Maycon Vinicius Ferreira da Cruz (born 29 July 1992), commonly known as Nikão, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Athletico Paranaense, on loan from São Paulo.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maycon Vinícius Ferreira da Cruz | ||
| Date of birth | 29 July 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Montes Claros, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Athletico Paranaense (on loan from São Paulo) | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2010 | Mirassol | ||
| 2008–2009 | → Palmeiras (loan) | ||
| 2009–2010 | → Santos (loan) | ||
| 2010 | Atlético Mineiro | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2014 | Atlético Mineiro | 4 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Vitória (loan) | 13 | (9) |
| 2011 | → Bahia (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2012 | → Ponte Preta (loan) | 29 | (1) |
| 2013 | → América Mineiro (loan) | 34 | (5) |
| 2014 | → Linense (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Ceará (loan) | 28 | (4) |
| 2015–2021 | Athletico Paranaense | 209 | (31) |
| 2022– | São Paulo | 32 | (4) |
| 2023 | → Cruzeiro (loan) | 29 | (4) |
| 2024– | → Athletico Paranaense (loan) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 December 2023 | |||
Personal life
editBorn in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Nikão did not know his father and lost his mother due to a cancer at the age of nine. He was raised by his grandmother, and after impressing in a local amateur team at the age of 12, he was brought up to Mirassol, São Paulo for a trial period.[1] At the age of 16, he also lost his grandmother, and two years later, his brother Thiago also died.[2]
Club career
editEarly career
editNikão began his career with Mirassol's youth setup, and subsequently had trials at CSKA Moscow and PSV Eindhoven; despite impressing, he was unable to stay at those clubs after not having a legal representative in those countries. In 2009, after a brief period at Palmeiras, he moved to Santos.
Atlético Mineiro
editOn 16 April 2010, as Santos did not exercise the buyout clause on his loan contract,[3] Nikão signed for Atlético Mineiro.[4] He made his Série A debut on 10 October, coming on as a second-half substitute for Renan Oliveira in a 0–1 away loss against Internacional.
After appearing rarely, Nikão was loaned to Série B side Vitória on 9 February 2011.[5] He scored nine goals in only 12 appearances in the 2011 Campeonato Baiano, as his side lost the title to Bahia de Feira.
On 25 May 2011, Nikão moved to Bahia in the top tier, on loan until December.[6] He subsequently served another loan deals at Ponte Preta,[7] América Mineiro,[8] Linense and Ceará.[9]
Athletico Paranaense
editOn 14 January 2015 Nikão signed a three-year deal with Atlético Paranaense.[10] He made his club debut on 26 February by playing the last 20 minutes of a 0–1 Campeonato Paranaense home loss against Foz do Iguaçu, and scored his first goal on 2 May by netting the third of 5–0 home routing of Nacional-PR.
On 6 June 2017, Nikão played his 100th match for Furacão.[11] On 14 July 2019, he reached his 200th match.[12]
On 10 October 2021, Nikão completed 300 matches for Athletico.[13]
Career statistics
edit- As of 13 October 2021[14]
| Club | Season | League | State League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Mineiro | 2010 | Série A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Vitória (loan) | 2011 | Série B | 1 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 9 | ||
| Bahia (loan) | 2011 | Série A | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Ponte Preta (loan) | 2012 | Série A | 29 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 1 | ||||
| América Mineiro (loan) | 2013 | Série B | 29 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 38 | 6 | ||
| Linense (loan) | 2014 | Paulista | — | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Ceará (loan) | 2013 | Série B | 28 | 4 | — | 8 | 3 | — | — | 36 | 7 | |||
| Athletico Paranaense | 2015 | Série A | 31 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | — | 42 | 6 | |
| 2016 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 0 | 36 | 2 | |||
| 2017 | 29 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11[c] | 3 | — | 48 | 7 | |||
| 2018 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11[c] | 4 | — | 50 | 6 | |||
| 2019 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 8[c] | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 42 | 6 | ||
| 2020 | 26 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 38 | 9 | ||
| 2021 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 11[a] | 3 | — | 37 | 8 | |||
| Total | 177 | 20 | 32 | 11 | 28 | 2 | 48 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 293 | 44 | ||
| Career total | 274 | 28 | 57 | 22 | 40 | 6 | 50 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 429 | 67 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
- ^ Appearance(s) in Primeira Liga
- ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
- ^ Two appearances in Recopa Sudamericana, one appearance in J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship
- ^ Appearance(s) in Supercopa do Brasil
Honours
editAtlético Mineiro
- Campeonato Mineiro: 2010
Ceará
Athletico Paranaense
- Campeonato Paranaense: 2016, 2020
- Copa Sudamericana: 2018, 2021
- J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship: 2019
- Copa do Brasil: 2019
São Paulo
References
edit- ^ "Algoz do São Paulo, Nikão supera drama e tenta se firmar no Bahia" [São Paulo's hangman, Nikão overcomes personal drama and tries to settle at Bahia] (in Brazilian Portuguese). IG. 6 November 2011. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Nikão catava latinhas, fugiu do tráfico e superou o alcoolismo antes de virar herói do Athletico-PR na Copa do Brasil" [Nikão picked up cans, ran away from trafficking and overcame alcoholism before becoming Athletico-PR's hero in the Copa do Brasil] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ESPN Brasil. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Meia Nikão: 'Não jogo mais no time do Santos'" [Midfielder Nikão: 'I will not play at Santos anymore'] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Goal. 2 April 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Atlético-MG contrata Nikão, destaque do Santos na Copa São Paulo" [Atlético-MG sign Nikão, spotlight of Santos in the Copa São Paulo] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Mais novidades no Galo: clube contrata zagueiro e empresta meia" [More news at Galo: club sign stopper and loan out midfielder] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 9 February 2011.
- ^ "Nikão é a nova contratação do Bahia" [Nikão is the new signing of Bahia] (in Brazilian Portuguese). EC Bahia. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Sem corresponder no Galo, meia Nikão viaja para assinar com a Ponte Preta" [Without establishing himself at Galo, midfielder Nikão travels to sign with Ponte Preta] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Super Esportes. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Por empréstimo, Nikão fecha com o América-MG até novembro" [On loan, Nikão signs with América-MG until November] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 19 March 2015.
- ^ "De olho na Série B, Ceará encaminha acerto com meia e atacante" [Aiming the Série B, Ceará agree deal with midfielder and forward] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 1 April 2014.
- ^ "Atlético-PR anuncia a contratação do meia Nikão, ex-América-MG e Ceará" [Atlético-PR announce the signing of midfielder Nikão, formerly of América-MG and Ceará] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Nikão chega à marca de 100 jogos pelo Atlético" [Nikão reaches the landmark of 100 matches for Atlético] (in Spanish). Furacão.com. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "200 vezes Nikão: meia-atacante completa marca pelo Athletico e elege Top 5 de principais jogos" [200 times Nikão: attacking midfielder completes landmark for Athletico and names Top 5 matches] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 14 July 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Nikão alcança marca histórica de 300 jogos pelo Athletico; relembre grandes momentos" [Nikão reaches historical landmark of 300 matches for Athletico; remember great moments] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Paraná Portal. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
- ^ Nikão at Soccerway. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
External links
edit- Nikão at Sambafoot