Vanderson Válter de Almeida
Encyclopedia
Vanderson Válter de Almeida, aka Vandinho (born 15 January 1978 in Cuiabá
, Mato Grosso
), is a Brazil
ian footballer who plays for Al Sharjah SC in the United Arab Emirates
, as a central midfielder.
, Vandinho played mainly with modest outfits in his country: Esporte Clube Pelotas
, Guarani Futebol Clube
, Santa Cruz Futebol Clube
, Criciúma Esporte Clube
and Grêmio Esportivo Inhumense
, moving in 2002–03 to Portugal
with Rio Ave FC, and helping the Vila do Conde team return to the first division in his first season.
In 2004–05, Vandinho joined Sporting de Braga, being an everpresent midfield fixture, as the Minho side achieved two consecutive fourth-league places from 2005–07. During his second season, he contributed with 31 matches and three goals, including in both matches against former side Rio Ave (2–1 away, 5–0 at home).
In February 2010, as he continued to be an everpresent midfield figure and Braga led the league, Vandinho received a three-month ban for his actions in a scuffle during his side's 2–0 home win against S.L. Benfica late in the previous year, effectively ending his season, as his club was eventually surpassed in the table by the opponents in that match.
Vandinho helped Braga reach the UEFA Europa League final
in 2010–11, scoring through a header in the semifinals' first leg, a 1–2 away loss against Benfica (2–2 aggregate win). In late August 2011, after nearly one full decade in the same country, the 33-year old joined Al Sharjah SC in the United Arab Emirates
, for an undisclosed fee.
Cuiabá
Under the Koppen climate classification, Cuiaba features a tropical wet and dry climate. Cuiabá is famous for its searing heat, although temperatures in winter can arrive sporadically at 10 degrees, indeed atypical, caused by cold fronts coming from the south, and that may only last one or two...
, Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...
), is a Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian footballer who plays for Al Sharjah SC in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, as a central midfielder.
Football career
After an unsuccessful spell at Sport Club InternacionalSport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...
, Vandinho played mainly with modest outfits in his country: Esporte Clube Pelotas
Esporte Clube Pelotas
Esporte Clube Pelotas, usually known simply as Pelotas, is a Brazilian football club in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. The club competed several times in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B and in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, and won the Campeonato Gaúcho in 1930...
, Guarani Futebol Clube
Guarani Futebol Clube
Guarani Futebol Clube is a Brazilian football club located in Campinas, São Paulo. Guarani is also known as Bugre, a popular term for an Indigenous Brazilian...
, Santa Cruz Futebol Clube
Santa Cruz Futebol Clube
Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, or simply Santa Cruz is a Brazilian football club in Recife, Pernambuco.-Early history:On February 3, 1914, eleven young men aging from 14 to 16 years founded a football society...
, Criciúma Esporte Clube
Criciúma Esporte Clube
Criciúma Esporte Clube, also known simply as Criciúma, is a Brazilian football club in Criciúma, Santa Catarina. The club won the Copa do Brasil in 1991, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 2002, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C in 2006.-History:...
and Grêmio Esportivo Inhumense
Grêmio Esportivo Inhumense
Grêmio Esportivo Inhumense, commonly known as Grêmio Inhumense, was a Brazilian football club based in Inhumas, Goiás state. They competed in the Série C once.-History:...
, moving in 2002–03 to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
with Rio Ave FC, and helping the Vila do Conde team return to the first division in his first season.
In 2004–05, Vandinho joined Sporting de Braga, being an everpresent midfield fixture, as the Minho side achieved two consecutive fourth-league places from 2005–07. During his second season, he contributed with 31 matches and three goals, including in both matches against former side Rio Ave (2–1 away, 5–0 at home).
In February 2010, as he continued to be an everpresent midfield figure and Braga led the league, Vandinho received a three-month ban for his actions in a scuffle during his side's 2–0 home win against S.L. Benfica late in the previous year, effectively ending his season, as his club was eventually surpassed in the table by the opponents in that match.
Vandinho helped Braga reach the UEFA Europa League final
2011 UEFA Europa League Final
The 2011 UEFA Europa League Final was a football match played on 18 May 2011 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, which decided the winner of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League...
in 2010–11, scoring through a header in the semifinals' first leg, a 1–2 away loss against Benfica (2–2 aggregate win). In late August 2011, after nearly one full decade in the same country, the 33-year old joined Al Sharjah SC in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, for an undisclosed fee.