Alessandro Santos

is a former Japanese football player. He played for the Japan national team.

Alessandro Santos

Personal information
Full name	Alessandro Santos
Date of birth	(1977-07-20) July 20, 1977
Place of birth	Maringá, Brazil
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1994–1996	Meitoku Gijuku High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2003	Shimizu S-Pulse	198	(56)
2004–2009	Urawa Reds	100	(11)
2007	→Red Bull Salzburg (loan)	20	(1)
2009–2012	Nagoya Grampus	55	(0)
2013	Tochigi SC	25	(2)
2014	FC Gifu	18	(2)
2015	Maringá
2015	Grêmio Maringá
2016	PSTC
Total		416	(72)
National team
2002–2006	Japan	82	(7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Biography

Santos was born in Maringá, Brazil on July 20, 1977. He moved to Japan in 1994. After graduating from Meitoku Gijuku High School, he joined J1 League club Shimizu S-Pulse in 1997. He played as many matches as left side midfielder from first season. In 1999, the club won the 2nd place and he received the "J.League MVP". In Asia, the club won the champions 1999–00 Asian Cup Winners' Cup and the 3rd place 2000–01 Asian Cup Winners' Cup. In 2004, he joined Urawa Reds. After won the 2nd place at J1 League for 2 years in a row (2004, 2005), the club won the champions in 2006 J1 League. In January 2007, he was loaned out to Red Bull Salzburg. He went back to Urawa in January 2008. He received a serious injury in a test match and had only one appearance in this season. In July 2009, he agreed to move to Nagoya Grampus. He made 55 appearances for the club, before joining J2 League side Tochigi SC for the 2013 season. He made 25 appearances there, scoring twice. In January 2014, he joined fellow J2 League team FC Gifu.

In November 2001, Santos obtained Japanese citizenship. He made his first appearance for Japan national team on March 21, 2002 against Ukraine, and he was part of Philippe Troussier's selection for the 2002 World Cup. He was the second foreign-born person to play for Japan in the World Cup after Wagner Lopes, who played in the 1998 World Cup and also the fifth naturalized citizen to play for Japan after Daishiro Yoshimura, George Yonashiro, Ruy Ramos, and Lopes.

Since Zico took over as the national team manager, Santos was a constant on the left side of the Japanese lineup, as a side back in 4-4-2 formation or midfielder in 3-5-2 formation. At 2004 Asian Cup, he played full time in all 6 matches and Japan won the champions. He was selected to Japan's 2006 World Cup squad in May 2006, providing an assist for Keiji Tamada in a group stage match against his former country Brazil. He played 82 games and scored 7 goals for Japan until 2006.

Statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		Asia		Total
1997	Shimizu S-Pulse	J1 League	27	3	3	0	2	1	-		32	4
1998			26	10	5	2	5	0	-		36	12
1999			30	11	1	0	4	0	-		35	11
2000			30	4	5	4	5	0	-		40	8
2001			30	12	5	1	2	1	-		37	14
2002			29	9	3	0	2	2	2	2	36	13
2003			26	7	4	0	4	0	3	1	37	8
2004	Urawa Reds	J1 League	27	2	2	1	1	0	-		30	3
2005			32	4	5	0	5	0	-		42	4
2006			34	5	1	0	0	0	-		35	5
Austria			League		Austrian Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
2006/07	Red Bull Salzburg	Bundesliga	9	0	-		-		-		9	0
2007/08			11	1	-		-		1	0	12	1
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		Asia		Total
2008	Urawa Reds	J1 League	1	0	0	0	0	0	-		1	0
2009			6	0	0	0	4	0	-		10	0
2009	Nagoya Grampus	J1 League	14	0	6	1	0	0	4	0	24	1
2010			25	0	3	1	1	0	-		29	1
2011			11	0	4	0	1	0	3	0	19	0
2012			5	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	8	0
2013	Tochigi SC	J2 League	25	2	2	0	-		-		27	2
2014	FC Gifu	J2 League	18	2	0	0	-		-		18	2
Country	Japan		396	71	51	10	36	4	13	3	496	88
	Austria		20	1	-		-		1	0	21	1
Total			416	72	51	10	36	4	14	3	517	89

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2002	9	1
2003	15	1
2004	22	2
2005	17	1
2006	19	2
Total	82	7