Nathan Júnior Explained

Nathan Júnior
Fullname:Nathan Júnior Soares de Carvalho
Birth Date:10 March 1989
Birth Place:Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height:1.84 m
Position:Striker
Currentclub:Telavi
Clubnumber:19
Youthyears1:–2005
Youthclubs1:Flamengo
Youthyears2:2005–2008
Youthclubs2:Anorthosis Famagusta
Years1:2008–2012
Clubs1:Skonto Riga
Caps1:69
Goals1:45
Years2:2008
Clubs2:Olimps (loan)
Caps2:15
Goals2:0
Years3:2012
Clubs3:Kapfenberger SV
Caps3:13
Goals3:0
Years4:2012–2013
Clubs4:Dila Gori
Caps4:20
Goals4:5
Years5:2013–2015
Clubs5:SKA-Energiya Khabarovsk
Caps5:41
Goals5:15
Years6:2015–2016
Clubs6:Tondela
Caps6:34
Goals6:13
Years7:2016–2017
Clubs7:Al-Fateh
Caps7:20
Goals7:5
Years8:2018
Clubs8:Tokushima Vortis
Caps8:0
Goals8:0
Years9:2019
Clubs9:Paços Ferreira
Caps9:1
Goals9:0
Years10:2020
Clubs10:Académico Viseu
Caps10:3
Goals10:0
Years11:2020–2021
Clubs11:Samtredia
Caps11:23
Goals11:3
Years12:2021–
Clubs12:Telavi
Caps12:15
Goals12:1
Club-Update:16:21, 14 December 2021 (UTC)

Nathan Júnior Soares de Carvalho (born 10 March 1989) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for FC Telavi in Georgia.

Club career

Early career

Born in Rio de Janeiro, as a teenager Nathan Júnior played for his local club Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and was a member of the club's system. At the age of 16 he tried to get into the first team unsuccessfully and a year later got an offer to join Anorthosis Famagusta academy in Cyprus, which was accepted by the player, and in July 2005 he joined the Cypriot side, spending the next three seasons there.

Skonto Riga

With the help of former Anorthosis Famagusta player and Latvian international Marians Pahars Júnior was taken on trial at Skonto Riga in July 2008. He signed a four-year contract as the trial was successful.[1] Right after joining Júnior found it difficult to fit into the squad, as there were many experienced players, and was soon loaned out to Olimps/RFS.[2] He played 15 matches that season and was mainly used in the right-back position.[3]

In December 2008 Júnior returned to Skonto Riga and was mainly used as a late game substitute by that time club's manager Paul Ashworth. In 2009 Skonto had a lack of forwards as two of them left right before the start of the season, and Júnior was tried out as a forward. He scored twice on his new position debut against Jūrmala-VV, and later on remained in that position.[4] He played 19 games and scored 5 goals in the 2009 season, and was notified as a forward in the squad for the 2010 season. He made a big surprise in the upcoming season, scoring 18 goals in 24 league matches and sharing the top-scorer's honour with Liepājas Metalurgs striker Deniss Rakels, who had also netted 18 times respectively. In 2010 Skonto became the champions of Latvia. After the impressive season Júnior went on trials with Maccabi Haifa in Israel, Dynamo Moscow in Russia and Energie Cottbus in Germany, but didn't settle there.[5]

At the start of 2011 season Júnior suffered an injury and didn't appear in the first league matches of the season. Despite lack of gaming practice, he showed his ability right after being declared fit, and soon became the leading scorer of the league yet again. He was named the league's best player in July 2011. Although, Skonto had a poor season and finished only in the 4th place of the Latvian Higher League, Júnior became the league's top scorer with 22 goals in 26 games. After the season, he was included in the LFF and sportacentrs.com teams of the tournament and was also named the best forward of the season.[6]

Kapfenberger SV

At the end of 2011 Júnior went on trial with the Austrian Bundesliga club Kapfenberger SV and signed a contract with them in January 2012.[7] [8]

Tokushima Vortis

On 31 January 2018, Tokushima Vortis announced the signing of Nathan Júnior.[9]

Paços Ferreira

After seven months without club, Nathan signed with Paços Ferreira on 31 January 2019 after a trial.[10] He left the club at the end of the year.

Académico Viseu

On 31 January 2019, Nathan moved to another Portuguese club, Académico Viseu, after being without club since leaving Paços Ferreira in the summer 2019.[11] However, he played only 27 minutes.

FC Samtredia

Nathan then returned to Georgia, where he signed with FC Samtredia in August 2020.[12]

International career

Nathan Júnior has not represented Brazil at any level yet. In an interview for sportacentrs.com the player admitted that he would be interested in representing Latvia, but as the Latvian law does not allow more than one citizenship, Júnior would have to waive the Brazilian passport and play in Latvia for at least five years.[13] The player said that it would be a serious decision, but after moving to Austria this question has been put aside.

Career statistics

Club

[14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Skonto Riga2009Virslīga19420210
20102418202618
2011262211102823
Total694411507545
Kapfenberger SV2011–12Austrian Bundesliga13100131
Dila Gori2012–13Umaglesi Liga21713102310
SKA-Energia2013–14Russian National League27920299
2014–1514600146
Total4115204315
Tondela2015–16Primeira Liga341300103513
Al-Fateh2016–17Saudi Professional League205101031256
Tokushima Vortis2018J2 League000000
Paços de Ferreira2018–19LigaPro1010
Académico de Viseu2019–20LigaPro300010
Samtredia2020Erovnuli Liga700070
202116310173
Total23310243
Telavi2021Erovnuli Liga151151
Career total240886420811025793

Honours

Club

Skonto Riga

2010

2010–11, Runner-up 2008

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Archived copy . 25 January 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20240526060931/https://www.webcitation.org/6AZc4J4x4?url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/07012008-skonto_komanda_sak_gatavoties_jaunajai_sezonai . 26 May 2024 .
  2. Web site: Archived copy . 25 January 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20120717232658/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/01042008-vai_tiesam_tikai_i_autsaideri_i . 17 July 2012 .
  3. Web site: Žuniors: "Četri gūtie vārti ir treniņu rezultāts" – LMT Virslīga – Futbols – Nacionālais sporta portāls . 19 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100521161720/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/16052010-zuniors_cetri_gutie_varti_ir_treninu_rezu . 21 May 2010 .
  4. Web site: Archived copy . 25 January 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20240526061008/https://www.webcitation.org/6AZcEtvDf?url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/08072009-skonto_viesos_sagrauj_jurmalu . 26 May 2024 .
  5. Web site: Skonto futbolists Žuniors brauc atrādīties Maskavas Dinamo . Diena.lv . 24 October 2013.
  6. Web site: LFF: LFF noteikusi 22 labākos spēlētājus Virslīgas čempionātā . Lff.lv . 5 November 2011 . 24 October 2013.
  7. Web site: Virslīgas līderi atrādās vienā no Vācijas zemākajām līgām un pie Austrijas pastarītes . 19 February 2012 . lv . https://web.archive.org/web/20120119055703/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/12012012-virsligas_lideri_atradas_viena_no_vacijas . 19 January 2012 .
  8. Web site: Archived copy . 25 January 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20120716192120/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/23012012-zuniors_pievienojas_austrijas_bundesligas . 16 July 2012 .
  9. Web site: 積極補強の徳島、長身FWナタン・ジュニオールを獲得…背番号「9. soccer-king.jp. Soccer King. 17 April 2018. Japanese. 31 January 2018.
  10. https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/2--liga/p--ferreira/detalhe/nathan-junior-e-goncalo-gregorio-garantidos-pelo-pacos-de-ferreira Nathan Júnior e Gonçalo Gregório garantidos pelo Paços de Ferreira
  11. https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/segunda-liga/artigos/avancado-brasileiro-nathan-junior-reforca-academico-de-viseu Avançado brasileiro Nathan Júnior reforça Académico de Viseu
  12. http://lelo.ge/article/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%93%E1%83%98%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%90%E1%83%AE%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%AC%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%B0%E1%83%A7%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%93-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%AC%E1%83%A7%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C-%E1%83%9F%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%A5%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%97%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98%E1%83%90-23356/ სამტრედიას ახალწვეული ჰყავს: კარგად დავიწყებული ნათან ჟუნიორი საქართველოშია
  13. Web site: Žuniors: 'Vēlētos spēlēt Latvijas izlasē, taču… . 19 February 2012 . lv . https://web.archive.org/web/20111226003250/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/30042011-zuniors_veletos_spelet_latvijas_izlase_ta . 26 December 2011 .
  14. Web site: Nathan Junior. soccerway.com. Soccerway. 17 April 2018.