Thiago Maia Explained

Thiago Maia
Fullname:Thiago Maia Alencar[1]
Birth Date:23 March 1997
Birth Place:Boa Vista, Brazil
Height:1.80 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Internacional
Clubnumber:29
Youthclubs1:Extremo Norte
Youthyears2:2010–2011
Youthclubs2:São Caetano
Youthyears3:2011–2015
Youthclubs3:Santos
Years1:2014–2017
Clubs1:Santos
Caps1:101
Goals1:3
Years2:2017–2022
Clubs2:Lille
Caps2:61
Goals2:0
Years3:2020–2021
Clubs3:Flamengo (loan)
Caps3:43
Goals3:1
Years4:2022–2024
Clubs4:Flamengo
Caps4:70
Goals4:1
Years5:2024
Clubs5:Internacional (loan)
Caps5:10
Goals5:0
Years6:2024–
Clubs6:Internacional
Caps6:0
Goals6:0
Nationalyears1:2013–2014
Nationalteam1:Brazil U17
Nationalcaps1:8
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2015
Nationalteam2:Brazil U20
Nationalcaps2:8
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2016–2019
Nationalteam3:Brazil U23
Nationalcaps3:6
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:13:07, 8 March 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:2 July 2021

Thiago Maia Alencar (born 23 March 1997), known as Thiago Maia, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Internacional.

Club career

Santos

Born in Boa Vista, Roraima, Thiago Maia began his career at lowly locals Extremo Norte. In August 2010 he moved to São Paulo, joining São Caetano's youth categories, and later moved to Santos in the following year.[2]

On 25 October 2014 Thiago Maia made his first-team debut, replacing fellow youth graduate Serginho in a 1–1 away draw against Chapecoense for the Série A championship.[3] During the 2015 campaign, he profited from the injury of Alison, establishing himself as a starter from June and earning plaudits for his performances.[4]

On 22 August 2015 Thiago Maia scored his first professional goal, netting the second in a 5–2 home routing of Avaí.[5] On 13 October, after lengthy negotiations, he renewed his contract until 2019.[6]

Thiago Maia became an undisputed starter during the 2016 campaign, partnering Renato at the heart of the midfield. He was also linked to Chelsea, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain during the year.[7]

Thiago Maia completed his 100th match for Peixe on 4 March 2017, in a 0–1 derby loss against Corinthians. In his Copa Libertadores debut five days later, he started and scored the equalizer in a 1–1 away draw against Sporting Cristal.[8]

Lille

On 15 July 2017, French club Lille reached an agreement with Santos for the transfer of Thiago Maia, for a fee of 14 million, after being signed by the head coach Marcelo Bielsa.[9] He made 37 appearances for the club during the 2017–18 season, scoring one goal.

Flamengo

On 22 January 2020, Maia returned to Brazil, signing with Flamengo on an 18-month loan.[10] An option to make the transfer permanent was included in the deal.[11]

Maia's transfer to Flamengo was made permanent on 13 January 2022.[12]

Loan to Internacional

On 7 March 2024, Internacional announced Thiago Maia on a loan deal until the end of the year, with the conditions for a subsequent permanent deal already agreed.[13]

International career

On 26 December 2014, after featuring regularly with the under-17s, Thiago Maia was called up to the Brazil under-20 side, alongside Santos teammates Gabriel and Caju, for the 2015 South American Youth Football Championship.[14]

On 29 June 2016 Thiago Maia was called up to Olympic team, alongside Santos teammates Gabriel and Zeca, for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[15] He also became the first athlete from Roraima to appear in the tournament.[16]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueState LeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Santos2014Série A100010
2015Série A28290372
2016Série A31017040520
2017Série A121120206[17] 1322
Total723290150611224
Lille2017–18Ligue 1340112[18] 0371
2018–19Ligue 1240101[19] 0260
2019–20Ligue 130001[20] 00040
Total610211030671
Flamengo (loan)2020Série A1406030501[21] 0290
2021Série A23100513000312
Flamengo2022Série A240308010000450
2023320101101705[22] 0642
20240010000010
Total931201262250601704
Internacional (loan)2024Série A00000000
Career total2264491533321903799

Honours

Santos

2016

Flamengo

2020[23]

2020[24]

2020, 2021[25]

2020, 2021

2022

Brazil U23

2016Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022™: List of Players: CR Flamengo . FIFA . 4 . 7 February 2023 . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230212205323/https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce71/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf . 12 February 2023 . live.
  2. Web site: Marquinhos Cai-cai, 1º treinador de Thiago Maia, fala da carreira do atleta. Marquinhos Cai-Cai, Thiago Maia's 1st manager, talks about the athlete's career. Globo Esporte. pt. 26 March 2013.
  3. Web site: Mistão do Santos não segura a Chapecoense e sofre empate aos 45. Santos' mixed team cannot hold Chapecoense and suffers draw on the 45th minute. Globo Esporte. pt. 25 October 2014.
  4. Web site: Caçula do Peixe, Thiago Maia se firma como titular e recebe elogios. Peixe's youngest, Thiago Maia establishes himself as a starter and receives praise. Globo Esporte. pt. 6 July 2015.
  5. Web site: Santos ratifica boa fase com goleada sobre o Avaí, que entra no Z-4. Santos endorses good form with routing over Avaí, who gets in Z-4. Globo Esporte. pt. 22 August 2015.
  6. Web site: Thiago Maia acerta renovação de contrato com o Santos por quatro anos. Thiago Maia agrees contract renewal with Santos for four years. Globo Esporte. pt. 13 October 2015. 8 January 2016.
  7. Web site: Juventus, Chelsea, PSG... "Todos querem Thiago Maia", diz jornal espanhol. Juventus, Chelsea, PSG... "Everybody wants Thiago Maya", says Spanish journal. Fox Sports. pt. 8 November 2016. 19 November 2016.
  8. Web site: Santos empata na estreia da Libertadores e mantém pressão em Dorival. Santos draw in Libertadores' debut and keep pressure in Dorival. UOL Esporte. pt. 9 March 2017. 10 March 2017.
  9. Web site: Santos define venda de Thiago Maia e empréstimo de Caju para o Lille. Santos define transfer of Thiago Maia and loan of Caju to Lille. Globo Esporte. pt. 15 July 2017. 15 July 2017.
  10. Web site: Thiago Maia é o novo reforço do Mengão - Flamengo. 11 August 2020. flamengo.com.br. pt.
  11. Web site: 22 January 2020. Official Flamengo sign Thiago Maia from Lille on an 18-month loan. 13 January 2022. Get French Football News.
  12. Web site: 13 January 2022. Official Thiago Maia’s move from Lille to Flamengo becomes permanent. 13 January 2022. Get French Football News.
  13. Web site: Inter contrata meio-campista Thiago Maia. Inter sign midfielder Thiago Maia. SC Internacional. pt-BR. 7 March 2024. 8 March 2024.
  14. Web site: Subindo: Thiago Maia é convocado para a seleção brasileira sub-20. Ascending: Thiago Maia is called up to the Brazil under-20 national team. Globo Esporte. pt. 26 December 2014. 7 August 2016.
  15. Web site: Neymar and Douglas Costa named in Brazil squad for Rio 2016. International Olympic Committee. 29 June 2016. 7 August 2016. 6 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160806192807/https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/neymar-douglas-costa-brazil-squad-rio-2016-olympics-football. dead.
  16. Web site: Primeiro atleta de Roraima, Thiago Maia dormiu em motel no início da carreira. First athlete from Roraima, Thiago Maia slept at a motel in the start of career. Folha de S. Paulo. pt. 27 July 2016. 7 August 2016.
  17. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores.
  18. Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue
  19. Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue
  20. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  21. Appearance(s) in Recopa Sudamericana
  22. Two appearances in FIFA Club World Cup, one appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, two appearances in Recopa Sudamericana
  23. News: Flamengo's Recopa win over Independiente a stepping stone to more glory. ESPN. Tim. Vickery. 27 February 2020. 27 February 2020.
  24. Web site: 30 October 2022 . Gabi Leads Flamengo To Libertadores Title . 3 November 2022 . CONMEBOL Libertadores.
  25. Web site: Supercopa: em jogo doido, Flamengo vence o Palmeiras nos pênaltis. 11 April 2021. 11 April 2021. One Football. pt.
  26. Web site: Santos domina seleção do Paulistão; Audax emplaca dois e mais o técnico. Santos dominate the Paulistão team of the year; Audax include two and the manager. Globo Esporte. pt. 9 May 2016. 9 May 2016.