Thiago Neves
Brazilian footballer and coach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thiago Neves Augusto (born 27 February 1985) is a Brazilian coach and former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.[1] He is the current head coach of the U-20 team of Bangu AC.[2]
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Thiago Neves for Al-Hilal in 2010 | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thiago Neves Augusto | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 27 February 1985 | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Curitiba, Brazil | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Paraná | 29 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2006 | → Vegalta Sendai (loan) | 35 | (8) | |||||||||||
| 2007 | → Fluminense (loan) | 41 | (12) | |||||||||||
| 2008 | Fluminense | 19 | (9) | |||||||||||
| 2008 | Hamburger SV | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | → Fluminense (loan) | 19 | (5) | |||||||||||
| 2009 | Al-Hilal | 31 | (17) | |||||||||||
| 2011 | → Flamengo (loan) | 49 | (19) | |||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Fluminense | 50 | (11) | |||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Al-Hilal | 42 | (23) | |||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Al-Jazira | 27 | (8) | |||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Cruzeiro | 111 | (27) | |||||||||||
| 2020 | Grêmio | 14 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Sport Recife | 43 | (8) | |||||||||||
| Total | 516 | (151) | ||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Brazil U-23 | 7 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Brazil | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||
| 2026 | Bangu U-20 | |||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||
Club career
Born in Curitiba, Neves began his professional career with Paraná aged 20. His performances attracted attention overseas, and for the 2006 season he was loaned out to Vegalta Sendai of the J2 League.
In 2007, he joined Fluminense on a season-long loan. The Rio-based club made the move permanent after he impressed, scoring fourteen times in 42 appearances and also being crowned Copa do Brasil champion, his first title as a professional player.
In the 2008 Serie A, he was limited to only five appearances. However, he impressed in the Copa Libertadores, scoring seven in thirteen matches. This tally included a hat-trick in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final, although he ended up on the losing side, as Fluminense drew 5–5 on aggregate with LDU Quito and were eventually defeated in a penalty shootout, with Neves missing his effort.
On 30 August 2008, Neves joined German club Hamburger SV and was seen as the ideal replacement for the outgoing Rafael van der Vaart. After only nine appearances, he left the club on 31 January 2009 and joined Al-Hilal for €7 million. However, the player did not play for the Saudi club and agreed to return to Fluminense, again on loan.[3]
Neves returned to Brazil in 2011, joining Flamengo in January.[4] In 2012, he rejoined Fluminense for the exact fee he was sold and at the end of that season he won three trophies as his club had a historic season.[5]
In July 2013 he was sold back to Al-Hilal for €6 million, and in 2016 to Al Jazira. After almost four years in the Middle East, on 5 January 2017 Cruzeiro agreed to hire Neves until 2019.[6] He was instrumental in Cruzeiro's 2017 and 2018 Copa do Brasil titles, while playing some of his best football, scoring 17 goals in 2017 and 15 in 2018.
On 27 January 2020, after leaving Cruzeiro, Neves joined Grêmio, but after fourteen matches he has his contract terminated by the board.[7][8] On 19 September 2020 he was presented as a Sport Recife player, but after a year his contract was terminated.[9][10]
Coaching career
Bangu U-20
On March 16, 2026, Thiago Neves was announced as the coach of Bangu's under-20 team, beginning his first professional experience outside of the playing field. The former player took on the role after observing the club's daily operations and being part of the coaching staff for a portion of the season, as a preparatory step for his coaching career.[11]
International career
Thiago Neves made his international debut in a friendly match against Sweden on 26 March 2008. Later that year, he was called up to the Brazil U23 team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. In the Group C match against China, he scored two goals in the 3-0 win.[citation needed] Brazil eventually finished third.
Neves was placed in the preliminary squad list for the 2011 Copa América by Mano Menezes, but later missed out on a place in the final list for the tournament. He was also called for the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Superclásico de las Américas.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | State league | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Paraná | 2005 | Série A | 29 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 3 | |||||
| Vegalta Sendai (loan) | 2006 | J2 League | 35 | 8 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 8 | |||
| Fluminense (loan) | 2007 | Série A | 33 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | 50 | 14 | |||
| Fluminense | 2008 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 7 | — | 32 | 16 | |||
| Total | 38 | 13 | 22 | 8 | 9 | 2 | — | 13 | 7 | — | 82 | 30 | ||||
| Hamburger SV | 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 6 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| Fluminense (loan) | 2009 | Série A | 7 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 7 | ||
| Al-Hilal | 2009–10 | Saudi Pro League | 20 | 11 | — | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | 32 | 16 | ||
| 2010–11 | 11 | 6 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 14 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 31 | 17 | — | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 2 | — | 46 | 22 | ||||
| Flamengo (loan) | 2011 | Série A | 33 | 12 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 57 | 21 | ||
| Fluminense | 2012 | Série A | 29 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | — | 49 | 9 | ||
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 16 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 31 | 5 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | — | 65 | 11 | ||||
| Al Hilal | 2013–14 | Saudi Pro League | 22 | 13 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | 31 | 17 | ||
| 2014–15 | 20 | 10 | — | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 2 | — | 41 | 20 | ||||
| Total | 42 | 23 | — | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 5 | — | 72 | 37 | ||||
| Al-Jazira | 2015–16 | UAE Pro League | 25 | 8 | — | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 37 | 11 | ||
| 2016–17 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 27 | 8 | — | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 42 | 13 | ||||
| Cruzeiro | 2017 | Série A | 33 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 57 | 17 | ||
| 2018 | 24 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 2 | — | 10 | 5 | — | 53 | 15 | ||||
| 2019 | 28 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 41 | 9 | ||||
| Total | 85 | 20 | 26 | 7 | 24 | 7 | — | 16 | 7 | — | 153 | 41 | ||||
| Grêmio | 2020 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| Sport Recife | 2020 | Série A | 25 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 6 | |||||
| 2021 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 47 | 8 | |||
| Career total | 408 | 116 | 108 | 35 | 61 | 22 | 9 | 8 | 87 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 676 | 202 | ||
International
Honours
Fluminense
Al-Hilal
- Saudi Premier League: 2009, 2010
- Crown Prince Cup: 2010
- Kings Cup: 2015
Flamengo
- Taça Guanabara: 2011
- Taça Rio: 2011
- Campeonato Carioca: 2011
Cruzeiro
- Copa do Brasil: 2017, 2018
- Campeonato Mineiro: 2018, 2019
Grêmio
Brazil
- 2008 Summer Olympics: Bronze medal winner
- Superclásico de las Américas: 2012
Individual
- Bola de Prata: 2007, 2017
- Bola de Ouro: 2007
- Best Player of Campeonato Paranaense Under-20: 2004
- Saudi Professional League Player of the Round: Round 11
- 2011 Campeonato Carioca Best Attacking Midfielder
- 2011 Campeonato Carioca Best Player (People's Choice)
- 2011 Campeonato Carioca Best Player
- Campeonato Brasileiro Team of the year: 2017[15]
