Luís Alberto (footballer, born 1983)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Silva and the second or paternal family name is dos Santos.

Luís Alberto

Personal information
Full name	Luís Alberto Silva dos Santos[1]
Date of birth	(1983-11-17) 17 November 1983 (age 41)[2]
Place of birth	Salvador, Brazil[2]
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
2001–2002	Bahia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2006	Bahia	48	(4)
2005–2006	→ Ettifaq (loan)
2007	São Caetano	16	(1)
2007–2008	Cruzeiro	8	(0)
2008–2012	Nacional	81	(5)
2012–2014	Braga	2	(0)
2012–2013	→ CFR Cluj (loan)	8	(2)
2013	→ Vitória (loan)	9	(0)
2014	Kashima Antlers	16	(2)
2015–2016	Tondela	22	(3)
2016	Chaves	1	(0)
2017	Aves	11	(1)
2017–2018	Académico Viseu	1	(0)
2018	Varzim	8	(0)
Total		231	(18)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Luís Alberto Silva dos Santos (born 17 November 1983), known as Luís Alberto, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He spent the better part of his 15-year senior career in Portugal, representing seven clubs.

Club career

Luís Alberto was born in Salvador, Bahia. In his country, he first played for Esporte Clube Bahia, Associação Desportiva São Caetano[3] and Cruzeiro Esporte Clube,[4][5] being part of Série A rosters with the first and last clubs, where he was often criticised for his propensity to be sent off.[6] Additionally, he served a loan at Saudi Professional League club Ettifaq FC.[7]

In late July 2008, Luís Alberto signed a five-year contract with C.D. Nacional of the Portuguese Primeira Liga, who acquired 50% of his sporting rights.[8] He played his first game in the competition on 24 August, in a 3–1 away win against Leixões S.C. where he earned praise.[9] His first goal came on 23 November in the 1–0 home victory over C.D. Trofense,[10] and in his first year he also helped his team reach the semi-finals of the Taça de Portugal[11] and qualify for the play-off round of the UEFA Europa League after a best-ever fourth-place finish.[12]

Luis Alberto made his continental debut on 20 August 2009, opening the 4–3 home defeat of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg (eventually 5–4 on aggregate).[13] In January 2012, he joined S.C. Braga of the same country and league on a three-and-a-half-year deal,[14] being then consecutively loaned by that side to Romania's CFR Cluj and Esporte Clube Vitória in his country's top division.[15][16] Whilst at Cluj, he memorably scored the only goal at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.[17]

Following a brief spell in the Japanese J1 League, Luís Alberto returned to the Portuguese top division in July 2015, with C.D. Tondela.[18] One year later, he moved to fellow league club G.D. Chaves.[19]

Luís Alberto competed in the LigaPro until his retirement at the age of 35, representing in quick succession C.D. Aves,[20] Académico de Viseu F.C. and Varzim SC.[21]

Honours

Cruzeiro

• Campeonato Mineiro: 2008

Vitória

• Campeonato Baiano: 2013

References

1. Luís Alberto at WorldFootball.net
2. "Luis Alberto" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
3. "São Caetano volta das férias com mais um reforço" [São Caetano return from vacation with another addition]. Jornal A Tarde (in Portuguese). 26 December 2006. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
4. "Luís Alberto quer seguir no clube" [Luís Alberto wants to remain at the club] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 18 December 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
5. "Luís Alberto não acerta e fica no Cruzeiro" [Luís Alberto does not reach agreement and stays at Cruzeiro]. Extra (in Portuguese). 24 July 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
6. Carneiro, Raphael (6 February 2013). "Mais maduro, Luís Alberto lembra casos da Romênia e até concentração em shopping" [More mature, Luís Alberto recalls controversies in Romania and even training camp in shopping] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
7. "Luís Alberto, Neto e Jair retornam" [Luís Alberto, Neto and Jair return] (in Portuguese). EC Bahia. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
8. "Luiz Alberto faz primeiro treino" [First training for Luiz Alberto]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 July 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
9. Cunha, Pedro Jorge (24 August 2008). "Leixões-Nacional, 1–3 (crónica)" [Leixões-Nacional, 1–3 (match report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
10. Fernandes, João Manuel (23 November 2008). "Nacional-Trofense, 1–0 (crónica)" [Nacional-Trofense, 1–0 (match report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
11. "Paços de Ferreira é o primeiro finalista da Taça" [Paços de Ferreira are the Cup's first finalists]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 22 April 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
12. "Manuel Machado quer tornar a permanência do Nacional na Liga NOS "uma realidade"" [Manuel Machado wants to make survival of Nacional in NOS League "a reality"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 23 March 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
13. "Arrogantes russos com sorte imerecida" [Cocky Russians got more than they deserved]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 21 August 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
14. "Luís Alberto contratado ao Nacional" [Luís Alberto signed from Nacional] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 11 January 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
15. "Luís Alberto sai de Braga e vai para o Cluj" [Luís Alberto leaves Braga and goes to Cluj]. Público (in Portuguese). 3 September 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
16. "Luís Alberto garante" [Luís Alberto guarantees] (in Portuguese). EC Vitória. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
17. Smith, Ben (5 December 2012). "Man Utd 0–1 CFR Cluj". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
18. Diogo, Conceição (20 July 2015). "Luís Alberto por uma temporada" [Luís Alberto for one season]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 March 2021.
19. "Luís Alberto é a estrela do meio-campo" [Luís Alberto is the midfield star]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 30 June 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
20. "II Liga: Luís Alberto deixa Chaves e assina pelo Desp. Aves" [II League: Luís Alberto leaves Chaves and signs for Desp. Aves] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
21. "Médio Luiz Alberto (ex-Académico de Viseu) reforça Varzim" [Midfielder Luiz Alberto (ex-Académico de Viseu) bolsters Varzim]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 12 January 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2021.

External links

• Luís Alberto at Sambafoot (archived)
• Luís Alberto at ForaDeJogo (archived)
• Luís Alberto at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
• Luís Alberto at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
• Luís Alberto at Soccerway