José Kléberson

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Kléberson
Personal information
Full name José Kléberson Pereira
Date of birth June 19, 1979 (1979-06-19) (age 28)
Place of birth    Uraí, Brazil
Club information
Current club Flamengo
Number 15
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1998-2003
2003-2005
2005-2007
2007-
Atlético Paranaense
Manchester United
Beşiktaş
Flamengo
94 (12)
25 0(2)
42 0(3)
15 0(1)   
National team2
2002-2004 Brazil 27 0(2)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 2006.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

José Kléberson Pereira (born June 19, 1979 in Uraí) is a Brazilian football player.

[edit] Career

Kléberson was born in the southern Brazilian State of Paraná and grew up in the provincial town of Urai. He began his football career with Clube Atlético Paranaense. While at Atlético Paranaense Kleberson won the Parana state championship in 2000 and 2001, and the Brazilian league title in 2001. His performances for Atlético Paranaense led to Luis Felipe Scolari bringing him into the Brazilian national team. His first appearance was a friendly match against Bolivia in which he scored. However, he was relegated to the substitutes bench for the group stages of Brazil's 2002 FIFA World Cup campaign. He was brought into the starting line-up for Brazil's game against England, with Scolari feeling his tenacity would help counter the high work-rate of the English side. His tackle on his future team-mate Paul Scholes led to Brazil's equaliser, and he featured regularly in the rest of the tournament. Brazil defeated Germany in the final, with Kléberson setting up one of the two Brazilian goals.

His World Cup performances led to Scolari declaring Kléberson the driving force behind Brazil's Cup winning side, and drew interest from several English and Scottish teams. Newcastle, Leeds and Celtic all expressed an interest. Leeds failed to secure the signing after Kléberson decided against leaving Brazil without his girlfriend, who he was unable to marry until her 16th birthday. Eventually it was Manchester United who signed Kléberson for a fee of £6.5m. Seen as a replacement for Juan Sebastián Verón, Kléberson was injured in his second appearance for the club and made only 28 for the club in total. During his time at United he also lost his place in the Brazilian national team. On 8 August 2005 Rıza Çalımbay transferred Kléberson to Beşiktaş of Istanbul, Turkey, in a deal reported to be worth £2.5m. He signed a three-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months, and told reporters at a signing ceremony "I have come from one big club to another so I am very happy".

Kléberson was transferred to Flamengo on January 2008.

[edit] Honours

[edit] References