Jucilei

1. Overview

Jucilei da Silva (born 6 April 1988), commonly known as Jucilei, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a central or defensive midfielder. He began his career in Brazil with J. Malucelli Futebol before gaining prominence at Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. His career then took him to various international clubs, including FC Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, Al Jazira Club in the United Arab Emirates, and Shandong Luneng Taishan F.C. in China, before returning to Brazil with São Paulo FC. Jucilei also had a brief involvement with the Brazil national football team.

2. Career

Jucilei's professional career spanned several clubs across Brazil, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and China, showcasing his abilities as a robust midfielder.

2.1. Club Career

2.1.1. J. Malucelli Futebol

Jucilei started his career with J. Malucelli Futebol in Brazil. During his youth career, he played for Canoas SC until 2007 and then for Grêmio FBPA in 2007. He made 4 appearances and scored 1 goal for J. Malucelli. His strong performances, including being voted the best player of Malucelli in the Campeonato Paranaense, led to his transfer to Sport Club Corinthians Paulista.

2.1.2. Sport Club Corinthians Paulista

Jucilei joined Sport Club Corinthians Paulista in 2009. He made his debut for Corinthians against Internacional on 10 May 2009, in a match that ended in a 1-0 loss for his team. He quickly established himself as a regular player for the club. During his tenure, he made 66 league appearances, scoring 4 goals. Across all competitions, including the Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores, he played 99 matches and scored 6 goals. His time at Corinthians was successful, contributing to the team's victory in the 2009 Copa do Brasil and the 2009 Campeonato Paulista.

2.1.3. FC Anzhi Makhachkala

On 22 February 2011, Corinthians president Andrés Sánchez confirmed Jucilei's transfer to the Russian club FC Anzhi Makhachkala for a deal worth 10.00 M EUR. He signed a four-year contract with Anzhi. Over nearly three years with the club, Jucilei made 99 appearances across all competitions. However, he departed the club at the end of 2013 due to financial issues faced by Anzhi.

2.1.4. Al Jazira Club

Following his departure from Anzhi, Jucilei moved to Al Jazira Club in the UAE Arabian Gulf League on 13 January 2014. During his time at Al Jazira, he acquired Palestinian citizenship to be classified as an Asian player, which helped the club comply with foreign player quotas. Reports indicated his annual salary at Al Jazira was around 6.00 M BRL. He made 23 appearances and scored 3 goals for the club.

2.1.5. Shandong Luneng Taishan F.C.

On 28 June 2015, Jucilei signed with Shandong Luneng Taishan F.C. in the Chinese Super League, joining as an Asian quota player. On 1 May 2016, he scored his first goal for Shandong Luneng in the AFC Champions League against Buriram United, a performance for which he was also awarded the player of the match. He played 43 league matches for Shandong, scoring 1 goal, and made 57 appearances across all competitions, scoring 3 goals.

2.1.6. São Paulo FC

On 12 February 2017, Jucilei was loaned to São Paulo FC for one season. After a successful loan spell where he made 35 appearances and scored 1 goal, he later made a permanent move to the club in 2018. He went on to make an additional 49 appearances for São Paulo until 2020.

2.1.7. Later Clubs

Towards the end of his playing career, Jucilei continued to play in Brazil. In 2021, he joined Boavista SC, making 7 appearances. In 2022, he played for Atlético Carioca.

3. Style of Play

Jucilei primarily played as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder. According to his former coach Cuca, Jucilei possessed strong technical abilities, allowing him to advance with the ball effectively, and was also noted for his excellent marking skills. Cuca also highlighted Jucilei's versatility, stating that he could play as a centre-back when needed.

4. Honours

Jucilei achieved several team and individual accolades throughout his career.

5. Career Statistics