Renato (footballer, born 1979) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Renato

Renato with Santos in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Renato Dirnei Florêncio Santos
Date of birth	(1979-05-15) 15 May 1979 (age 46)
Place of birth	Santa Mercedes, Brazil
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Guarani
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Guarani	89	(8)
2000–2004	Santos	161	(19)
2004–2011	Sevilla	204	(26)
2011–2014	Botafogo	102	(5)
2014–2018	Santos	162	(6)
Total		718	(64)
International career
2003–2005	Brazil	28	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Renato Dirnei Florêncio Santos (born on May 15, 1979), known simply as Renato, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He played mostly as a central midfielder. Even though he wasn't very tall, he was good at heading the ball.

Renato spent a big part of his career playing for Sevilla in Spain. He played in 286 official games for them and scored 39 goals. He also played for the Brazilian national team for two years. During that time, he helped Brazil win the Copa América in 2004 and the Confederations Cup in 2005.

Renato's Football Journey

Starting Out at Guarani

Renato was born in Santa Mercedes, a town in São Paulo, Brazil. When he was young, people called him Renatinho. He started his football journey in the youth team of Guarani FC.

He played his first professional game on April 17, 1996. He was a starter in a match where Guarani lost 1–0. Renato scored his first professional goal on September 6, 1998. It was the first goal in a 2–0 win against Sport Club Internacional.

Joining Santos FC

In June 2000, Renato moved to another big Brazilian club, Santos FC. Santos paid about R$2 million for him. He played his first game for Santos on August 2, helping them win 2–0 at home.

Renato scored his first goal for Santos on February 7, 2001. He scored the first goal in a 3–0 win against CR Vasco da Gama. He scored five more goals during the 2001 season and was a regular player for the team. In 2003, Renato had his best scoring year in the Brazilian league, netting nine goals. He also played in every game for Santos in the Copa Libertadores tournament that year.

Playing in Spain with Sevilla

Renato training with Sevilla

On July 7, 2004, when Renato was 25 years old, he signed a five-year contract with Sevilla FC in Spain. He joined other Brazilian players like Adriano and Daniel Alves. Together, they helped Sevilla become a strong team in La Liga, Spain's top football league. Renato made his debut on August 29, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win just one minute after coming onto the field.

From 2005 to 2007, Renato played many games in the UEFA Cup. Sevilla won this important tournament two times in a row! Renato scored a crucial goal in the 2006–07 tournament. He scored in a 2–0 win against CA Osasuna in the semi-finals, which helped Sevilla reach the final. He also played in both finals that Sevilla won.

In the 2008–09 season, Renato scored eight goals in 32 matches. This helped Sevilla finish in third place in La Liga. He scored four of these goals between December 2008 and January 2009, including goals against big teams like Real Madrid and Villarreal CF. On October 4, 2009, Renato scored with a header in a 2–1 home win against Real Madrid. He played 33 games and scored four goals in the 2009–10 season. Sevilla finished fourth, which meant they could play in the UEFA Champions League. After this season, he extended his contract with Sevilla until June 2012.

Time at Botafogo

On May 26, 2011, Renato left Sevilla and signed a three-year contract with Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas in Brazil. He was a key player in his first two years, playing alongside famous players like Nicolás Lodeiro and Clarence Seedorf. Later, he became a backup player and also had some injuries in 2013.

Returning to Santos FC

Renato playing for Santos in 2017

On May 13, 2014, Renato left Botafogo and went back to Santos FC. He signed a contract until the end of the 2014 season. He was a substitute in his first game back but didn't play.

After dealing with some injuries, Renato mostly played as a defensive midfielder, helping out players like Arouca and Alison. Even though he only played 14 matches after his return, he signed a new contract for another year on January 13, 2015.

On March 1, 2015, Renato scored his first goal since returning to Santos. He scored his team's second goal in a 4–2 win. He was a regular starter during the 2015 season, playing 53 games and scoring two goals.

On April 13, 2016, when he was 36 years old, Renato agreed to extend his contract with Santos until the end of 2017. On January 27, 2017, after playing in almost every game the previous year, he renewed his contract again until December 2018.

On September 18, 2018, Renato was announced as the new director of football for Santos. He continued to play as a player until his contract ended. He officially retired on November 24, 2018. He played his last match that day, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 win against Atlético Mineiro. Renato played a total of 425 matches for Santos, scoring 33 goals and winning four titles.

International Career with Brazil

Renato started playing for the Brazilian national team in 2003. He was chosen to be part of the teams for the 2004 Copa América and the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. In the Copa América, he played in all six matches. In the Confederations Cup, he came on as a substitute five times. Brazil won both of these important tournaments with Renato on the team!

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours and Awards

Here are some of the major trophies and awards Renato won during his career:

Santos

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2002, 2004
• Campeonato Paulista: 2015, 2016
• Copa do Brasil runner-up: 2015

Sevilla

• Copa del Rey: 2006–07, 2009–10
• Supercopa de España: 2007
• UEFA Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07
• UEFA Super Cup: 2006

Botafogo

• Campeonato Carioca: 2013

Brazil

• Copa América: 2004
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005

Individual

• Bola de Prata: 2003

See also

In Spanish: Renato Dirnei para niños