Ilsinho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ilsinho

Ilsinho with the Philadelphia Union in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Ilson Pereira Dias Júnior
Date of birth	(1985-10-12) 12 October 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Right midfielder
Youth career
2001–2005	Palmeiras
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006	Palmeiras	5	(0)
2006–2007	São Paulo	33	(2)
2007–2010	Shakhtar Donetsk	56	(10)
2010–2011	São Paulo	15	(2)
2011–2012	Internacional	11	(0)
2012–2015	Shakhtar Donetsk	53	(7)
2016–2021	Philadelphia Union	127	(21)
Total		300	(42)
International career
2008	Brazil U23	4	(0)
2007	Brazil	1	(0)
Medal record Representing  Brazil Men's Football Bronze 2008 Beijing Team Competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ilson Pereira Dias Júnior (born October 12, 1985), known as Ilsinho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He mostly played as a right midfielder. He started his career as a right-back, but later became known for playing as a winger. He was famous for his skill and speed on the field.

Ilsinho began his career in Brazil with Palmeiras and São Paulo. He then moved to Europe to play for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. There, he helped his team win the UEFA Cup in the 2008–09 season. After playing for other Brazilian clubs, he returned to Shakhtar. Later, he joined Philadelphia Union in the United States. Ilsinho retired from football in March 2022.

Ilsinho's Football Journey

Starting in Brazil: Palmeiras and São Paulo

Ilsinho started his professional football career in 2006. He played for Palmeiras in his home state of São Paulo, Brazil. He played as a right-back for them.

Later in 2006, he joined a rival team, São Paulo FC. He played there for the next two seasons. During this time, he helped São Paulo win the Brazilian League championship twice, in 2006 and 2007.

Playing in Ukraine: Shakhtar Donetsk

Ilsinho playing for FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

On July 29, 2007, Ilsinho moved to Ukraine. He joined the club Shakhtar Donetsk. He signed a four-year contract with them.

While playing for Shakhtar, Ilsinho became well-known. Fans loved his amazing dribbling skills and how well he could see the whole field. In the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, he scored his first goal in a big European club competition. This goal was against FC Barcelona.

Shakhtar Donetsk then moved to the UEFA Cup competition. Ilsinho was a very important player in their journey to win the cup. He scored a winning goal against Dynamo Kyiv. This helped Shakhtar reach the final. In the 2009 UEFA Cup Final, Ilsinho played for most of the game. Shakhtar won against Werder Bremen in extra time. This was Shakhtar's first big European trophy!

Returning to Brazil: São Paulo and Internacional

In August 2010, Ilsinho went back to Brazil. He rejoined his old club, São Paulo FC. His return had some delays because of his previous contract.

In August 2011, Ilsinho left São Paulo. He then signed with another Brazilian club, SC Internacional.

Second Time at Shakhtar Donetsk

Ilsinho returned to Shakhtar in January 2012. He signed a new contract for three and a half years. He wore the number 77 jersey.

He played his first game back on March 4, 2012. He came in as a substitute in a match against Dnipro. His first goal in his second time with Shakhtar was in a 4–0 win. This was against Chornomorets Odesa. He finished that season with one goal in nine games.

The 2012–13 season started great for Ilsinho. He helped Shakhtar win the Ukrainian Super Cup. He scored goals in his first two league matches. He left Shakhtar Donetsk when his contract ended on June 30, 2015.

Playing in the USA: Philadelphia Union

On February 24, 2016, Ilsinho signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Union. This team plays in the United States. In his first few seasons, he worked on his fitness. He also formed great attacking partnerships with his teammates. He often played as a winger. Sometimes, he played as a central attacking midfielder.

In the 2019 season, Ilsinho became a "super-sub." This means he often came off the bench to make a big impact. He started only 7 games but played in 28. When Ilsinho was on the field, the Union's offense was much stronger. He became known as "the cheatcode" in the league. This was especially after a big comeback win against New York Red Bulls on June 8, 2019. He finished the 2019 season with eight assists and five goals.

In January 2020, Ilsinho signed another one-year contract with the Union. After the 2021 season, his contract ended. In March 2022, Ilsinho officially announced he was retiring from professional football.

Playing for Brazil

National Team Debut

On March 8, 2007, Ilsinho was called to play for the Brazil national team for the first time. He played in two friendly games. His first international game was against Ghana on March 27, 2007. He started the game as the right-back. Famous Brazilian players like Kaká, Ronaldinho, and Robinho were also in that game.

Olympic Games

Ilsinho was also part of Brazil's team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The team won a Bronze medal in football. They finished in third place. Ilsinho played as a substitute in Brazil's 5–0 win over New Zealand. He later started in a 3–0 win against China.

Life Outside Football

Ilsinho has a U.S. green card. This means he is considered a domestic player for teams in the MLS.

Honours and Awards

Ilsinho won many trophies and awards during his career:

With São Paulo

• Brazilian Série A: 2006

With Shakhtar Donetsk

• UEFA Cup: 2008–09 (a major European club competition)
• Ukrainian Premier League: 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14
• Ukrainian Cup: 2007–08, 2011–12, 2012–13
• Ukrainian Super Cup: 2008, 2012, 2014

With Philadelphia Union

• Supporters' Shield: 2020 (awarded to the MLS team with the best regular season record)

With Brazil

• Summer Olympics Bronze medal: 2008

Individual Awards

• Brazilian Bola de Prata (Placar): 2006 (a top award for players in Brazil)
• Best XI Ukrainian Premier League: 2007–2008 (named one of the best players in the Ukrainian league)

See also

In Spanish: Ilson Pereira Dias Júnior para niños