Sérgio Leandro Seixas Santos (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsɛʁʒju leˈɐ̃dɾu ˈsejʃɐs ˈsɐ̃tus]; Polish: [ˈsɛrʐjɔ lɛˈandrɔ ˈsɛjʂas ˈsantɔs] born 23 March 1979) known as Sérgio Batata or just Batata (Portuguese: [baˈtatɐ], Polish: [baˈtata]) is a Brazilian-born Polish former professional footballer who played as a defender or midfielder.[2][3]

Sérgio Batata
Sérgio Batata in 2008.
Personal information
Full name Sérgio Leandro Seixas Santos
Date of birth (1979-03-23) 23 March 1979 (age 45) [1]
Place of birth Montes Claros, Brazil
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defender, midfielder
Youth career
Clube Atlético Mineiro
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Clube Atlético Mineiro
1996 Cruzeiro
1997 ŁKS Łódź 2 (0)
1997 Piotrcovia
1998 ŁKS Łódź 20 (0)
1998 Polonia Gdańsk 10 (0)
1998 Lechia-Polonia Gdańsk 7 (1)
1998–2000 ŁKS Łódź 41 (1)
2000 GKS Katowice 14 (0)
2001 Pogoń Szczecin 6 (0)
2001 KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski 7 (0)
2002 TuS Koblenz 4 (3)
2002 Widzew Łódź 14 (5)
2003 Piotrcovia 16 (7)
2003–2006 Pogoń Szczecin 59 (12)
2007 Grêmio Esportivo Brasil
2007–2008 Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wlkp. 5 (0)
2008–2009 Warta Poznań 27 (5)
2009 Stal Niewiadów 15 (3)
2010 Zawisza Bydgoszcz 13 (1)
2010 Kotwica Kołobrzeg 15 (3)
2011–2012 Motor Lublin 45 (3)
2012–2013 Chełmianka Chełm 41 (2)
2014–2017 Polonia Piotrków Trybunalski
2019–2022 Luciążanka Przygłów
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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In his youth Batata played for Clube Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro, before being brought to Poland by Antoni Ptak in 1997. He made his debut in Poland for ŁKS Łódź on 11 May 1997 against Polonia Warsaw. His career was mostly decided by Ptak, moving to clubs when it had been decided for him, which resulted in Batata playing for a total of 15 different Polish clubs.

In 2003, Poland national team manager, Paweł Janas, was impressed with Batata that he wanted him to play for the Poland national team, meaning Batata had to apply for Polish citizenship. Accepting Polish citizenship would mean he'd have to rescind his Brazilian citizenship, and was given his citizenship in 2006.[4] By this point Janas was no longer manager and Batata had suffered a few major injuries impacting his playing time.[5] His two major career successes were winning the Copa do Brasil in 1996 with Cruzeiro and the Ekstraklasa Cup in 2007–08 with Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski.

Batata made over 300 appearances in Poland, playing for clubs such as ŁKS Łódź (three times), Piotrcovia Piotrków Trybunalski (three times), Polonia Gdańsk, Lechia-Polonia Gdańsk,[6] GKS Katowice,[7] Pogon Szczecin, KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Widzew Łódź,[8] Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski, [9] Warta Poznań,[10] Stal Niewiadów, Zawisza Bydgoszcz,[11] Kotwica Kołobrzeg,[12] Motor Lublin,[13] and Chełmianka Chełm.[14]

Honours

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Cruzeiro

Pogoń Szczecin

Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski

References

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  1. ^ "Batata". lechia.gda.pl.
  2. ^ Interview with Sérgio Batata
  3. ^ Sergio Batata – słodko-gorzki ziemniak rfbl.pl
  4. ^ "Sergio Batata w Polonii Piotrków". epiotrkow.pl.
  5. ^ "MIAŁ BYĆ W KADRZE PRZED ROGEREM, A ZWIEDZIŁ 15 KLUBÓW W POLSCE!". przegladsportowy.pl.
  6. ^ "1998/99 II Liga - Gr. zachodnia". lechia.net.
  7. ^ "Queue XV: Górnik - GKS Katowice 0: 0". katowice.wyborcza.pl.
  8. ^ "Batata zatrzymał KSZO". ostrowiec-sw.pl.
  9. ^ "BATATA W GRODZISKU WLKP". sport.interia.pl.
  10. ^ "Batata w Warcie Poznań". sportowefakty.pl.
  11. ^ "Batata w Zawiszy". 90minut.pl.
  12. ^ "Pięciu nowych zawodników w Kotwicy". 90minut.pl.
  13. ^ "Motor pozyskał Batatę". 90minut.pl.
  14. ^ "Sergio Batata". chelmiankachelm.futbolowo.pl.
  15. ^ "II liga 2003/2004". 90minut.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 25 February 2024.
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