Yuri (footballer, born 1982)
Brazilian footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yuri de Souza Fonseca (born 8 August 1982), known simply as Yuri, is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a forward.
|
Yuri in action for Ponferradina in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yuri de Souza Fonseca | ||
| Date of birth | 8 August 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Maceió, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1991 | Marialvas | ||
| 1994–1995 | Gondim | ||
| 1995–2000 | Maia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2002 | Maia | 57 | (26) |
| 2003–2005 | Boavista | 14 | (3) |
| 2004 | → Gil Vicente (loan) | 15 | (4) |
| 2004–2005 | → Estoril (loan) | 19 | (3) |
| 2005–2009 | Pontevedra | 98 | (55) |
| 2007–2008 | → Las Palmas (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2009–2016 | Ponferradina | 216 | (85) |
| 2016 | Qingdao Huanghai | 30 | (10) |
| 2017–2024 | Ponferradina | 257 | (99) |
| Total | 718 | (285) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He also held Portuguese citizenship, and spent the majority of his professional career in Portugal and Spain, mainly with Ponferradina. Over ten seasons in the latter country, he achieved Segunda División figures of 323 games and 116 goals.
Club career
Born in Maceió, Alagoas, Yuri arrived in Portugal still in his teens, joining F.C. Maia in the Segunda Liga. His performances there attracted the attention of another club in the north, Primeira Liga's Boavista FC, for which he signed in January 2003.[1]
However, Yuri could never impose himself at the side, going on to serve two loans in the process. He helped Gil Vicente F.C. to avoid top-flight relegation in his five-month spell,[2][3] not being able to repeat it with G.D. Estoril Praia in the following season.[4][5]
In summer 2005, Yuri moved to Iberian neighbours Spain, representing lowly Pontevedra CF. He also had a loan spell at UD Las Palmas in Segunda División,[6] but only appeared in 12 matches out of 42 without scoring.[7]
Yuri signed for SD Ponferradina in 2009, going on to achieve two promotions to the second tier during his spell[8]– to which he contributed a total of 26 goals – and eventually becoming captain.[9][10] In the 2012–13 campaign he ranked third in the second division scorers' list at 21, helping his team to the seventh position.[11]
On 15 January 2017, following a brief spell in the China League One, Yuri returned to the Estadio El Toralín aged 34.[12] He scored in double digits in division two in 2019–20 (18 goals),[13] 2020–21 (11)[14] and 2021–22 (14).[15]
Yuri totalled an all-time best for Ponferradina 511 appearances and 197 goals. He retired in August 2024 at 42, with the club now in the Primera Federación; he remained connected to it in directorial capacities.[16]
