Nathan Júnior

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

This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Soares and the second or paternal family name is de Carvalho.
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
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 FC Samtredia
Number 40
Youth career
0000–2005 Flamengo
2005–2008 Anorthosis Famagusta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Skonto Riga 69 (45)
2008 → Olimps (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– FC Samtredia 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:17, 2 January 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

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

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

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

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

Paços Ferreira

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

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

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

International career

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

Club
As of match played 4 March 2017[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Skonto Riga 2009 Virslīga 194-20-210
2010 2418-20-2618
2011 262211-10-2823
Total 694411--50--7545
Kapfenberger SV 2011–12 Austrian Bundesliga 13100–––131
Dila Gori 2012–13 Umaglesi Liga 21713––102310
SKA-Energia 2013–14 Russian National League 27920---299
2014–15 14600---146
Total 411520------4315
Tondela 2015–16 Primeira Liga 34130010––3513
Al-Fateh 2016–17 Saudi Professional League 205101031–256
Tokushima Vortis 2018 J2 League 0000–––00
Career total 198855420811021490

Honours

Club

Skonto Riga

Individual
  • Virsliga top-scorer (2): 2010, 2011

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20100521161720/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/16052010-zuniors_cetri_gutie_varti_ir_treninu_rezu. Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.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. https://web.archive.org/web/20120119055703/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/12012012-virsligas_lideri_atradas_viena_no_vacijas. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.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. https://web.archive.org/web/20111226003250/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/30042011-zuniors_veletos_spelet_latvijas_izlase_ta. Archived from the original on 26 December 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. "Nathan Junior". soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
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