Matheus Leite Nascimento

Matheus

Personal information
Full name	Matheus Leite Nascimento
Date of birth	January 15, 1983 (1983-01-15) (age 28)
Place of birth	Ribeirópolis, Brazil
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Dnipro
Number	99
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2005	Itabaiana	?	(?)
2005	Marco	14	(4)
2006–2011	Braga	87	(9)
2007	→ Beira-Mar (loan)	14	(0)
2007	→ Vitória Setúbal (loan)	15	(5)
2011–	Dnipro	10	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 August 2010. † Appearances (Goals).

Matheus Leite Nascimento (born 15 January 1983 in Ribeirópolis, Sergipe), simply Matheus, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League, as a forward.

Football career

After starting professionally with lowly Associação Olímpica de Itabaiana, Matheus moved to Portugal in the summer of 2005, with second division outfit Futebol Clube do Marco. In January 2006, however, he was bought by top flight's Sporting Clube de Braga,^[1] making four appearances in his first season.

During the year 2007, encompassing both 2006–07 and the following seasons, Matheus served two loans: in January 2007, he played with Sport Clube Beira-Mar, appearing from August–December with Vitória de Setúbal, being subsequently recalled by Braga.

In the 2009–10 season, Matheus appeared in all 30 league matches (but rarely as a starter) as Braga finished in a best-ever second place, behind S.L. Benfica. He contributed with five goals, in 1142 minutes.

Matheus started the following campaign with major contributions: on 28 July, he scored from a 35-meter free kick to close the score against Celtic (3–0 at home), as Braga progressed to the next UEFA Champions League qualifying round (4–2 on aggregate).^[2] On 13 August, in the league opener against Portimonense SC, he started and opened the scoresheet, in an eventual 3–1 home win; five days later, again for the Champions League, he scored the game's only goal in a home win against Sevilla FC -^[3] in celebrating the goal, he pulled out a pacifier and put in his mouth^[4]- and opened the score in the second leg in Andalusia, in a 4–3 win (5–3 on aggregate).

On 23 November 2010, Matheus scored twice in the dying minutes of the 2–0 Champions League home win against Arsenal,^[5] although Braga would eventually fail to reach the knockout stages of the competition, finishing third in its group.

In January 2011, 28-year old Matheus left Braga and signed for FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine, for €1 million.

References

1. ^ "Luíz and Frechaut trade places". UEFA.com. 24 January 2006. http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=388342.html. Retrieved 4 June 2008. 
2. ^ Braga bow leaves Celtic reeling; UEFA.com, 28 July 2010
3. ^ Matheus gives Braga slender lead; UEFA.com, 18 August 2010
4. ^ Braga's Matheus uses a pacifier as he celebrates his goal against Sevilla with team mate Leandro Salino during their Champions League qualifying soccer match; UK Eurosport
5. ^ Matheus strikes twice as Braga down Arsenal; UEFA.com, 23 November 2010

External links

• Sporting Braga profile (Portuguese)
• Brazilian FA database (Portuguese)
• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo (Portuguese)
• Portuguese League profile (Portuguese)
• Guardian Stats Centre
• Official website

Persondata
Name	Matheus Leite Nascimento
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	15 January 1983
Place of birth	Ribeirópolis, Brazil
Date of death
Place of death