Juninho_(footballer,_born_December_1990)
Juninho (footballer, born December 1990)
Hong Kong footballer
Walter Soares Belitardo Júnior (Chinese: 祖連奴; born 11 December 1990), commonly known as Juninho, is a professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee. Born in Brazil, he plays for the Hong Kong national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Walter Soares Belitardo Júnior | ||
| Date of birth | (1990-12-11) 11 December 1990 (age 33) | ||
| Place of birth | Caieiras, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Kitchee | ||
| Number | 90 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2010 | Santo André | ||
| 2009 | São Bernardo | ||
| 2010 | América (AM) | ||
| 2011 | Fernandópolis | ||
| 2012 | Votuporanguense | ||
| 2013 | Barretos | 8 | (2) |
| 2014 | Paulista | 4 | (0) |
| 2015 | América (GO) | ||
| 2015 | Barretos | 5 | (0) |
| 2016 | Sporting de Macau | 17 | (15) |
| 2016–2017 | Tung Sing | 22 | (31) |
| 2017–2018 | Yuen Long | 15 | (2) |
| 2018–2020 | Pegasus | 17 | (3) |
| 2019–2020 | → Yuen Long (loan) | 9 | (3) |
| 2020–2023 | Rangers | 35 | (14) |
| 2023– | Kitchee | 6 | (4) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024– | Hong Kong | 4 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 July 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024 | |||
Sporting de Macau
After terminating his contract with Barretos in 2015 due to low pay and delays in payment, Juninho decided to move to Macau in search of a higher salary.[2] He moved to Macau with the intention of signing a professional contract but due to a misunderstanding as to the professional opportunities in Macau, he was ultimately forced to play as an amateur for Sporting de Macau in order to continue his career.
Tung Sing
Juninho signed with Hong Kong Premier League club Dreams, then known as Biu Chun Glory Sky, in the summer of 2016. However, as the club later signed additional foreign players, BCGS did not have room on their squad to register him.[3]
Juninho then moved to Tung Sing in September 2016. In his only season with the club, he scored 31 goals in 22 appearances, finishing third in the Golden Boot race.[4]
Yuen Long
Following the 2016–17 season, Juninho went on trial with HKPL club Rangers but was not signed.[5] A week before the 2017–18 season started, Juninho was signed to Yuen Long.[6]
Pegasus
On 23 July 2018, it was announced at Pegasus' season opening event that the club had signed Juninho for the 2018–19 campaign. [7]
Yuen Long
On 8 August 2019, Juninho was loaned to Yuen Long after Pegasus had signed a new foreign player. He rejoined the club after one year.[8]
Rangers
On 17 October 2020, it was announced that Juninho was signed for Rangers.[9]
Kitchee
On 8 December 2023, it was announced that Juninho had received his HKSAR passport after giving up his Brazilian passport, making him eligible to represent Hong Kong internationally.[11] He was then subsequently called up for the local training camp in preparation of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. On 26 December 2023, he was named in Hong Kong's final squad for the Asian Cup.[12]
On 1 January 2024, Juninho made his international debut for Hong Kong in a friendly match against China.
International
- As of 26 March 2024
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | 2024 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 January 2024 | Baniyas Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |  China |
2–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 23 January 2024 | Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar |  Palestine |
0–3 | 2023 AFC Asian Cup |
| 3 | 21 March 2024 | Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong |  Uzbekistan |
0–2 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round |
| 4 | 26 March 2024 | Milliy Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan |
0–3 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round |
Yuen Long
- www.the-afc.com https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/teams/2023/afc_asian_cup/hong-kong-china. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - "外闖中伏變人球 職業球員踢業餘聯賽". HK01. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018. (in Chinese)
- "外闖中伏變人球 職業球員踢業餘聯賽". HK01. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018. (in Chinese)
- "元朗「巴西幫」添成員 簽東昇舊將祖連奴". Upower. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017. (in Chinese)
- Au Yeung, Patrick (19 August 2017). "Yuen Long Eager to Get Going in HKPL". offside.hk.
- Yip, Si Man (23 July 2018). "飛馬新帥不踢Tiki-taka 首席中鋒陳肇麒轉型中堅". HK01. Retrieved 23 July 2018. (in Chinese)
- "查理士來投 飛馬外借祖連奴到元朗". Apple Daily. Retrieved 8 August 2019. (in Chinese)
- "標準流浪簽4森巴兵迎新季". on.cc. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020. (in Chinese)
- "傑志新援曾戰兩屆世界盃 班費逾2000萬推行「精兵政策」". HK01. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023. (in Chinese)
- 港超聯 祖連奴攞特區護照：我係時候作出貢獻 (in Chinese). hk.on.cc. 8 December 2023.
- "中國香港代表隊 – 決選名單" [Hong Kong, China Team – Finalists]. Hong Kong Football Association (in Chinese). 26 December 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- Walter Soares Belitardo Júnior at HKFA
- Juninho at Soccerway
- Juninho on Instagram