| Elias | |
| Fullname: | Elias Mendes Trindade |
| Birth Date: | 16 May 1985 |
| Birth Place: | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Height: | 1.73m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthyears1: | 1997–2005 |
| Youthclubs1: | Palmeiras |
| Years1: | 2005 |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2006 |
| Clubs2: | Náutico |
| Caps2: | 2 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2007 |
| Clubs3: | São Bento |
| Caps3: | 13 |
| Goals3: | 4 |
| Years4: | 2007 |
| Caps4: | 6 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2008 |
| Caps5: | 20 |
| Goals5: | 5 |
| Years6: | 2008–2010 |
| Caps6: | 130 |
| Goals6: | 20 |
| Years7: | 2011 |
| Clubs7: | Atlético Madrid |
| Caps7: | 15 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Years8: | 2011–2014 |
| Caps8: | 34 |
| Goals8: | 2 |
| Years9: | 2013 |
| Clubs9: | → Flamengo (loan) |
| Caps9: | 42 |
| Goals9: | 5 |
| Years10: | 2014–2016 |
| Caps10: | 71 |
| Goals10: | 9 |
| Years11: | 2016–2017 |
| Caps11: | 8 |
| Goals11: | 1 |
| Years12: | 2017–2019 |
| Caps12: | 122 |
| Goals12: | 19 |
| Years13: | 2020 |
| Clubs13: | Bahia |
| Caps13: | 16 |
| Goals13: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2010–2016 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 35 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 9 January 2020 |
| Ntupdate: | 17:56, 16 May 2016 (UTC) |
Elias Mendes Trindade (born 16 May 1985), known simply as Elias, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.
Born in São Paulo, Elias was a Palmeiras youth graduate, and played as a forward at the club. In December 2005, after a short stint at Verdãos B-team, he signed for Náutico.[1] [2]
Elias made his debut for Timbu on 15 January 2006, starting in a 1–0 Campeonato Pernambucano away loss against Serrano.[3] [4] On 20 January, after just one further match, he was released.[5]
Elias spent the rest of the 2006 season playing for amateur sides Leões da Geolândia and Estrela Vermelha,[6] and subsequently joined São Bento for the 2007 season, where he moved back to a midfielder role and impressed for the club.[7] In that year he also represented Juventus-SP, scoring one of the goals in the club's 2–3 loss against Linense in the second leg of the Copa Paulista Finals, which his side won after a 4–4 aggregate result.[8]
On 4 December 2007, Elias agreed to a contract with Ponte Preta in the Série B.[9] He made his debut for the club the following 16 January by starting and scoring his team's third in a 4–2 home win against Ituano, and was a regular starter in the 2008 Campeonato Paulista which his side reached the Finals.
On 8 May 2008, Elias signed a contract with fellow second division side Corinthians until December 2011.[10] An immediate starter, he helped the club return to Série A in his first season, and was a key unit in the club's 2009 Campeonato Paulista winning campaign.[11]
Elias made his top tier debut on 6 August 2009, starting in a 1–0 loss at his former club Náutico.[12] He scored his first goal in the category on 27 August, netting his team's second in a 2–2 away draw against Grêmio Barueri.[13]
On 5 December 2010, Elias confirmed that he would leave Corinthians and join Spanish team Atlético Madrid in January 2011, for a rumoured fee of €7 million.[14] The club confirmed the transfer on 16 December, and made his debut abroad on 17 January, starting in a 3–0 home win against RCD Mallorca.[15]
Elias scored his first goal abroad on 2 March 2011, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 draw at Getafe CF.[16]
On 29 August 2011, after being deemed surplus to requirements at Atleti, Elias moved to Sporting CP on a five-year contract. The club paid a fee of €8.85 million,[17] making this the highest paid transfer in SCP history at the time.[18] On 15 September, Sporting sold 50% economic rights of Elias for €3.85 million to Quality Sports Investments.[19]
On his debut, on 10 September 2011, Elias scored a goal against F.C. Paços de Ferreira, on a win (2–3) of Sporting. At the 76th minute, Sporting was losing by 2–0, but with the goals by Marat Izmailov, Elias and Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Sporting won and began a series of victories in the league, earning him the nickname of "The Prophet" amidst Sporting fans. He scored again on 18 December, in a 1–1 draw against Académica, being subsequently sent off in that match.
On 10 January 2013, Elias joined Brazilian side Flamengo on loan for the season.[20] He made his debut on 27 January by replacing Renato Abreu in a 1–0 home win against Volta Redonda,[21] and scored his first goal on 14 March in a 3–2 home loss against Resende.
Elias was a regular starter during his loan spell, with Flamengo attempting to keep the midfielder for the 2014 campaign,[22] but the move did not materialize.
On 7 April 2014, and after two months of negotiations, Elias returned to Corinthians, who paid €4 million for 50% of his economic rights.[23] [24] He was presented on 10 April,[25] and signed a contract until December 2017.
A regular starter upon arriving, Elias subsequently lost his undisputed status but still appeared regularly.
On 31 August 2016, Elias returned to Portugal and Sporting, signing a two-year contract, with a buyout clause of €60 million.[26] However, he was sparingly used by the Lions, scoring twice in 13 appearances overall.
On 27 January 2017, Atlético Mineiro announced the signing of Elias.[27] He featured regularly for the side during his spell, but was released on 7 January 2020, one month earlier than the expiry of his contract.[28]
On 23 September 2010, Elias was first called up to the Brazil national team by coach Mano Menezes.[29] He made his full international debut on 7 October, replacing Philippe Coutinho in a 3–0 win over Iran.[30]
Elias was also included in Mano's 23-man list for the 2011 Copa América,[31] while also featuring in Dunga's list for the 2015 Copa América[32] and in the Copa América Centenario.[33]
| Club | Season | League | State League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Palmeiras B | 2005 | Paulista A3 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8[34] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |||||
| Capibaribe | 2006 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| São Bento | 2007[35] | Paulista | — | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 4 | ||||||
| Juventus-SP | 2007[36] | Série C | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 3 | 24 | 3 | |||||
| Ponte Preta | 2008[37] | Série B | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 5 | |||||
| Corinthians | 2008 | Série B | 30 | 3 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 31 | 3 | |||||
| 2009 | Série A | 31 | 3 | 21 | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 59 | 7 | |||||
| 2010 | 33 | 7 | 15 | 3 | — | — | 8[38] | 3 | — | 56 | 13 | ||||||
| Total | 94 | 13 | 36 | 7 | 8 | 0 | — | 8 | 3 | — | 146 | 23 | |||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2010–11 | La Liga | 15 | 2 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | |||||
| 2011–12 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2[39] | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 15 | 2 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 18 | 4 | ||||||
| Sporting CP | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 25 | 2 | — | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 3 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 9 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 15 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 34 | 2 | — | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 48 | 4 | |||||
| Flamengo (loan) | 2013 | Série A | 30 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 5 | — | — | — | 55 | 10 | ||||
| Corinthians | 2014 | Série A | 24 | 3 | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | 29 | 4 | |||||
| 2015 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 4 | — | 42 | 9 | |||||
| 2016 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | 21 | 3 | ||||||
| Total | 58 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 15 | 6 | — | 92 | 16 | |||||
| Sporting CP | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 8 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2[40] | 0 | — | 15 | 2 | |||
| Atlético Mineiro | 2017 | Série A | 31 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 2 | 3[41] | 1 | 58 | 11 | ||
| 2018 | 33 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | 2[42] | 0 | — | 53 | 8 | |||||
| 2019 | 25 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 16[43] | 2 | — | 53 | 6 | |||||
| Total | 89 | 10 | 33 | 9 | 13 | 1 | — | 26 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 164 | 25 | ||||
| Career total | 334 | 41 | 129 | 26 | 48 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 58 | 16 | 29 | 4 | 605 | 96 | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | ||||
| 2010 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2015 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 35 | 0 | ||
Juventus
Corinthians
Flamengo
Atlético Mineiro
Brazil
2015[48]