Élton Arábia

Élton Arábia
Personal information
Full name Élton José Xavier Gomes
Date of birth (1986-04-07) 7 April 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Palmeira dos Índios, Alagoas, Brazil
Height 1.54 m (5 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
Corinthians
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Corinthians 5 (0)
2006São Caetano (loan) 30 (2)
2007 Steaua București 8 (1)
2007–2009 Al-Nassr 36 (6)
2009Al-Rayyan (loan)
2009 Fortaleza 14 (1)
2009–2010 Dubai Club (0)
2010Al-Wasl (loan) 7 (1)
2010–2011 Sport Recife 23 (1)
2011–2016 Al-Fateh 121 (48)
2016 Mesaimeer 5 (7)
2017–2019 Al-Qadsiah 60 (13)
2019–2020 CRB 15 (1)
2020 Al-Wehda 12 (0)
2020–2021 Al-Hamriyah 1 (0)
Total 337 (81)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Élton José Xavier Gomes (born 7 April 1986), known as Élton Arábia or just Élton, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

Career

Steaua București

Élton Arábia was bought by Romanian side Steaua București at the age of 21. Even though his spell with the Romanian team was short, his impact was immediate. He scored in his first match against FC Argeş Piteşti and had great performances in the next games. In a 2009 poll, he was chosen by the Steaua Bucharest fans in the team's Best XI for the past ten years.[1] Steaua Bucharest's Executive President Mihai Stoica has always expressed his amazement for the incredible technique and dribbling tricks Arábia is capable of.[2]

Al Nassr

In 2007, he moved to Saudi side Al Nassr where he scored frequently and provided many assists. He was loved and cherished by the Al Nasr fans who found him unique due to his quick pace and dribbling. The most distinctive thing about the player, which all fans copied by wearing wigs, was his long afro hair.

Return to Brazil

In 2009, Arábia moved to Fortaleza Esporte Clube back in Brazil.

Emirati club

At the end of 2009, Arábia moved to Dubai Club where he contributed to the team's winning of the Federation Cup. In February 2010, he was loaned to the UAE Giants Al Wasl for the rest of the 2009–10 season.[3]

Return to Saudia

In the 2012–13 season he played for Al Fateh in 25 league games and scored 11 goals, helping the team win the first title in the history of the club. He then played in the Saudi Super Cup against Al-Ittihad Jeddah, after 90 minutes the score was 2-2 and the game went into extra time. Arábia scored the winning goal of the game in the 111th minute, the final result was 3-2 for Al Fateh.

In 2017, Arábia moved to Saudi side Al-Qadisiyah, where he captains the team. However, during the winter transfer window, He moved to the western province and joined Al-Wehda Club.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Corinthians 2004 Série A 3 0 1 0 0[c] 0 15 0
2005 2 0 1 0 4[c] 0 11 1
2006 0 0 0 0 16[c] 2 32 0
2007 0 0 0 0 7[c] 0 32 0
total 5 0 2 0 0 0 26 2 0 0 37 2
São Caetano 2006 Série A 30 2 0 0 30 2
Steaua 2006–07 Liga I 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1
Al Nassr 2007–08 Saudi Professional League 20 3 2 0 1 0 3[d] 6
2008–09 16 3 0 1 1[e] 4[d] 9
total 36 6 0 1 0 1 7 15
Al-Rayyan 2008–09 Qatar Stars League 0 0 3 0 3 0
Fortaleza 2009 Série B 14 1 0 0 14 1
Dubai CSC 2009–10 UAE First Division League 0 0 0 0 0
Al-Wasl 2009–10 UAE Pro League 7 1 0 0 2 1 1 1[f] 10 3
Sport Recife 2010 Série B 23 1 0 0 5[g] 0 28 1
Al Fateh 2010–11 Saudi Professional League 9 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 3
2011–12 13 3 5 5 2 0 0 0 20 8
2012–13 25 11 5 0 2 0 2[h] 3 34 14
2013–14 24 9 1 0 3 1 1[i] 1 6[j] 0 35 11
2014–15 25 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 25 10
2015–16 25 12 0 0 1 0 26 12
total 121 48 12 5 6 1 3 4 6 0 148 58
Mesaimeer 2016–17 Qatari Second Division 5 7 0 0 5 7
Al Qadsiah 2016–17 Saudi Professional League 10 3 1 0 11 3
2017–18 21 3 3 2 24 5
2018–19 29 7 1 0 30 7
total 60 13 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 64 15
CRB 2019 Série B 15 1 0 0 15 1
Al Wehda 2019–20 Saudi Professional League 12 0 1 0 13 0
Al Hamriyah 2020–21 UAE First Division League 1 0 4 1 5 1
Career total 326 93 23 6 29 8 53 6 42 13 473 126

Honours

Corinthians

Dubai Club

Al-Fateh

Al-Nassr

References

  1. ^ "Suporterii Stelei au ales echipa-tip a ultimilor 10 ani! Zapata, Rădoi, Roşu şi Lăcătuş sunt liderii". 5 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  2. ^ "MM Stoica: "Meciul Al Nasr-Al Hilal a fost incredibil!"". 24 January 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
  3. ^ "Élton is Waslawy until the end of the season". alkhaleej.ae (in Arabic). 19 February 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d Élton Arábia at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  5. ^ a b c d Élton Arábia at Soccerway