Júlio Baptista facts for kids
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Baptista in 2016
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Júlio César Clemente Pereira Baptista | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1 October 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder / Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| São Paulo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | São Paulo | 75 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | Sevilla | 63 | (38) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Real Madrid | 59 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | → Arsenal (loan) | 24 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | Roma | 57 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Málaga | 29 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Cruzeiro | 36 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Orlando City | 23 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | CFR Cluj | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 368 | (106) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Brazil U23 | 5 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2010 | Brazil | 47 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Valladolid (youth) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Valladolid B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Júlio César Clemente Pereira Baptista, born on October 1, 1981, is a Brazilian football manager and a former player. He was known for playing as an attacking midfielder or a forward. People called him "The Beast" because he was big and strong on the field.
Baptista started his career as a defensive midfielder. After playing very well for his hometown team, São Paulo, he joined Sevilla in 2003. At Sevilla, he changed to play as a forward. In just two seasons, he scored 50 goals. This led to his move to the famous Spanish club Real Madrid in 2005.
After playing for Real Madrid, including a loan spell at Arsenal, Baptista moved to Roma in Italy. In January 2011, he went back to Spain to play for Málaga. Two years later, he returned to Brazil with Cruzeiro.
Contents
Júlio Baptista's Football Journey
Playing for Sevilla
On August 3, 2003, Sevilla FC announced that Baptista was their new player. He cost the Spanish club about £1.75 million. Baptista was sure he would do well in Spain. He wore the number 19 jersey and started playing as an attacking midfielder.
He quickly settled in, scoring two goals in Sevilla's 4–0 win against Racing de Santander. As the season went on, he kept playing well. He scored two goals against Levante UD and four goals against Racing de Santander in a 5–2 home win.
His great playing caught the eye of many big clubs. Even though Arsenal was interested, Baptista stayed at Sevilla for another season. He showed his skill again by scoring 25 goals in all games. Between 2003 and 2005, Baptista played 81 games for Sevilla and scored 50 goals.
Time at Real Madrid
On July 25, 2005, Real Madrid signed Baptista for about £13.8 million. Baptista signed a five-year deal. He said he chose to stay in Spain to get dual citizenship. This would let him travel easily across Europe. He also explained he did not want to move to England at that time. At Real Madrid, he got the number 8 jersey.
The season looked promising for Real Madrid. They bought big players like Robinho, Baptista, and Sergio Ramos. People thought Real Madrid would finally win a trophy. However, it did not happen. At Real, Baptista often played out of his usual position. He played as a left-winger to make space for players like Zinedine Zidane and Guti. Because of this, he could not play as well as he did before. He scored only eight league goals in the 2006 season. Real Madrid ended the season without a trophy again.
Loan to Arsenal
In August 2006, Baptista moved to Arsenal as part of a loan deal. Both players, Baptista and José Antonio Reyes, signed for 12-month loans at their new clubs. He scored his first goal for Arsenal against Hamburg in the Champions League on November 21, 2006.
Baptista found it hard to score in the Premier League. He only managed three goals in 24 league games. However, he scored many goals in the League Cup. He scored six goals in that competition. This included a club record four goals in Arsenal's 6–3 win against Liverpool on January 9, 2007. He also missed a penalty kick in that game.
In total, Baptista scored 10 goals in 35 games for Arsenal. After the 2006–07 season, he returned to Real Madrid.
Back at Real Madrid
When Bernd Schuster became the new coach of Madrid, Baptista played more often. He also played in his favorite central position. Baptista scored in a 3–0 win that knocked Lazio out of the Champions League. He then scored a great goal against rivals Barcelona in the El Clásico match. Baptista's goal was very important in the game, which Real Madrid won 1–0. This was only the second time Real Madrid had beaten Barcelona in the league at the Camp Nou in 24 years.
Baptista continued to play well during the season. Many people praised his performances. Real Madrid won the La Liga title that season, and Baptista earned a winner's medal.
Moving to Roma
Roma signed Baptista from Real Madrid on August 14, 2008. The Italian club said he cost €9 million. He signed a four-year deal. Baptista played his first game for Roma in the Supercoppa Italiana on August 24, 2008. His team lost to Inter Milan in a penalty shootout, but Baptista scored his penalty.
On October 1, 2008, he scored his first Champions League goals for Roma. He scored two goals against Bordeaux, helping his team win 3–1. Baptista also scored the winning goal in his first Rome derby against Lazio.
In the Champions League, Roma played against Baptista's old club, Arsenal. He played in both games. In the second game, Baptista came on early because another player got hurt. He had chances to score, but Roma lost in a penalty shootout.
Playing for Málaga
On January 3, 2011, Málaga CF announced they had signed Júlio Baptista. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. Roma said the transfer fee was €2.5 million. He played his first game for Málaga on January 16, 2011, in a 4–1 loss at Barcelona. Six days later, he scored his first goal in a 4–3 loss at Valencia CF.
Baptista got injured during a match and needed surgery in Brazil. He returned to play on April 16, 2011. He scored two goals in a 3–0 home win over RCD Mallorca. This helped the team move out of the relegation zone.
On October 1, 2011, his 30th birthday, Baptista scored a dramatic late winning goal. It was an overhead kick in a 3–2 win over Getafe CF. However, he injured his right leg again and needed another operation. He returned on February 3, 2013, as a substitute. Baptista scored his first goal since his return on March 30. This goal helped Malaga beat Rayo Vallecano 3–1. On July 24, 2013, Málaga CF ended his contract.
Time at Cruzeiro
On July 24, 2013, Júlio Baptista signed with the Brazilian club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. He joined famous players like Dedé and Fábio. He reportedly signed a two-year contract.
On July 28, 2013, Baptista was introduced to the fans at the Mineirão Stadium. This happened during the club's 4–1 win against rivals Atlético Mineiro. Baptista did not say when he would play his first game. He said it depended on paperwork and the coach, Marcelo Oliveira.
Coach Marcelo Oliveira praised Baptista for working hard to get back in shape. Oliveira said Baptista would play as a playmaker, like he did for Sevilla.
Playing for Orlando City
On March 23, 2016, Orlando City SC announced they had signed Baptista. He played his first Major League Soccer game on April 8 as a substitute. He scored his first goal in the league on May 29. His contract was not renewed by the club on November 23, 2016.
Final Club: CFR Cluj
On August 18, 2018, Baptista signed with Romanian champions CFR Cluj. Eight days later, he played his first game in a 0–0 draw. He came on as a substitute in the 70th minute.
Baptista played only 43 minutes for CFR in 2018. This made him one of the highest-paid players per minute played. He announced his retirement from playing football on May 23, 2019.
International Career with Brazil
Baptista played 47 games for the Brazilian national team and scored five goals. His first game for Brazil was on June 4, 2001. It was a 0–0 draw against Japan. He also played a small part in the 2005 Confederations Cup.
Because Baptista often played out of position at Real Madrid, his performance dropped. He was not chosen for the 2006 World Cup team. However, Baptista was called back to the Brazil squad for the 2007 Copa América. He scored the first goal in Brazil's 3–0 win over Argentina in the final on July 15, 2007. Baptista scored three goals in that competition. He later played in the 2010 World Cup for Brazil.
Coaching Career
On June 27, 2019, Baptista became the manager of the youth team for Real Valladolid. This club is owned by his former Real Madrid teammate, Ronaldo. On July 8, 2021, he took over the club's reserve team.
Career Achievements
Club Trophies
- São Paulo
- Campeonato Paulista: 2000
- Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 2001
- Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2007–08
- Cruzeiro
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2013, 2014
- Campeonato Mineiro: 2014
- CFR Cluj
- Liga I: 2018–19
International Trophies
- Brazil Youth
- South American U-20 Championship: 2001
- Brazil
- Copa América: 2004, 2007
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009
Individual Awards
- La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2004
Images for kids
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Baptista in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Júlio Baptista para niños
