Sandro (footballer, born 1980) facts for kids

Sandro Cardoso dos Santos (born March 22, 1980), known simply as Sandro, is a Brazilian football player. He played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals.

Sandro was part of the U-19 Brazil national football team. He was also the top scorer in the K-league in 2001. He scored the winning goal in the 2001 AFC Champions League Final against Jubilo Iwata. In July 2009, he joined Shandong Luneng Taishan. He later moved back to Changsha Ginde in February 2010.

Sandro's Playstyle

Sandro was known for his strong physical skills and unique Brazilian football moves. He was good at breaking through the other team's defense. He was also very good at taking his chances to score goals.

Sandro's Football Career

Starting at Portuguesa

Sandro began his football journey in Brazil in 1998 with a team called Portuguesa. Because he was very young, he mostly played for the U-18 team and in reserve games. He did not play regularly with the main team.

Playing for Suwon Samsung Bluewings

In 2000, Sandro joined the Suwon Samsung Bluewings team in South Korea. The team had high hopes for another new player, but Sandro surprised everyone. He quickly showed his talent, scoring four goals in eight games. Because of his good performance, Suwon decided to keep him permanently. In the 2000 Adidas Cup, he scored one goal in three games, helping his team win the cup.

The year 2001 was a big year for Sandro. His coach, Kim Ho, trusted him a lot. Sandro became a top player in the K-League, scoring 13 goals and making three assists in 22 games. He was the K-League's top scorer that year. Sandro also shined in international games. In the 2001 Asian Club Championship final, he scored the winning goal with a powerful shot. He also helped his team win the Asian Super Cup.

Sandro continued his strong performance in 2002. He played 22 games, scoring eight goals and making seven assists. His team, Suwon, won the FA Cup for the first time that year. After his success in South Korea, Sandro moved to Japan in 2003 to play for Jeff United Ichihara.

Time at Jeff United Ichihara

Sandro continued to play well in Japan. In 2003, he scored 8 goals in 23 games. The next year, 2004, he scored 9 goals in 22 games. Sandro really wanted to go back to South Korea. So, Suwon brought him back to their team.

Returning to Suwon Samsung Bluewings

When Sandro returned to Suwon, fans were very excited. However, the team's playing style had changed. Sandro found it harder to score goals, getting only three goals in 22 games in 2005. In 2006, he played 11 games and scored three goals. Later that year, Sandro moved to Jeonnam Dragons.

Playing for Jeonnam Dragons

Sandro joined Jeonnam Dragons in the second half of 2006. He scored three goals in 10 games. Because he played well, Jeonnam signed him permanently for 2007. However, Sandro struggled to find his best form that year. He scored only one goal in four games. After this, Sandro left South Korea.

Playing for Other Teams

Sandro then moved to the Chinese Super League, joining Changsha Ginde in 2007. He played 36 games over two seasons, scoring 6 goals. In 2009, he played for FC Thun in Switzerland, where he scored five goals in 13 games. After that, he returned to China to play for Shandong Luneng. He scored two goals in 15 games there. Sandro then moved back to Changsha Ginde, where he scored five goals in 28 games. He later scored three goals in four games before ending his football career.

Sandro's Achievements

• K-League Top Scorer : 2001
• K-League Best XI : 2001
• Korean FA Cup : 2002
• Korean League Cup : 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005
• Korean Super Cup : 1999, 2000, 2005
• Asian Club Championship : 2001, 2002
• Asian Super Cup : 2001, 2002

See also

In Spanish: Sandro Cardoso dos Santos para niños