Jorginho (footballer, born December 1991) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Portuguese name, "Filho" is a generational suffix meaning "son", which is used for someone whose name is the same as their father, like "Jr." in English.

Quick facts for kids
Jorginho

Jorginho lining up for Chelsea in 2021

Personal information

Date of birth

20 December 1991 (age 33)

Place of birth

Imbituba, Brazil

Height

1.80 m

Playing position

Defensive midfielder

Club information

Current club

Arsenal

Number

Youth career

2006–2007

Brusque

2007–2010

Hellas Verona

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2010–2014

Hellas Verona

(11)

2010–2011

→ Sambonifacese (loan)

(1)

2014–2018

Napoli

133

(2)

2018–2023

Chelsea

143

(21)

2023–

Arsenal

(0)

National team^‡

2016–

Italy

(5)

Honours

Men's Football

Representing Italy
UEFA European Championship
Winner	2020
UEFA Nations League
Third	2021
Third	2023
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Runner-up	2022

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:33, 4 January 2025 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 June 2024

Jorge Luiz Frello Filho (born 20 December 1991), known as Jorginho, is a professional footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder for the Arsenal club and the Italy national team.

Jorginho was born in Brazil. He moved to Italy when he was 15 years old. He started his football career with the Hellas Verona youth team. Later, he joined their senior team. In 2010–11, he played on loan for Sambonifacese.

In January 2014, Jorginho moved to Napoli. There, he quickly won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana. He played 160 games for Napoli. In 2018, he signed with Chelsea. With Chelsea, he won the UEFA Europa League in his first season. He also won the UEFA Champions League in the 2020–21 season. After four and a half years at Chelsea, Jorginho joined Arsenal in 2023.

Jorginho plays for the Italian national team. He made his first appearance in 2016. He was a key player when Italy won UEFA Euro 2020. He was even named in the tournament's best team. In 2021, he was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year. He also finished third in the Ballon d'Or award.

Jorginho's Early Life
Jorginho's Football Journey
Playing for Italy
How Jorginho Plays
- His Unique Style
Jorginho's Life Off the Field
Career Statistics
- Club
- International
What Jorginho Has Won
See also

Jorginho's Early Life

Jorginho was born in Imbituba, Brazil. This city is in the state of Santa Catarina. He moved to Italy when he was 15. He has Italian family roots through his great-grandfather. This helped him get Italian citizenship.

His mother greatly encouraged his love for football. When he was playing for the Verona youth team, he had a tough time with his agent. He almost quit football and wanted to go back to Brazil. But a phone call with his mother inspired him to keep playing.

As a child, his favorite player was Gheorghe Hagi. His friends even called him Haginho. He also looked up to famous players like Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, and Xavi.

Jorginho's Football Journey

Starting at Hellas Verona

Jorginho started his youth career at Hellas Verona. In June 2010, he was loaned to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione club Sambonifacese. He played his first full season there. He appeared in 31 games, scored one goal, and made ten assists.

He made his first team debut for Verona on 4 September 2011. This was in a match against Sassuolo. He came into the game as a substitute.

Time at Napoli

Jorginho playing for Napoli in 2016

On 18 January 2014, Jorginho joined Napoli. He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract. On 12 February, he scored a goal that helped Napoli win against Roma. This win sent Napoli to the 2014 Coppa Italia Final. In the final on 3 May, Jorginho played the whole game. Napoli beat Fiorentina 3–1 to win the cup.

In the 2014 Supercoppa Italiana on 22 December 2014, Jorginho came on as a substitute. This was during extra time against Juventus. He took Napoli's first penalty in the shoot-out. Even though the goalkeeper saved it, Napoli still won the shoot-out.

At first, Jorginho found it hard to get into the team. But things changed when Maurizio Sarri became manager. Sarri helped him develop his game. He played Jorginho in a deep midfield role. This allowed Jorginho to control the game with his passing. In the 2017–18 season, Jorginho became a very important player for Napoli. He helped them challenge for the Serie A title.

Playing for Chelsea

First Season at Chelsea (2018–19)

On 14 July 2018, Jorginho joined English club Chelsea. He signed a five-year contract. He moved for about £50 million. His former manager, Maurizio Sarri, also joined Chelsea on the same day. Napoli's president said Jorginho was close to joining Manchester City before.

Jorginho played his first game for Chelsea on 5 August. It was in the 2018 FA Community Shield against Manchester City. Six days later, he played his first Premier League match. He scored a penalty in a 3–0 win against Huddersfield Town. In another game, Jorginho completed 158 passes. This was a new record for Chelsea players in the Premier League. He later broke the record for most attempted passes in a game.

On 24 February 2019, Chelsea played Manchester City in the 2019 EFL Cup final. The game ended in a 0–0 draw. Jorginho missed Chelsea's first penalty in the shoot-out. Chelsea lost the shoot-out 4–3. On 29 May, Jorginho played in Chelsea's 4–1 win over Arsenal. This was in the 2019 UEFA Europa League final.

Second Season at Chelsea (2019–20)

In the 2019 UEFA Super Cup against Liverpool on 14 August, Jorginho scored a penalty. This made the score 2–2 in extra-time. Liverpool won the penalty shoot-out 5–4, even though Jorginho scored his penalty. He scored his first league goal of the season from a penalty on 28 September. This was in a 2–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. On 5 November, he scored two penalties. This helped Chelsea draw 4–4 against Ajax in the Champions League.

Winning the Champions League (2020–21)

Jorginho playing for Chelsea in 2020

Jorginho scored Chelsea's first goal of the season. It was a penalty in a 3–1 win against Brighton. On 20 September, he played his 100th game for Chelsea. In the same match, he missed his first penalty for the club. On 3 October, he scored two penalties in a 4–0 win against Crystal Palace. He was Chelsea's top scorer in the Premier League that season, with all his goals coming from penalties.

On 29 May 2021, Jorginho won his first UEFA Champions League title with Chelsea. They beat Manchester City 1–0 in the final.

More Trophies and Awards (2021–22)

Jorginho came on as a substitute in the 2021 UEFA Super Cup on 12 August. Chelsea won 6–5 on penalties against Villarreal. He scored the fifth penalty in the shoot-out. On 26 August 2021, Jorginho was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award. He beat his Chelsea teammate N'Golo Kanté and Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.

On 8 October, Jorginho was one of five Chelsea players on the shortlist for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. On 30 October, he scored a penalty in a 3–0 win against Newcastle. He became the first player in Premier League history to score 10 penalties in a row. On 29 November, he finished third in the Ballon d'Or. Lionel Messi won the award.

Jorginho started for Chelsea in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final. Chelsea won 1–0 against Al-Hilal. He was a substitute in the final three days later. Chelsea beat Palmeiras to win the Club World Cup for the first time.

Moving to Arsenal

Jorginho joined Arsenal on 31 January 2023. He signed a contract for one and a half years. He made his debut on 4 February as a substitute against Everton. On 18 February, Jorginho scored a goal in the 93rd minute against Aston Villa. His shot hit the crossbar and went in off the goalkeeper's head. This gave Arsenal a late 3–2 lead in a match they won 4–2.

On 7 May, Jorginho made an assist in Arsenal's 2–0 win against Newcastle. He was named "Man of the Match" for his great performance. On 29 November 2023, Jorginho scored his first goal for Arsenal. It was a penalty in a 6–0 win over RC Lens in the Champions League. On 9 May 2024, Jorginho signed a new contract with Arsenal.

Playing for Italy

Jorginho has both Italian and Brazilian citizenship. This means he could play for either national team. In 2012, he was called up for the Italy U21 team, but he did not play.

In 2014, Jorginho said he wanted to play for Italy. In March 2016, he was called up to the Italy senior squad. This was for friendly matches against Spain and Germany. He made his international debut on 24 March. He came on as a late substitute in a 1–1 draw against Spain. He was in the first squad for UEFA Euro 2016, but he was not in the final team.

Later, Jorginho was not called up to the Italian team for a while. There were rumors that Brazil's coach wanted him. But Jorginho said he wanted to play for Italy. He made his first competitive appearance for Italy on 13 November 2017. This was in a 0–0 draw against Sweden. However, Italy lost the first game and did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup. This was the first time in 60 years Italy missed the World Cup.

On 7 September 2018, Jorginho scored his first goal for Italy. It was a penalty in a 1–1 draw against Poland. He scored more penalty goals in 2019. These goals helped Italy qualify for UEFA Euro 2020.

In June 2021, Jorginho was part of Italy's squad for Euro 2020. On 6 July, Italy played Spain in the semi-final. After a 1–1 draw, Jorginho scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out. This sent Italy to the final. In the final on 11 July, Italy played England. After a 1–1 draw, Jorginho's penalty was saved. But Italy still won the shoot-out 3–2. Jorginho ran the most distance of any player in the tournament. He also made the most interceptions. For his great play, he was named in the "Team of the Tournament."

On 12 November 2021, Jorginho missed a very important penalty. This was in a World Cup qualifying match against Switzerland. The game ended 1–1. If he had scored, Italy would have qualified for the World Cup automatically. Instead, they had to play in the play-offs. On 24 March 2022, Italy lost their play-off semi-final 1–0 to North Macedonia. This meant Italy failed to qualify for a second World Cup in a row.

How Jorginho Plays

His Unique Style

Jorginho playing for Napoli in 2014

Jorginho is known for being calm and able to play in different midfield positions. He works hard, has good technique, and understands the game well. He is great at winning the ball back and making accurate passes. He usually plays as a central midfielder in a 4–3–3 formation. This means he helps control the game from the middle.

Even though he is not very big or fast, he is smart on the field. He knows where to be to win the ball and stop opponents. He can press opponents high up the field to get the ball back. Then, he starts new attacks for his team. He often plays as a deep-lying playmaker. This means he stays in front of the defenders and controls the speed of the game with short, accurate passes.

He is also good at moving without the ball. This helps him find open spaces to receive passes from teammates. He can connect with his teammates even in tight areas. While he doesn't score many goals from open play, he is an excellent penalty taker. He often does a little hop before taking his spot kicks. Most of his goals come from penalties.

Jorginho says his football heroes are Andrea Pirlo, Xavi, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho. He also admired Gheorghe Hagi when he was young.

Jorginho's Life Off the Field

Jorginho married Natalia Leteri in 2017. They have two children, a son and a daughter. They later separated in 2019.

Since 2019, he has been in a relationship with Catherine Harding. She is a stylist and former singer. They have one son, born in August 2020. They announced their engagement in December 2023.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sambonifacese	2010–11	Lega Pro Seconda Divisione	31	1	—		—		—		—		31	1
Hellas Verona	2011–12	Serie B	30	2	1	0	—		—		2	0	33	2
	2012–13	Serie B	41	2	3	0	—		—		—		44	2
	2013–14	Serie A	18	7	1	0	—		—		—		19	7
	Total		89	11	5	0	—		—		2	0	96	11
Napoli	2013–14	Serie A	15	0	4	1	—		—		—		19	1
	2014–15	Serie A	23	0	1	1	—		8	0	1	0	33	1
	2015–16	Serie A	35	0	1	0	—		2	0	—		38	0
	2016–17	Serie A	27	0	0	0	—		4	0	—		31	0
	2017–18	Serie A	33	2	1	0	—		5	2	—		39	4
	Total		133	2	7	2	—		19	2	1	0	160	6
Chelsea	2018–19	Premier League	37	2	2	0	3	0	11	0	1	0	54	2
	2019–20	Premier League	31	4	4	0	1	0	7	2	1	1	44	7
	2020–21	Premier League	28	7	2	0	1	0	12	1	—		43	8
	2021–22	Premier League	29	6	4	0	4	1	8	2	2	0	47	9
	2022–23	Premier League	18	2	1	0	0	0	6	1	—		25	3
	Total		143	21	13	0	9	1	44	6	4	1	213	29
Arsenal	2022–23	Premier League	14	0	—		—		2	0	—		16	0
	2023–24	Premier League	24	0	1	0	2	0	9	1	0	0	36	1
	2024–25	Premier League	10	0	1	0	4	0	4	0	—		19	0
	Total		48	0	2	0	6	0	15	1	0	0	71	1
Career total			444	35	27	2	15	1	78	9	7	1	571	48

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Italy	2016	2	0
	2017	1	0
	2018	10	1
	2019	9	3
	2020	5	1
	2021	15	0
	2022	4	0
	2023	4	0
	2024	7	0
Total		57	5

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Jorginho goal.

List of international goals scored by Jorginho
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	7 September 2018	Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna, Italy	9	Poland	1–1	1–1	2018–19 UEFA Nations League A
2	8 September 2019	Tampere Stadium, Tampere, Finland	19	Finland	2–1	2–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
3	12 October 2019	Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy	20	Greece	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
4	18 November 2019	Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo, Italy	22	Armenia	7–0	9–1	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
5	15 November 2020	Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore, Reggio Emilia, Italy	26	Poland	1–0	2–0	2020–21 UEFA Nations League A