Felipe Santana

Felipe Santana

Felipe Santana with Schalke 04 in 2013
Personal information
Full nameFelipe Augusto Santana
Date of birth17 March 1986
Place of birthRio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionCentre back
Club information
Current team
Olympiacos
Number45
Youth career
Figueirense
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2006–2008Figueirense37(5)
2008–2013Borussia Dortmund95(6)
2013–Schalke 0424(1)
2015–→ Olympiacos (loan)5(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 April 2015.
† Appearances (Goals).

Felipe Augusto Santana (Brazilian Portuguese: [fɪˈɫipɪ awˈɡuʃ.tu ˈsan.ta.ɲa], European Portuguese: [fɨˈɫip(ɨ) awˈɡuʃ.tu ˈsan.ta.na]; born 17 March 1986) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Olympiacos.[1]

Professional career

Early career

Santana started his football career at Figueirense, having join the club since 1996 and then signed his professional contract in 2006. Felipe made his debut for the club, on 3 May 2007, in a 6-3 loss against Atlético Paranaense. On 4 July 2007, Santana scored his first goal of his professional career, in a 2-1 win over Cruzeiro; then, scored again two weeks later, on 14 July 2007, in a 2-1 win over Paraná. Then, in his first season, Santana made thirty-four appearance and scoring three times.

In 2008, on the opening game of the season, Santana made his last appearance, scoring a brace, in a 5-5 draw against Portuguesa.

Borussia Dortmund

On 16 May 2008, Santana joined Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, with a fee in the region of €2 million (£1.6million) and signed a five-year deal.[2] Santana had to wait for his debut until 21 September 2008, scoring his first goal in a 4-1 loss against Hoffenheim and scoring his second in the next game, in a 3-0 win over Stuttgart.

In 2009-10, 2010–11 and 2011–12 season, Santana's playing time was reduced, due to the defensive partnership with Mats Hummels and Neven Subotić and in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, the club won three domestic trophies: two times in the league in 2010–11 and 2011–12 season; another one in the DFB-Pokal, 2011–12 season. A lack of first team opportunities lead to the expectation that Santana would leave the club, a suggestion that was denied by the club's General manager Michael Zorc.[3] At the end of the 2011-12 Bundesliga season, Santana had his contract extended until 2014.[4]

Due to both Mats Hummels and Neven Subotić being injured in the 2012–13 Bundesliga season, Santana had more and more playtime that season. On 3 March 2013, Santana scored the first goal in a 3–0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League with a header directly from a corner. He also scored a goal in the last minute against Málaga on 9 April 2013 to win the tie with Borussia Dortmund progressing to the semi-finals. They went on to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League, but lost 2-1.[5] After the match, Santana says the club shouldn't be unhappy over their progress in the UEFA Champions League and also announces he is to leave the club.[6] Santana says he's leaving the club, citing to earn a first-team football.[7]

Since leaving Borrussia Dortmund, Santana has been critical of Jürgen Klopp, describing him as "stupid".[8] In response, the club's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke expressed anger towards him, believing he shouldn't get involved in the situation.[9] Despite being critical towards Klopp, Santana described leaving Dortmund as a "hard decision" to Schalke, due to the Revierderby between two clubs.[10]

Schalke 04

On 28 May 2013, FC Schalke 04 confirmed that Felipe Santana signed a contract with them until 30 June 2016.[11] The transfer fee is reported by media as €1,000,000. He was assigned a number 5 shirt, previously worn by Marcelo Bordon.[11]

On 30 January 2015, he left club and was signed by Olympiacos on loan for half year.[12][13]

He stated the main reason for his transfer is to play for the Brazilian national football team in the 2014 World Cup.

Playing style

Santana is a high-jumper,[14] a fast-sprinter,[14] and a hysterically strong man.[14] Santana was described in his early 20s by Brazilian experts as a "rising star".[14] His defensive skills and his understanding of the game on the football pitch led to comparisons with defenders Lilian Thuram,[15] Lúcio,[15] and Naldo.[15][16]

Honours

Club

Figueirense
Borussia Dortmund

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Other Total Ref.
Club League Season App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals
Brazil League Copa do Brasil South America Other Total
Figueirense Série A 2006–07 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 [17]
2007–08 34 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 3
2008–09 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
Germany League DFB-Pokal Europe Other Total
Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga 2008–09 23 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 24 4
2009–10 25 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 27 0
2010–11 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
2011–12 13 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 17 1
2012–13 21 1 0 0 7 2 0 0 28 3
Schalke 04 2013–14 20 1 1 0 5 0 0 0 26 1
2014–15 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Last updated: 30 August 2014

Outside football

Personal life

Santana has stated that his mother is the "most important person" and support in his life.[18] Though born in Brazil, Santana has settled in Germany and speaks German, and applied for a German passport.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Felipe Augusto Santana". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Dortmund swoop for Brazilian". Sky Sports. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "Santana staying with Dortmund". Sky Sports. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Felipe Santana extended until 2014 - Lasse Sobiech for a year to Fuerth" [Felipe Santana verlängert bis 2014 - Lasse Sobiech für ein Jahr nach Fürth] (in German). Borussia Dortmund Home Page. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Robben ends Bayern's run of final misery". UEFA.com. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Borussia Dortmund's Felipe Santana proud of efforts ahead of likely summer exit". Sky Sports. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Felipe Santana unsure over future". Goal.com. 14 April 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "Schalke's Felipe Santana slams former coach Jurgen Klopp as 'stupid'". Samba Foot. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Dortmund CEO slams Felipe Santana over Klopp comments". Samba Foot. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Santana: Hard leaving Dortmund for Schalke Santana: Hard leaving Dortmund for Schalke". Goal.com. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "FC Schalke 04 sign Felipe Santana". FC Schalke 04. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "FC Schalke 04 2014/15". sklady.hostmix.pl. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  13. ↑ "Felipe Santana joins Olympiacos on loan". schalke04.de. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Sascha Fligge (14 May 2008). "Santana vor der Unterschrift" [Santana before the signature]. ruhrnachrichten.de (in German) (Ruhr Nachrichten). Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Santana: "Mein nächstes Ziel als Profi ist ein Platz in der Selecao"" [Santana: "My next goal as a professional is a place in the Selecao"]. bvb.de (in German). Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "Interview: Felipe Santana und der Vergleich mit Bremens Naldo" [Interview: Felipe Santana and the comparison with Bremen Naldo]. bvb.de (in German). 28 January 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  17. ↑ Felipe Santana profile at Soccerway
  18. ↑ Stefan Bunsen (2 August 2013). "Santana über seinen neuen Coach bei Schalke: "Jens Keller gibt mir ein gutes Gefühl"" [Santana about his new coach at Schalke: "Jens Keller gives me a good feeling"]. derwesten.de (in German) (Funke Mediengruppe). Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Santana: I want to apply for a German passport". Goal.com. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.

External links