Jéferson (footballer, born 1984)

Jéferson
Personal information
Full name	Jéferson Rodrigues Gonçalves
Date of birth	July 15, 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Brasília, DF, Brazil
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
2003–2004	Brasiliense
Senior career*
Years	Team
2005	Brasiliense
2005	→ Atlético Goianiense (loan)
2006–2008	Santo André
2006	→ Guarani (loan)
2009–2011	Vasco da Gama
2010	→ Avaí (loan)
2011	→ Sporting Kansas City (loan)
2012–2013	Bahia
2013	Atlético Goianiense
2014–2015	Boavista
2014	→ América (Natal) (loan)
2015–2016	Vasco da Gama
2016	→ Madureira (loan)
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 March 2015

Jéferson Rodrigues Gonçalves (born 15 July 1984), simply Jéferson (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʒɛfiʁsõ]), is a Brazilian former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

Career

Early career

Born in Brasília, Distrito Federal, Jéferson debuted as a professional for Brasiliense. He spent four years at the club after being loaned out to Atlético Goianiense. During his short stay with Atlético Goianiense, Jéferson helped the club gain promotion by winning the Campeonato Goiano da Segunda Divisão.^[1]

He later spent time with Guarani, a São Paulo based club, after being transferred to Santo André, where he began the ascent of his playing career and leading the squad to a Campeonato Paulista Série A2 championship and runners-up in the 2008 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B campaign.

Vasco da Gama

Jéferson's role as a playmaker for Santo André caught the attention of more notable Brazilian clubs, in particular, Vasco da Gama, who signed him a year later in 2009. Early on, he struggled to find his place in the squad, due to the bevy of high caliber midfielders at Vasco da Gama. While with Vasco Jéferson enjoyed his best run of form during the Campeonato Carioca, where he made 32 appearances and scored 5 goals.

Avaí

After struggling to win a starting role, he was subsequently loaned to Avaí, a Brazilian club based in Florianópolis, in 2010. He impressed scoring four goals in his first eight appearances during his short stay with the club.^[2]

Sporting Kansas City

On July 17, 2011, Jéferson signed a loan deal with MLS side Sporting Kansas City. The loan deal also stated that he would be signed under the league's Designated Player Rule making him Sporting KC's second Designated Player alongside Omar Bravo.^[3] He was waived by the club on November 23, 2011.^[4]

Honours

Brasiliense

Campeonato Brasiliense: 2005

Atlético Goianiense

Campeonato Goiano da Segunda Divisão: 2005

Santo André

Vasco da Gama

Avaí

Campeonato Catarinense: 2010

References

^ "Goiï¿½s State Championship 2005 - 2nd Level".
^ http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/17/3775559/jeferson-acquired-by-sporting.html ^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "KC lands MF Jeferson as Designated Player | Sporting Kansas City". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20.
^ "Sporting Kansas City waives four players | Sporting Kansas City". Archived from the original on 2011-11-27.

External links

[1] "Goiï¿½s State Championship 2005 - 2nd Level".

[2] ttp://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/17/3775559/jeferson-acquired-by-sporting.html ^{[permanent dead link]}

[3] "KC lands MF Jeferson as Designated Player | Sporting Kansas City". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20.

[4] "Sporting Kansas City waives four players | Sporting Kansas City". Archived from the original on 2011-11-27.

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