos was presented at Ituano.[4] He made his debut for the club on 3 February 2018, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 Campeonato Paulista home draw against Ponte Preta.[5]

Júnior Santos scored his first professional goal on 26 February 2018, netting the game's only in a home defeat of Red Bull Brasil. He finished the tournament with four goals in 11 appearances.

Loan to Ponte Preta

On 8 April 2018, Júnior Santos was loaned to Série B side Ponte Preta until the end of the year, with a buyout clause.[6] On his debut for the club four days later, he scored the last in a 3–0 home win against Náutico for the year's Copa do Brasil.[7]

Fortaleza

On 19 December 2018, Júnior Santos moved to Série A club Fortaleza on a three-year contract, after the club bought 50% of his economic rights.[8] He was a part of the team that won both the Campeonato Cearense and the Copa do Nordeste, being the joint top-scorer in the latter competition with eight goals.[9]

Júnior Santos made his top tier debut on 28 April 2019, starting in a 4–0 away loss to Palmeiras.

Kashiwa Reysol

On 26 June 2019, Júnior Santos moved abroad for the first time in his career, after signing for J2 League side Kashiwa Reysol.[10] He achieved promotion as champions in his first year, but only featured in eight matches.

Loan to Yokohama F. Marinos

On 11 August 2020, after being rarely used, Júnior Santos was loaned to Yokohama F. Marinos for the remainder of the year.[11] He scored 13 times for the club in only 22 league matches, being their top goalscorer during the season.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

In January 2022, Júnior Santos signed a permanent deal with Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Loan to Botafogo

On 18 August 2022, Júnior Santos was presented at Botafogo, after agreeing to a loan deal until the end of the year.[12] Despite being regularly used, he left the club in December, after Sanfrecce refused a new loan deal.[13]

Fortaleza return

On 20 January 2023, Júnior Santos returned to Fortaleza on a three-year contract, after the club paid US$700,000 for his economic rights.[14]

Botafogo return

On 31 March 2023, Fortaleza announced the transfer of Júnior Santos to Botafogo, with his new club taking over Fortaleza's debt with Sanfrecce plus a US$200,000 fee.[15] He became an immediate first-choice for Fogão, and scored four times in a 6–0 Copa Libertadores home routing of Aurora on 28 February 2024.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 1 December 2024[17][18]
Club Season League State league[a] National cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Osvaldo Cruz 2017 Paulista 2ª Divisão — 20 5 — — — 20 5
Ituano 2018 Paulista — 11 4 0 0 — — 11 4
Ponte Preta (loan) 2018 Série B 34 8 — 4 1 — — 38 9
Fortaleza (loan) 2019 Série A 6 0 10 2 2 0 — 9[c] 8 27 10
Kashiwa Reysol 2019 J2 League 8 0 — 1 0 — 0 0 9 0
2020 J1 League 1 0 — 0 0 — 0 0 1 0
Total 9 0 — 1 0 — 0 0 10 0
Yokohama F. Marinos (loan) 2020 J1 League 22 13 — 0 0 0 0 1[d] 0 23 13
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2021 35 7 — 1 0 — 6[d] 0 42 7
2022 20 2 — 3 0 — 7[d] 6 30 8
Total 55 9 — 4 0 — 13 6 72 15
Botafogo (loan) 2022 Série A 15 1 — — — — 15 1
Fortaleza 2023 0 0 4 0 0 0 2[e] 0 2[c] 0 8 0
Botafogo 2023 37 7 — 3 0 10[f] 0 — 50 7
2024 23 4 12 5 2 1 11[e] 10 — 48 20
Total 60 11 12 5 5 1 21 10 0 0 98 27
Career total 201 42 57 16 15 3 23 10 25 14 307 82
  1. ^ Includes Campeonato Paulista, Campeonato Cearense, Campeonato Carioca
  2. ^ Includes Copa do Brasil, Emperor's Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste
  4. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in J.League Cup
  5. ^ a b Appearances in Copa Libertadores
  6. ^ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Fortaleza

Kashiwa Reysol

Botafogo

Individual

References

  1. ^ "ジュニオール サントス | トップチーム選手". サンフレッチェ広島 オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  2. ^ "A 2 mil km de casa, atleta se inspira na própria vida para subir o Osvaldo Cruz" [Two thousand kilometers away from home, athlete inspires himself in his own life to promote Osvaldo Cruz] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Em jogo polêmico, Osvaldo Cruz e José Bonifácio só empatam, mas seguem vivos" [In a controversial match, Osvaldo Cruz and José Bonifácio only draw, but remain alive] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 25 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Ituano apresenta mais 4 reforços para o Paulista 2018" [Ituano present 4 more additions for the 2018 Paulista] (in Portuguese). Ituano FC. 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Ponte Preta empata com Ituano e perde 100% fora de casa no Campeonato Paulista" [Ponte draw with Ituano and lose 100% away from home in the Campeonato Paulista] (in Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Reforço para o ataque, Junior Santos espera balançar as redes com a camisa da Macaca" [Addition for the attack, Junior Santos hopes to net with the shirt of Macaca] (in Portuguese). AA Ponte Preta. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Júnior Santos festeja gol em estreia pela Ponte Preta e Felippe Cardoso falaCardoso fala do retorno após lesão" [Júnior Santos celebrates goal in debut for Ponte Preta and Felippe Cardoso talks about return after injury] (in Portuguese). Lance!. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Fortaleza confirma atacante Júnior Santos, ex-Ponte Preta, para 2019" [Fortaleza confirm forward Júnior Santos, formerly of Ponte Preta, for 2019] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Júnior Santos e Gilberto são os artilheiros da Copa do Nordeste 2019" [Júnior Santos and Gilberto are the top scorers of the 2019 Copa do Nordeste] (in Brazilian Portuguese). SBT Nordeste. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Sem base, mas artilheiro de Ceni: Júnior Santos acerta com japonês Kashiwa Reysol" [Without youth setup, but Ceni's top scorer: Júnior Santos signs with Japanese Kashiwa Reysol] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Atacante Júnior Santos é o novo reforço do Yokohama Marinos, atual campeão Japonês" [Forward Júnior Santos is the new addition of Yokohama Marinos, current Japanese champion] (in Brazilian Portuguese). TNT Sports. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Profissional aos 23 anos, Junior Santos valoriza chegada ao Botafogo: 'O diamante vem da lama'" [Professional at the age of 23, Junior Santos plays up arrival at Botafogo: 'The diamond comes from the mud'] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Botafogo mantém postura em pedida do Sanfrecce e Júnior Santos deve voltar ao Japão" [Botafogo maintain posture in Sanfrecce's request and Júnior Santos may return to Japan] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Fortaleza acerta contratação do atacante Júnior Santos" [Fortaleza sign forward Júnior Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fortaleza EC. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Comunicado Oficial - Júnior Santos" [Official announcement - Júnior Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fortaleza EC. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Da várzea para a história: Júnior Santos brilha pelo Botafogo na Libertadores" [From the amateur to history: Júnior Santos shines for Botafogo in the Libertadores] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  17. ^ Júnior Santos at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  18. ^ "Soccer D.B. : 2022 Junior Santos Result by Season". Soccer D.B. Retrieved 16 July 2022.