{"id":278950,"first_name":"Vinícius","last_name":"de Souza Costa","short_name":"Vinícius Souza","common_name":"Vinícius Souza","place_of_birth":"Rio de Janeiro, RJ","gender":"male","height":187,"weight":80,"status":"active","createdAt":"2024-11-07T11:49:08.715Z","updatedAt":"2025-03-17T12:06:50.474Z","locale":"en","age":25,"stb_id":"vinicius-souza","description":null,"tier":null,"common_name_en":"Vinícius Souza","top_position":null,"introduction":"Vinícius de Souza Costa is a notable Brazilian professional footballer recognized for his defensive prowess on the field. Currently playing as a defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Sheffield United, Vinícius has marked his journey in football with significant achievements. His career is highlighted by his acclaimed stints with several clubs and notable contributions to team successes, including winning the Copa Libertadores in 2019 with Flamengo.","early_life_and_career":"\n## Early Years\nVinícius de Souza Costa was born on 17 June 1999 in the Padre Miguel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Growing up in the vibrant football culture of Brazil, he showed an early interest in the sport which was nurtured in his formative years within his community.\n\n## Youth Career\nVinícius's football journey began in earnest in 2014 when he joined the youth academy of Flamengo, one of Brazil's most storied clubs. Approved by coach Zé Ricardo, he became an integral part of Flamengo's under-15 team where he developed alongside future stars like Matheus Thuler and Lincoln. His time in the youth ranks of Flamengo laid a strong foundation for his professional career as he honed his skills and tactical awareness.","professional_career_and_highlights":"\n## Club Career\n### Flamengo\nVinícius made his professional debut with Flamengo on 9 March 2019 in a Campeonato Carioca match against Vasco da Gama at the iconic Maracanã Stadium. Shortly after, he became a significant part of the first team following the transfer of Gustavo Cuéllar. Under the guidance of head coach Jorge Jesus, who compared him to Nemanja Matić, Vinícius earned accolades for his performances. He made his first appearance in Brazil’s top tier league, Série A, on 10 October 2019 in a match against Atlético Mineiro, contributing to a 3–1 victory at Maracanã.\n\n### Lommel\nIn pursuit of further career growth, Vinícius transferred to the Belgian club Lommel on 25 August 2020 for a fee of €2.5 million. This move marked his first European club experience.\n\n#### Mechelen (loan)\nVinícius spent the 2021-2022 season on loan at K.V. Mechelen, gaining valuable playing time and experience in the Belgian league.\n\n#### Espanyol (loan)\nThe following season, Vinícius joined Spanish club Espanyol on another loan spell starting 8 July 2022, further expanding his international exposure and honing his skills in different football environments.\n\n### Sheffield United\nOn 9 August 2023, Vinícius took another significant step in his career by signing a four-year contract with Sheffield United. He made his debut shortly thereafter on 12 August 2023 in a Premier League match against Crystal Palace.\n\n## National Team Career\n### Youth National Teams\n[Information about youth national team appearances and achievements is unavailable.]\n\n### Senior National Team\n[No official data on senior national team appearances or achievements is provided in the article.]","playing_style_and_skills":"\n## Player Characteristics\nVinícius de Souza Costa is primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder. He is known for his tactical understanding and ability to break up opposition plays thanks to his excellent positioning and intercepting skills. Vinícius's game is characterized by his physicality, discipline on the field, and an unwavering determination to contribute to his team's defensive stability.\n\n## Performance Statistics\nDetailed statistics, including match appearances and specific performance metrics, are not comprehensively provided in the source article.\n\n## Records\nNo individual or team records held by Vinícius are mentioned in the article.","notable_achievements":"\n## Achievements\n### Team Achievements\n- Copa Libertadores: 2019\n- Recopa Sudamericana: 2020\n- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2019\n- Supercopa do Brasil: 2020\n- Campeonato Carioca: 2019, 2020\n\n### Individual Achievements\n[No specific individual awards or honors are documented within the source article.]","impact_on_sport":"\n## Career Overview\nVinícius de Souza Costa has established himself as a promising defensive talent in Brazilian and international football. His contributions have not only been vital in domestic victories with Flamengo but also in broadening his career horizons through valuable experiences in European football.\n\n## Off the Field\nThere is no specific information provided in the article regarding Vinícius's commercial activities, charity work, public image, or social impact.\n\n## Personal Life\nThe source article does not provide comprehensive details concerning Vinícius's family life, personal interests, or off-field activities.","stb_internal_id":"01930674-f4cb-74bc-9f41-bba18465fb5c","overrides":null,"type_code":"midfielder","position_type_code":"midfielder","detailed_position_type_code":"defensive-midfied","roles":"player","has_biography":true,"has_membership_relations":true,"has_matches":null,"has_article_relations":null,"has_social_media_relations":null,"introduction_html":"

Vinícius de Souza Costa is a notable Brazilian professional footballer recognized for his defensive prowess on the field. Currently playing as a defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Sheffield United, Vinícius has marked his journey in football with significant achievements. His career is highlighted by his acclaimed stints with several clubs and notable contributions to team successes, including winning the Copa Libertadores in 2019 with Flamengo.

\n","early_life_and_career_html":"

Early Years

Vinícius de Souza Costa was born on 17 June 1999 in the Padre Miguel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Growing up in the vibrant football culture of Brazil, he showed an early interest in the sport which was nurtured in his formative years within his community.

Youth Career

Vinícius's football journey began in earnest in 2014 when he joined the youth academy of Flamengo, one of Brazil's most storied clubs. Approved by coach Zé Ricardo, he became an integral part of Flamengo's under-15 team where he developed alongside future stars like Matheus Thuler and Lincoln. His time in the youth ranks of Flamengo laid a strong foundation for his professional career as he honed his skills and tactical awareness.

\n","professional_career_and_highlights_html":"

Club Career

Flamengo

Vinícius made his professional debut with Flamengo on 9 March 2019 in a Campeonato Carioca match against Vasco da Gama at the iconic Maracanã Stadium. Shortly after, he became a significant part of the first team following the transfer of Gustavo Cuéllar. Under the guidance of head coach Jorge Jesus, who compared him to Nemanja Matić, Vinícius earned accolades for his performances. He made his first appearance in Brazil’s top tier league, Série A, on 10 October 2019 in a match against Atlético Mineiro, contributing to a 3–1 victory at Maracanã.

Lommel

In pursuit of further career growth, Vinícius transferred to the Belgian club Lommel on 25 August 2020 for a fee of €2.5 million. This move marked his first European club experience.

Mechelen (loan)

Vinícius spent the 2021-2022 season on loan at K.V. Mechelen, gaining valuable playing time and experience in the Belgian league.

Espanyol (loan)

The following season, Vinícius joined Spanish club Espanyol on another loan spell starting 8 July 2022, further expanding his international exposure and honing his skills in different football environments.

Sheffield United

On 9 August 2023, Vinícius took another significant step in his career by signing a four-year contract with Sheffield United. He made his debut shortly thereafter on 12 August 2023 in a Premier League match against Crystal Palace.

National Team Career

Youth National Teams

[Information about youth national team appearances and achievements is unavailable.]

Senior National Team

[No official data on senior national team appearances or achievements is provided in the article.]

\n","playing_style_and_skills_html":"

Player Characteristics

Vinícius de Souza Costa is primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder. He is known for his tactical understanding and ability to break up opposition plays thanks to his excellent positioning and intercepting skills. Vinícius's game is characterized by his physicality, discipline on the field, and an unwavering determination to contribute to his team's defensive stability.

Performance Statistics

Detailed statistics, including match appearances and specific performance metrics, are not comprehensively provided in the source article.

Records

No individual or team records held by Vinícius are mentioned in the article.

\n","notable_achievements_html":"

Achievements

Team Achievements

Copa Libertadores: 2019
Recopa Sudamericana: 2020
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2019
Supercopa do Brasil: 2020
Campeonato Carioca: 2019, 2020

Individual Achievements

[No specific individual awards or honors are documented within the source article.]

\n","impact_on_sport_html":"

Career Overview

Vinícius de Souza Costa has established himself as a promising defensive talent in Brazilian and international football. His contributions have not only been vital in domestic victories with Flamengo but also in broadening his career horizons through valuable experiences in European football.

Off the Field

There is no specific information provided in the article regarding Vinícius's commercial activities, charity work, public image, or social impact.

Personal Life

The source article does not provide comprehensive details concerning Vinícius's family life, personal interests, or off-field activities.

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Vinícius Souza: Career