Juninho Pernambucano facts for kids
Juninho in 2014
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Antônio Augusto Ribeiro Reis Júnior | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 30 January 1975 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Recife, Brazil | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Sport Recife | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Sport Recife | 24 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–2001 | Vasco da Gama | 121 | (27) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2009 | Lyon | 248 | (75) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Al-Gharafa | 40 | (15) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Vasco da Gama | 50 | (11) | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | New York Red Bulls | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | Vasco da Gama | 21 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 517 | (133) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2006 | Brazil | 40 | (6) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Antônio Augusto Ribeiro Reis Júnior (born January 30, 1975), known as Juninho Pernambucano or just Juninho, is a famous Brazilian former footballer. He was also a sporting director for the French club Lyon.
Juninho was amazing at taking free kicks. He was known for his special knuckleball technique. This made the ball move in unpredictable ways in the air. Many people think he is the best free-kick taker ever. He holds the record for the most goals scored from free kicks, with 77!
He started his career in 1993 with Sport Recife in Brazil. Later, he joined Vasco da Gama and won six titles. In 2001, he moved to Lyon in France. There, he helped them win seven league titles in a row. He scored 100 goals for Lyon in 343 games. After Lyon, Juninho played in Qatar for Al-Gharafa and in the United States for New York Red Bulls. He also returned to Vasco da Gama twice before retiring in 2013.
Juninho played 40 games for the Brazilian national team and scored six goals. He played in the 2001 Copa América and helped Brazil win the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He retired from international football after the 2006 World Cup. After his playing career, Juninho worked as a football commentator in Brazil until 2018.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Sport Recife
Juninho was born in Recife, Brazil. He began his professional football journey at Sport Recife. He quickly became a rising star. He won two regional titles with the club.
Juninho shared that he started practicing free kicks when he was 13. He learned his famous knuckleball technique by watching other players. He said he perfected it when he moved to France.
Success with Vasco da Gama
In 1995, Juninho joined Vasco da Gama. He won many trophies during his first time with the club. These included the Brazilian Championship in 1997 and 2000. He also won the Copa Libertadores in 1998 and the Copa Mercosur in 2000.
He was even named one of the best Brazilian midfielders in 2000. He played alongside famous players like Romário and Edmundo. Vasco fans loved him and called him "The Little King of São Januário." This was a special nickname for Vasco da Gama's stadium.
Juninho played 295 games for Vasco between 1995 and 2001. Fans still sing about his amazing free-kick goal against River Plate in the 1998 Copa Libertadores. That goal helped Vasco reach the finals, which they won!
Becoming a Legend at Lyon
In 2001, Juninho moved to France to play for Lyon. Before he arrived, Lyon had never won the French championship. But with Juninho, Lyon won seven league titles in a row!
At Lyon, Juninho became famous for his powerful and accurate set pieces. He was known as the world's best free-kick taker. He was also a great passer, setting up many goals for his teammates. His leadership skills led Lyon's manager to make him team captain.
Juninho scored 100 goals for Lyon. An incredible 44 of those goals came from free kicks! He scored his 100th goal in his very last game for Lyon, from a penalty kick. He also became Lyon's top goalscorer in the Champions League with 18 goals. He helped the team reach the quarter-finals three times.
In May 2009, Juninho decided to leave Lyon. He was a free agent, even though he had one year left on his contract.
Adventures in Qatar and the USA
On June 17, 2009, Juninho signed a two-year contract with Al-Gharafa in Qatar. In his first season, he captained the team to win their seventh league title. They also won the Qatari Stars Cup and Qatar Crown Prince Cup. He was named Player of the Year by the Qatar Football Association. Juninho played 66 games for Al-Gharafa and scored 25 goals.
In December 2012, Juninho joined the Major League Soccer team New York Red Bulls in the United States. He played 13 games for them and made four assists. He received a red card in one game for an incident with the goalkeeper. He left the club in July 2013.
Returning Home and Retirement
On April 27, 2011, Juninho rejoined his old club Vasco da Gama. He scored a free-kick goal in his very first game back! He scored many more free kicks and penalties during this time. In July 2012, he extended his contract with Vasco for six months. He played his 350th game for the club in July 2012.
In July 2013, Vasco da Gama announced Juninho's third return to the club. He scored and assisted in his first game back, helping Vasco win 3–1 against rivals Fluminense. He scored a fantastic 32-meter free kick against Criciúma. He played 16 games in his third time with Vasco, scoring two goals and making seven assists.
Juninho officially retired from professional football on February 2, 2014. During his years at Vasco da Gama, he won six titles. These included the Brazilian Championship in 1997 and 2000, and the Copa Libertadores in 1998. He played a total of 393 games for Vasco, scoring 76 goals.
After retiring, Juninho worked as a football commentator for a Brazilian sports network until 2018.
International Career
Juninho played for the Brazilian national team. On September 7, 1999, he even played two top-level matches in two different countries on the same day! He played for Brazil against Argentina and then for Vasco against Nacional in Uruguay.
Even though he was very successful with his clubs, Juninho missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2004 Copa América due to a knee injury. Brazil won both of those tournaments. However, he was part of the Brazil team that won the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He scored a free kick against Greece in that tournament.
In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Juninho scored a knuckleball goal against Japan in a group stage match. After Brazil lost to France in the quarter-finals, he announced his retirement from international football. He wanted to make way for younger players to join the team.
Director Role
In May 2019, Juninho became the director of football for his former club Lyon. One of his first decisions was to name his former Brazilian teammate Sylvinho as the head coach.
How Juninho Played
The Knuckleball Free Kick
Juninho was known as "one of the world's most feared strikers of a static ball." He is often called the greatest free-kick taker. His special technique for long-range free kicks was the "knuckleball." This means the ball spins very little in the air. A good knuckleball will "wobble" and move unpredictably, making it very hard for goalkeepers to save.
He scored many goals from free kicks over 40 yards away. These included goals against Ajaccio in 2006, Barcelona in 2007, and Marseille in 2009. Even before Lyon, he showed his talent at Vasco da Gama. He also scored memorable goals for Brazil, like a curling free kick against Greece in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Many other famous players, like Andrea Pirlo and Cristiano Ronaldo, have tried to copy Juninho's free-kick style. The knuckleball technique needs a lot of skill to do correctly. In total, Juninho scored at least 75 goals from direct free kicks in his career.
Much like King Arthur had Excalibur and William Tell his crossbow, the folk hero Juninho possessed his own special weapon to save the day — his legendary free-kicks. No one hit a free-kick quite like Juninho. No one.
More Than Just Free Kicks
Juninho was a talented right-footed midfielder. Besides his amazing free kicks, he was also a great playmaker. He was known for making excellent passes that led to many goals for his teammates. He had great technical skills, intelligence, and vision on the field. He could also shoot powerfully and accurately from far away.
People praised him for his determination, hard work, and calm attitude under pressure. He was a strong leader and served as team captain for both Lyon and Al-Gharafa. He was a versatile player, meaning he could play in different positions. He usually played as an attacking midfielder, but he could also play as a winger or a central midfielder.
Personal Life
Juninho is one of the few footballers who has spoken out publicly against racism in Brazil. He is a father and a grandfather.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | State league | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sport Recife | 1993 | Série A | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1994 | Série A | 22 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 23 | 5 | |||||
| 1995 | Série A | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 27 | 5 | |||||
| Vasco da Gama | 1995 | Série A | 21 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 3 | |||||
| 1996 | Série A | 15 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 47 | 11 | ||
| 1997 | Série A | 18 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 8 | ||
| 1998 | Série A | 18 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 36 | 6 | ||
| 1999 | Série A | 20 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 52 | 11 | ||
| 2000 | Série A | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 61 | 11 | ||
| 2001 | Série A | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 121 | 27 | 14 | 1 | — | 34 | 5 | 67 | 11 | 32 | 7 | 268 | 51 | |||
| Lyon | 2001–02 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 5 | ||
| 2002–03 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 41 | 13 | ||
| 2003–04 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 10 | 3 | 2 | — | 10 | 5 | — | 1 | 0 | 46 | 17 | |||
| 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 1 | 0 | 45 | 16 | ||
| 2005–06 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 9 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 4 | — | — | 44 | 14 | ||||
| 2006–07 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 42 | 12 | |||
| 2007–08 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | — | — | 46 | 13 | |||
| 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | — | — | 38 | 10 | |||
| Total | 248 | 75 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 64 | 18 | — | 3 | 0 | 343 | 100 | |||
| Al-Gharafa | 2009–10 | Qatar Stars League | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 6 | 3 | 34 | 10 | ||
| 2010–11 | Qatar Stars League | 19 | 8 | 3 | 1 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 5 | 3 | 32 | 12 | |||
| Total | 40 | 15 | 4 | 1 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 11 | 6 | 66 | 22 | ||||
| Vasco da Gama | 2011 | Série A | 21 | 4 | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 5 | ||||
| 2012 | Série A | 29 | 7 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 13 | 4 | — | 49 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 50 | 11 | — | — | 12 | 3 | 13 | 4 | — | 75 | 18 | |||||
| New York Red Bulls | 2013 | MLS | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Vasco da Gama | 2013 | Série A | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 2 | ||||
| Vasco da Gama total | 192 | 40 | 15 | 1 | — | 46 | 8 | 80 | 15 | 32 | 7 | 365 | 71 | |||
| Career total | 517 | 133 | 42 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 121 | 26 | 80 | 15 | 47 | 15 | 816 | 198 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 1999 | 4 | 0 |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2006 | 5 | 2 | |
| Total | 40 | 6 | |
- Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Juninho goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 June 2005 | Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany |  Greece |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 2 | 9 October 2005 | Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 12 November 2005 | Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |  United Arab Emirates |
5–0 | 8–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 6–0 | |||||
| 5 | 4 June 2006 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland |  New Zealand |
4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 22 June 2006 | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany |  Japan |
2–1 | 4–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
Honours and Awards
Sport Recife
- Campeonato Pernambucano: 1994
- Copa do Nordeste: 1994
Vasco da Gama
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1997, 2000
- Campeonato Carioca: 1998
- Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1999
- Copa Libertadores: 1998
- Copa Mercosur: 2000
Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
- Coupe de France: 2007–08
- Trophée des Champions: 2002, 2003, 2004
Al-Gharafa
- Qatar Stars League: 2009–10
- Qatari Stars Cup: 2009
- Qatar Crown Prince Cup: 2010, 2011
Brazil
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005
- Toulon Tournament: 1995
- Lunar New Year Cup: 2005
Individual
- Revista Placar Bola de Prata: 2000
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: February 2005, March 2005, October 2006
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2005–06
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06
- ESM Team of the Year: 2005–06, 2006–07
- Qatar Football Association Player of the Year: 2010
See also
In Spanish: Juninho Pernambucano para niños
