1. Early Life and Youth Career
Anderson Lopes began his football journey in his native Brazil, developing his skills in various youth academies.
1.1. Youth Career
Born in Recife, Pernambuco, Anderson Lopes started his youth career at Internacional before joining Avaí's youth setup in 2011. His early development also included spells at youth clubs such as Sport Recife and São José-RS. He remained with Avaí's youth team until 2013, which prepared him for his transition into professional football.
2. Professional Career
Anderson Lopes' professional career spans multiple countries, beginning in Brazil before moving to Asia.
2.1. Brazil
Lopes made his professional debut for Avaí FC on November 29, 2013, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 home victory against Boa Esporte. In 2014, he was loaned to Marcílio Dias, where he impressed by scoring six goals in 16 matches. Following this successful loan spell, he returned to Avaí and was assigned to the main squad, playing in the second division. On May 14, 2014, Lopes scored his first goals for Avaí, netting a brace in a 2-1 home win against ASA in the Copa do Brasil. He concluded the 2014 season with 33 league appearances and four goals, contributing to Avaí's promotion to Série A. His Série A debut came on May 10, 2015, starting in a 1-1 home draw against Santos. During this period, his ownership also briefly transferred to Tombense in 2014, though he made no appearances for them. In 2016, Lopes was loaned to Atlético Paranaense, where he won the Campeonato Paranaense state championship.
2.2. South Korea
On February 12, 2018, Anderson Lopes joined K League 1 side FC Seoul on loan. Despite scoring six goals in 30 league appearances, his tenure at the club was marked by challenges. In November 2018, he was removed from the matchday squad due to what was described as poor attitude, and he ultimately departed the club at the end of the 2018 season. Lopes later expressed regret over his move to South Korea, stating a preference for the environment in Japan where he felt more supported and able to focus on playing without stress. He noted that in Korea, the emphasis was on "running and kicking," whereas in Japan, "tactics and technique" were more valued, and the league's quality was higher. His registration name in the K League was 안델손AndeulsonKorean.
2.3. Japan
Anderson Lopes has had an extensive and impactful career in Japan, playing for three different J1 League clubs.
2.3.1. Sanfrecce Hiroshima
On July 10, 2016, Lopes moved to J1 League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima on loan, serving as a replacement for Takuma Asano. In his first season, he made seven league appearances, scoring two goals. In 2017, he became a more prominent figure, netting 10 goals in 32 league appearances. However, despite his goal-scoring contributions, he was noted for defensive vulnerabilities and departed the club at the end of the 2017 season.
2.3.2. Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
On January 1, 2019, Anderson Lopes signed a one-year contract with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first hat-trick in Japan on March 9, 2019, against Shimizu S-Pulse. A memorable moment occurred during his celebration of his first goal for the club when he misjudged the height of an advertisement board at the home stadium, leading to a fall. In the 2019 season, he scored nine goals in 25 league appearances, followed by nine goals in 24 league appearances in 2020. In the first half of the 2021 season, he continued his strong form, scoring 12 goals in 14 league appearances, spearheading the team's attack before his departure.
2.3.3. Yokohama F. Marinos
On February 3, 2022, Anderson Lopes made a permanent move to J1 League club Yokohama F. Marinos, filling the role of departing striker Daizen Maeda. He made an immediate impact, debuting on February 19 and recording one goal and one assist in a match against Cerezo Osaka. Despite his strong start, an incident occurred in Matchweek 14 against Avispa Fukuoka where he was sent off for spitting on opposing defender Daiki Miya. This resulted in a six-game suspension and a fine of 600.00 K JPY. He concluded his first season with 11 league goals, the joint-most at the club, significantly contributing to Yokohama F. Marinos winning the J1 League title in 2022.
In his second season with Yokohama F. Marinos in 2023, Lopes continued his impressive scoring form. He achieved his first season with over 20 league goals, ultimately scoring 22, which was a personal best and also broke the club record for most goals in a single season by a Brazilian player, surpassing Marquinhos's 16 goals from 2013. He finished as the joint top scorer in the league alongside Yuya Osako. In 2024, Lopes continued his prolific scoring, becoming only the second player in club history, after Ramón Díaz in 1993 and 1994, to score over 20 goals in two consecutive seasons. On November 16, 2024, he scored his 23rd goal of the season, further extending his own club record for a Brazilian player. He also surpassed David Bisconti's 53 goals to become Yokohama F. Marinos' all-time foreign player top scorer. He finished the 2024 season with 24 league goals, earning him the J1 League Top Scorer title for the second consecutive year.
2.4. China
On July 3, 2021, during the middle of the 2021 season, Anderson Lopes transferred to Chinese club Wuhan FC (now Wuhan Yangtze River F.C.). He played 17 league matches for the club, scoring 7 goals.
3. Career Statistics
Below is a comprehensive table detailing Anderson Lopes' club career statistics as of December 6, 2024. The 'National cup' column includes appearances in competitions such as the Copa do Brasil, Emperor's Cup, Korean FA Cup, and Chinese FA Cup. The 'League cup' column covers competitions like the J.League Cup. 'Continental' refers to appearances in the AFC Champions League, while 'State league' includes Campeonato Catarinense and Campeonato Paranaense. The 'Other' column includes appearances in the Japanese Super Cup.
3.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | State league | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Avaí | 2013 | Série B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | |||
| Marcílio Dias | 2014 | Campeonato Catarinense | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 6 | - | 16 | 6 | ||||
| Tombense | 2014 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | |||
| Avaí (loan) | 2014 | Série B | 33 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | 36 | 6 | |||
| 2015 | Série A | 19 | 5 | 4 | 2 | - | - | 10 | 6 | - | 33 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 53 | 9 | 7 | 4 | - | - | 27 | 12 | - | 87 | 19 | |||||
| Atlético Paranaense (loan) | 2016 | Série A | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima (loan) | 2016 | J1 League | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 9 | 2 | |||
| 2017 | 32 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | 39 | 10 | |||||
| FC Seoul (loan) | 2018 | K League 1 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 31 | 7 | ||||
| Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo | 2019 | J1 League | 25 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | - | - | - | 32 | 15 | |||
| 2020 | 24 | 9 | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 27 | 10 | ||||||
| 2021 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 16 | 14 | |||||
| Total | 136 | 48 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 9 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 173 | 39 | ||||
| Wuhan FC | 2021 | CSL | 17 | 7 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 18 | 7 | ||||
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 2022 | J1 League | 28 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | - | - | 34 | 14 | ||
| 2023 | 34 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 0 | 43 | 26 | |||
| 2024 | 36 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 10 | - | 0 | 0 | 54 | 36 | |||
| Total | 115 | 64 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 20 | 15 | - | 1 | 0 | 149 | 76 | |||
| Career total | 304 | 121 | 18 | 7 | 36 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 37 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 409 | 149 | ||
4. Honours
Anderson Lopes has accumulated several team and individual honors throughout his career.
4.1. Club Honours
- Campeonato Paranaense: 2016 (with Atlético Paranaense)
- J1 League: 2022 (with Yokohama F. Marinos)
- FUJIFILM SUPER CUP: 2023 (with Yokohama F. Marinos)
4.2. Individual Honours
- J.League Top Scorer: 2023, 2024
- J.League Best XI: 2023, 2024
- J.League Excellent Player Award: 2022, 2023
- Sapporo Dome MVP Award: 2019
5. Playing Style and Characteristics
Anderson Lopes is known for his technical attributes as a forward. He possesses accurate left-footed shots and a strong heading ability, making him a versatile threat in attack. He is also capable of contributing to play by holding up the ball and playing with his back to defenders, demonstrating his all-around offensive capabilities.
6. Incidents and Controversies
Throughout his career, Anderson Lopes has been involved in a few notable incidents. During his loan spell at FC Seoul in November 2018, he was removed from the matchday squad due to reported poor attitude. Later, while playing for Yokohama F. Marinos in a J1 League match against Avispa Fukuoka in Matchweek 14 of the 2022 season, Lopes was sent off for spitting on opposing defender Daiki Miya. This disciplinary action resulted in a six-game suspension and a fine of 600.00 K JPY. Earlier in his career, during his time with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, he famously misjudged the height of an advertisement board at the home stadium during a goal celebration, leading to a fall.