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Welington (footballer)

Welington
Personal information
Full name Welington Damascena Santos
Date of birth (2001-02-19) 19 February 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
São Paulo
Number 6
Youth career
0000–2020 São Paulo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– São Paulo 125 (2)
International career
2023– Brazil U23 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:21, 17 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 September 2023

Welington Damascena Santos (born 19 February 2001), known as Welington, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for São Paulo.

Club career

São Paulo

Early career

Welington played 26 matches for São Paulo under-15s, 37 matches in the under-17s and 107 matches in the under-20s. He won several trophies such as the 2018 Copa do Brasil U20 and the 2019 Copinha.[2] In the latter, he was part of the squad who shaved his head in honour of a fan of the club who had brain cancer.[3]

He was named in the professional team for the first time in December 2019 for the last match of the Brazilian Championship against CSA.[4] São Paulo won 2–1, but Welington did not make his debut.[5]

2020

Turning professional in 2020, he made his debut on 8 March 2020, in a 1–0 defeat to Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto in the Campeonato Paulista.[6] He came on in the second half in place of Everton and suffered a fall in a head collision, but he remained on the field until the end of the match and was later taken to hospital.[7]

2021

On 14 April, he scored his first goal as a professional in a 3–2 victory over Guarani in the Campeonato Paulista.[8] He was part of the Paulista winning squad on 23 May which won 2–0 against Palmeiras but was an unused substitute.[9] On 3 June, Welington renewed his contract until 31 December 2024.[10]

2022

On 27 March, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 victory over Corinthians in the semi-finals of the Campeonato Paulista, helping São Paulo reach their second consecutive final.[11] On 3 April, Welington was a starter in the final, but ended up being beaten 4–0 by Palmeiras.[12]

2023

Previously wearing the number 34 shirt, he started using the number six shirt after Reinaldo's departure.[13] After an injury suffered against Botafogo-SP in the Campeonato Paulista, he was injured again more seriously on 13 March in a match against Água Santa,[14] where he underwent ligament surgery on his left ankle.[15] After four months, he returned to training on the field for the first time in June.[16] On 19 August, Welington played his hundredth match for the club in the goalless draw with Botafogo.[17][18]

2024

On 4 February, he was part of the winning squad for the Supercopa Rei final against Palmeiras which ended 4–2 on penalties, after a goalless draw in normal time.[19]

Southampton

On 26 July 2024, Welington signed a pre-contract with Premier League side Southampton and will join following the expiry of his contract with São Paulo in January 2025.[20]

Career statistics

As of 17 October 2024[21]
Club Season League State league Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
São Paulo 2020 Série A 1 0 1[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2021 Série A 16 0 6[a] 1 3 0 6 0 0 0 31 1
2022 Série A 32 0 8 1 6 0 5 0 0 0 51 1
2023 Série A 16 0 10 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 32 0
2024 Série A 22 0 13 0 4 0 8 0 1[b] 0 48 0
Career total 87 0 38 2 16 0 22 0 1 0 164 2
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Campeonato Paulista
  2. ^ Appearance in Supercopa do Brasil

Honours

São Paulo

References

  1. ^ "WELINGTON". SPFC (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Joia 2021: experiente na base, lateral-esquerdo espera por chances no São Paulo de Diniz". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 2 January 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Antes de final, elenco do São Paulo raspa cabelo em homenagem a torcedora com câncer". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 25 January 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Relacionados do São Paulo: garotos da base dominam lista contra o CSA; veja os nomes". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 7 December 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ^ "São Paulo supera expulsão, segura CSA e vence com time "made in Cotia"..." uol.com (in Portuguese). 8 December 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Welington enfrentou doença na base e perda na família antes de fazer primeiro gol pelo São Paulo". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 19 April 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Lateral do São Paulo estreia, bate a cabeça e vai para hospital". lance.com (in Portuguese). 8 March 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Welington comemora primeiro gol pelo São Paulo: 'Nem acreditei'". lance.com (in Portuguese). 15 April 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Raio-X: participação da base no Campeonato Paulista 2021". São Paulo FC (in Portuguese). 25 May 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  10. ^ "São Paulo anuncia a renovação de contrato com Welington até 2024". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 3 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Welington festeja vaga do São Paulo na final e gol no clássico: "Marcado na minha história"". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 27 March 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Palmeiras 4 x 0 São Paulo | Campeonato Paulista: melhores momentos". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Ferraresi, Welington e Gabriel Neves ganham novos números de camisa no São Paulo". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 3 January 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Welington vai passar por novos exames para definir tratamento de lesão no São Paulo". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 14 March 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Welington, lateral do São Paulo, é submetido a cirurgia no tornozelo". ESPN (in Portuguese). 20 March 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Welington treina com o grupo do São Paulo e fica próximo de retorno". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  17. ^ "São Paulo 0 x 0 Botafogo - Melhores momentos - 20ª rodada do Brasileirão 2023". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  18. ^ "100 jogos de Welington! Veja as Crias de Cotia do elenco atual com mais partidas pelo São Paulo". lance.com (in Portuguese). 22 August 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  19. ^ "São Paulo vence o Palmeiras nos pênaltis e é campeão da Supercopa do Brasil…". uol.com (in Portuguese). 4 February 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Personal terms agreed with São Paulo duo". Southampton F.C. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  21. ^ Welington at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 October 2020.