Daniel Júnior
.jpg) Daniel Júnior playing for Akhmat Grozny in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel de Melo Araújo Júnior | ||
| Date of birth | 9 May 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Santo André, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Vitória | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2021 | Palmeiras | ||
| 2021–2022 | Cruzeiro | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Cruzeiro | 45 | (5) |
| 2023–2024 | → Akhmat Grozny (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2024– | Vitória | 8 | (1) |
| 2024 | → América Mineiro (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:11, 1 January 2025 (UTC) | |||
Daniel de Melo Araújo Júnior (born 9 May 2002), known as Daniel Júnior, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Vitória.
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Born in Santo André, São Paulo, Daniel Júnior began his career with Palmeiras, signing his first professional contract with the club on 6 September 2019.[1] On 20 March 2021, however, after failing to make his breakthrough in the under-20 team, he rescinded his link,[2] and joined Cruzeiro on 11 May.[3]
Cruzeiro
[edit]After impressing with the under-20s,[4] Daniel Júnior made his first team debut with the Raposa on 5 February 2022, coming on as a late substitute for Matheus Bidu in a 2–1 Campeonato Mineiro away win over Caldense. He scored his first goal for the club seven days later, netting the opener in a 3–0 success at Tombense.[5]
Daniel Júnior became a starter under head coach Paulo Pezzolano,[6] but was sent back to the under-20 squad in May 2022, after failing to sign a new contract.[7] On 26 May, he returned to the first team after signing a new deal until 2025.[8]
After Pezzolano's departure, Daniel Júnior had limited playing time under new head coach Pepa.
Loan to Akhmat Grozny
[edit]On 11 September 2023, Daniel Júnior joined Russian Premier League club Akhmat Grozny on loan with an option to buy.[9] He made his debut abroad twelve days later, replacing compatriot Camilo in a 1–0 away loss to Baltika Kaliningrad.
Daniel Júnior officially left Akhmat by mutual consent on 9 February 2024.[10]
Vitória
[edit]In February 2024, Daniel Júnior signed a three-year deal with Vitória for a rumoured fee of US$ 500,000.[11] However, he failed to establish himself as a regular unit at the club.
Loan to América Mineiro
[edit]On 7 August 2024, Daniel Júnior was announced at América Mineiro on loan until the end of the year.[12] He left the club in December, after a loan extension was not agreed.[13]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 1 January 2025[14]
| Club | Season | League | State league[a] | Cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cruzeiro | 2022 | Série B | 25 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 4 | ||
| 2023 | Série A | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| Total | 29 | 2 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 5 | ||||
| Akhmat Grozny (loan) | 2023–24 | Russian Premier League | 4 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Vitória | 2024 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3[c] | 1 | 12 | 3 | |
| América Mineiro (loan) | 2024 | Série B | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 47 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 77 | 9 | ||
- ^ Includes Campeonato Mineiro, Campeonato Baiano
- ^ Includes Copa do Brasil, Russian Cup
- ^ Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste
Honours
[edit]Cruzeiro
References
[edit]- ^ "Artilheiro do Palmeiras no Paulista sub-17 assina primeiro contrato profissional com o time" [Top scorer of Palmeiras in the Paulista sub-17 signs first professional contract with the club] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Crias da Academia: Companheiro de Gabriel Veron no sub-17, Daniel Melo deixa o Palmeiras" [Crias da Academia: Gabriel Veron's partner in the under-17s, Daniel Melo leaves Palmeiras] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Ex-Palmeiras, Daniel Melo assina com o Cruzeiro" [Formerly of Palmeiras, Daniel Melo signs with Cruzeiro] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário Celeste. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Jr., do Cruzeiro, lembra que passou fome com a família e quase desistiu do futebol; vídeo" [Daniel Jr., from Cruzeiro, remembers that he went hungry with his family and almost gave up on football; video] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- ^ "Daniel Jr comenta felicidade no Cruzeiro: 'Estou vivendo um sonho'" [Daniel Jr talks about happiness at Cruzeiro: 'I am living a dream'] (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL Esporte. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Júnior ganha destaque no equipe do Cruzeiro e confiança do técnico Paulo Pezzolano" [Daniel Júnior earns a spotlight at Cruzeiro and the trust of head coach Paulo Pezzolano] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Jr treina com sub-20 do Cruzeiro, e diretor fala sobre renovação" [Daniel Jr trains with the under-20 of Cruzeiro, and director talks about renewal] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Super Esportes. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Cruzeiro e Daniel Jr. renovam contrato até o fim de 2025" [Cruzeiro and Daniel Jr. renew contract until the end of 2025] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ ""Ахмат" подписал футболиста из чемпионата Бразилии" [Akhmat signed a footballer from Brazil championship] (in Russian). FC Akhmat Grozny. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ "Футбольный клуб "Ахмат" и бразильский легионер Даниэль Жуниор расторгли контракт по согласию сторон" [Football club "Akhmat" and Brazilian legionnaire Daniel Junior terminated the contract by mutual agreement.]. FC Akhmat Grozny (in Russian). Telegram. 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Vitória fecha compra de Daniel Jr. em R$ 2,5 milhões; veja detalhes da negociação com o Cruzeiro" [Vitória agree transfer of Daniel Jr. in R$ 2.5 million; see details of the negotiation with Cruzeiro] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "América-MG anuncia Daniel Jr., ex-Vitória e Cruzeiro" [América-MG announce Daniel Jr., formerly of Vitória and Cruzeiro] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "América tenta, mas não consegue renovar empréstimos de três jogadores, que voltam a seus clubes" [América try, but cannot renew loans of three players, who return to their clubs] (in Brazilian Portuguese). O Tempo. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ Daniel Júnior at Soccerway
  | This biographical article related to a Brazilian association football midfielder born in the 2000s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 2002 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Santo André, São Paulo
- Brazilian men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B players
- Russian Premier League players
- Cruzeiro Esporte Clube players
- FC Akhmat Grozny players
- Esporte Clube Vitória players
- América Futebol Clube (MG) players
- Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Russia
- Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
- 21st-century Brazilian sportsmen
- Brazilian football midfielder stubs