Clayton Ferreira Cruz

Clayton
Personal information
Full nameClayton Ferreira Cruz
Date of birth19 July 1975
Place of birthSão João do Paraíso, Brazil
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing positionForward
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1994–1998Atlético Mineiro52(4)
1998Guarani4(0)
1998–1999América-RJ0(0)
1999Santa Clara12(8)
2000–2003Porto74(11)
2003–2005Sporting CP8(0)
2004–2005Penafiel (loan)29(5)
2005Vitória Guimarães6(0)
2006Sport Recife2(0)
2006–2007Penafiel21(2)
2007–2008Alki Larnaca21(9)
2008Omonia9(1)
2009–2010AEL Limassol36(9)
2010–2012Serrano-BA13(1)
Total287(50)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Clayton Ferreira Cruz (born 19 July 1975), simply known as Clayton, is a Brazilian retired footballer. A forward or winger, he operated preferably on the left.

His 16-year professional career was spent, other than in his country, in Portugal – five teams represented, mainly Porto with which he won five major titles, including one league and one UEFA Cup – and Cyprus (three clubs).

Football career

Clayton was born in São João do Paraíso, Minas Gerais. After a solid career in native Brazil, mainly with Clube Atlético Mineiro, he moved to Portugal in 1999, joining Azores' C.D. Santa Clara; in January 2000 he signed for league powerhouse F.C. Porto, and went on to become an important offensive element.[1]

On 17 October 2001, in the season's UEFA Champions League, Clayton scored a brace against Celtic, in a 3–0 home triumph.[2] He was also a part of the side's UEFA Cup-winning team in 2002–03, although he did not play in the final against the same opponent.

For 2003–04 Clayton moved to Sporting Clube de Portugal[3] and, after appearing scarcely throughout the campaign, was loaned to lowly F.C. Penafiel and joined Vitoria de Guimarães in the following two years.[4]

After another Brazil spell with Sport Club do Recife, and another season at Penafiel (now in the Portuguese second level), Clayton moved to Cyprus. Starting 2007–08 with Alki Larnaca FC, he joined AC Omonia in the following January transfer window.

In January 2009 Clayton moved teams in the same country, signing with AEL Limassol. Aged 35 he returned to Brazil, playing the reminder of his career in amateur football.

Honours

Porto
AEL

References

  1. "Clayton tardou a retribuir a confiança de Mourinho" [Clayton took some time to repay Mourinho's confidence] (in Portuguese). Record. 9 April 2002. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  2. Porto leapfrog Celtic, UEFA.com, 17 October 2001
  3. Surprise swap between rivals; UEFA.com, 14 July 2003
  4. "Clayton going to Guimarães". UEFA.com. 19 July 2005. Retrieved 13 February 2008.

External links