Nathan Júnior Soares de Carvalho (born 10 March 1989) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for FC Telavi in Georgia.

Nathan Júnior
Nathan Júnior playing for Skonto
Personal information
Full name Nathan Júnior Soares de Carvalho
Date of birth (1989-03-10) 10 March 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Telavi
Number 19
Youth career
0000–2005 Flamengo
2005–2008 Anorthosis Famagusta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Skonto Riga 69 (45)
2008Olimps (loan) 15 (0)
2012 Kapfenberger SV 13 (0)
2012–2013 Dila Gori 20 (5)
2013–2015 SKA-Energiya Khabarovsk 41 (15)
2015–2016 Tondela 34 (13)
2016–2017 Al-Fateh 20 (5)
2018 Tokushima Vortis 0 (0)
2019 Paços Ferreira 1 (0)
2020 Académico Viseu 3 (0)
2020–2021 Samtredia 23 (3)
2021– Telavi 15 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:21, 14 December 2021 (UTC)

Club career

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Early career

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Born in Rio de Janeiro, as a teenager Nathan Júnior played for his local club Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and was a member of the club's system. At the age of 16 he tried to get into the first team unsuccessfully and a year later got an offer to join Anorthosis Famagusta academy in Cyprus, which was accepted by the player, and in July 2005 he joined the Cypriot side, spending the next three seasons there.

Skonto Riga

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With the help of former Anorthosis Famagusta player and Latvian international Marians Pahars Júnior was taken on trial at Skonto Riga in July 2008. He signed a four-year contract as the trial was successful.[1] Right after joining Júnior found it difficult to fit into the squad, as there were many experienced players, and was soon loaned out to Olimps/RFS.[2] He played 15 matches that season and was mainly used in the right-back position.[3]

In December 2008 Júnior returned to Skonto Riga and was mainly used as a late game substitute by that time club's manager Paul Ashworth. In 2009 Skonto had a lack of forwards as two of them left right before the start of the season, and Júnior was tried out as a forward. He scored twice on his new position debut against Jūrmala-VV, and later on remained in that position.[4] He played 19 games and scored 5 goals in the 2009 season, and was notified as a forward in the squad for the 2010 season. He made a big surprise in the upcoming season, scoring 18 goals in 24 league matches and sharing the top-scorer's honour with Liepājas Metalurgs striker Deniss Rakels, who had also netted 18 times respectively. In 2010 Skonto became the champions of Latvia. After the impressive season Júnior went on trials with Maccabi Haifa in Israel, Dynamo Moscow in Russia and Energie Cottbus in Germany, but didn't settle there.[5]

At the start of 2011 season Júnior suffered an injury and didn't appear in the first league matches of the season. Despite lack of gaming practice, he showed his ability right after being declared fit, and soon became the leading scorer of the league yet again. He was named the league's best player in July 2011. Although, Skonto had a poor season and finished only in the 4th place of the Latvian Higher League, Júnior became the league's top scorer with 22 goals in 26 games. After the season, he was included in the LFF and sportacentrs.com teams of the tournament and was also named the best forward of the season.[6]

Kapfenberger SV

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At the end of 2011 Júnior went on trial with the Austrian Bundesliga club Kapfenberger SV and signed a contract with them in January 2012.[7][8]

Tokushima Vortis

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On 31 January 2018, Tokushima Vortis announced the signing of Nathan Júnior.[9]

Paços Ferreira

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After seven months without club, Nathan signed with Paços Ferreira on 31 January 2019 after a trial.[10] He left the club at the end of the year.

Académico Viseu

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On 31 January 2019, Nathan moved to another Portuguese club, Académico Viseu, after being without club since leaving Paços Ferreira in the summer 2019.[11] However, he played only 27 minutes.

FC Samtredia

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Nathan then returned to Georgia, where he signed with FC Samtredia in August 2020.[12]

International career

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Nathan Júnior has not represented Brazil at any level yet. In an interview for sportacentrs.com the player admitted that he would be interested in representing Latvia, but as the Latvian law does not allow more than one citizenship, Júnior would have to waive the Brazilian passport and play in Latvia for at least five years.[13] The player said that it would be a serious decision, but after moving to Austria this question has been put aside.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 4 December 2021[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Skonto Riga 2009 Virslīga 19 4 2 0 21 0
2010 24 18 2 0 26 18
2011 26 22 1 1 1 0 28 23
Total 69 44 1 1 5 0 75 45
Kapfenberger SV 2011–12 Austrian Bundesliga 13 1 0 0 13 1
Dila Gori 2012–13 Umaglesi Liga 21 7 1 3 1 0 23 10
SKA-Energia 2013–14 Russian National League 27 9 2 0 29 9
2014–15 14 6 0 0 14 6
Total 41 15 2 0 43 15
Tondela 2015–16 Primeira Liga 34 13 0 0 1 0 35 13
Al-Fateh 2016–17 Saudi Professional League 20 5 1 0 1 0 3 1 25 6
Tokushima Vortis 2018 J2 League 0 0 0 0 0 0
Paços de Ferreira 2018–19 LigaPro 1 0 1 0
Académico de Viseu 2019–20 LigaPro 3 0 0 0 1 0
Samtredia 2020 Erovnuli Liga 7 0 0 0 7 0
2021 16 3 1 0 17 3
Total 23 3 1 0 24 3
Telavi 2021 Erovnuli Liga 15 1 15 1
Career total 240 88 6 4 2 0 8 1 1 0 257 93

Honours

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Skonto Riga

Individual

  • Virsliga top scorer: 2010, 2011

References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Žuniors: "Četri gūtie vārti ir treniņu rezultāts" – LMT Virslīga – Futbols – Nacionālais sporta portāls". Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Skonto futbolists Žuniors brauc atrādīties Maskavas Dinamo". Diena.lv. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  6. ^ "LFF: LFF noteikusi 22 labākos spēlētājus Virslīgas čempionātā". Lff.lv. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Virslīgas līderi atrādās vienā no Vācijas zemākajām līgām un pie Austrijas pastarītes" (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "積極補強の徳島、長身FWナタン・ジュニオールを獲得…背番号「9". soccer-king.jp (in Japanese). Soccer King. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. ^ Nathan Júnior e Gonçalo Gregório garantidos pelo Paços de Ferreira, record.pt, 31 January 2019
  11. ^ Avançado brasileiro Nathan Júnior reforça Académico de Viseu, desporto.sapo.pt, 31 January 2020
  12. ^ სამტრედიას ახალწვეული ჰყავს: კარგად დავიწყებული ნათან ჟუნიორი საქართველოშია, lelo.ge, 17 August 2020
  13. ^ "Žuniors: 'Vēlētos spēlēt Latvijas izlasē, taču…" (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 26 December 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  14. ^ "Nathan Junior". soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
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