1. Overview
John Kennedy Batista de Souza, commonly known as John Kennedy, is a Brazilian professional footballer born on 18 May 2002. He primarily plays as a forward and is currently on loan at Liga MX club Pachuca from Fluminense. This article details his personal information, early career development, professional club career with Fluminense and Pachuca, comprehensive career statistics, and notable honours.
2. Personal Information
John Kennedy's full name is John Kennedy Batista de Souza. He was born on 18 May 2002, in Itaúna, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He holds Brazilian nationality. Physically, he stands at 71 in (181 cm) and weighs 157 lb (71 kg). His preferred foot is his right foot, and he plays primarily as a centre forward.
3. Early Career
John Kennedy began his football journey at Serrano FC in Rio de Janeiro. In 2016, at the age of 14, he transitioned from Serrano FC to join the youth setup of Fluminense. His potential was recognized early, and on 29 September 2020, he renewed his contract with Fluminense, extending his commitment to the club until 2024. During this period, in September 2020, there were also rumors regarding a potential transfer to S.L. Benfica, though he remained focused on Fluminense.
4. Club Career
John Kennedy's professional career has seen him play for several clubs, most notably Fluminense, where he achieved significant success, and a loan spell at Pachuca.
4.1. Fluminense
John Kennedy made his first-team and Série A debut for Fluminense on 20 January 2021. Coming on as a half-time substitute for fellow youth graduate Luiz Henrique, he scored his team's first goal in a 3-3 away draw against Coritiba. This debut goal was particularly memorable as it came just 13 minutes after his introduction. Later that year, on 23 October, he demonstrated his scoring ability by netting a brace in a 3-1 home victory over rivals Flamengo.
A pivotal moment in his career came on 4 November 2023, when he scored the winning goal for Fluminense in a 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors after extra time in the Copa Libertadores final. This historic goal secured Fluminense's first-ever title in the competition. A month later, on 18 December, he continued his impactful scoring, finding the net in the 90th minute during a 2-0 victory over Al Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals.
4.2. Pachuca
On 6 January 2025, John Kennedy embarked on a new chapter in his career, joining Mexican club Pachuca on a one-year loan deal from Fluminense.
5. Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | State league | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Fluminense | 2020 | Série A | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2021 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 22 | 4 | |||
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 12 | ||
| 2024 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 3 | ||
| Total | 74 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 112 | 21 | ||
| Ferroviária (loan) | 2023 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | - | - | - | 11 | 6 | |||
| Pachuca | 2024-25 | Liga MX | 9 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 6 | ||||
| Career total | 83 | 16 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 132 | 33 | ||
6. Honours
Fluminense
- Campeonato Carioca: 2023
- Copa Libertadores: 2023
- Recopa Sudamericana: 2024