Nathan Júnior
Encyclopedia
Nathan Júnior Soares de Carvalho or Nathan Júnior (born 10 March 1989 in Rio de Janeiro
) is a Brazilian footballer
, currently playing for the Latvian Higher League club Skonto Riga
in Latvia
.
, unsuccessfully trying to get into Flamengo
system at the age of 16. Later on he went to Cyprus
and joined Anorthosis Famagusta, from where he came to Latvia
in 2008, joining Skonto Riga system.
Júnior was loaned to Olimps/RFS, where he played 15 matches, scoring no goals. That time he played as a defender.
In 2010 managers changed and Aleksandrs Starkovs
, the new coach, kept Júnior at the club, stating that he hoped Júnior was going to be one of the key players. That season Nathan scored 18 goals in 24 games and became the top scorer of the league together with Deniss Rakels
, who also netted 18 times. In the 2011 season Nathan became the top scorer of the Latvian Higher League with 22 goals, despite the club's weak results (4th place) in the championship.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
) is a Brazilian footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, currently playing for the Latvian Higher League club Skonto Riga
Skonto FC
Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.
Early Career
Nathan started his career in BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, unsuccessfully trying to get into Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
system at the age of 16. Later on he went to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and joined Anorthosis Famagusta, from where he came to Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
in 2008, joining Skonto Riga system.
Olimps/RFS
In his first season in LatviaLatvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
Júnior was loaned to Olimps/RFS, where he played 15 matches, scoring no goals. That time he played as a defender.
Skonto Riga
In 2009 Skonto Riga manager Paul Ashworth took him back and included him in the team's squad for the upcoming season. Júnior was mainly used as a late game defense substitute and during his first season with Skonto the Brazilian boy collected 19 caps. That time the club had sold out two of their best forwards and found it difficult to score, so the technical boy was tried in a new position - as a forward. Junior proved his attacking ability in his first game as a forward - he scored twice. Later on Nathan was played only in this position. He managed to score 5 goals that season.In 2010 managers changed and Aleksandrs Starkovs
Aleksandrs Starkovs
Aleksandrs Starkovs is a Latvian football coach and a former footballer. Starkovs is currently in his second spell as manager of the Latvian national team and is also the manager of FK Baku, having previously managed clubs such as Spartak Moscow in Russia and Skonto FC in Latvia.-Playing...
, the new coach, kept Júnior at the club, stating that he hoped Júnior was going to be one of the key players. That season Nathan scored 18 goals in 24 games and became the top scorer of the league together with Deniss Rakels
Deniss Rakels
Deniss Rakels is a Latvian footballer, who currently plays for I liga club GKS Katowice in Poland on loan from Zagłębie Lubin.-Early career in Latvia:...
, who also netted 18 times. In the 2011 season Nathan became the top scorer of the Latvian Higher League with 22 goals, despite the club's weak results (4th place) in the championship.
Honours
- Latvian Higher League champion (1): 2010
- Latvian Higher League top scorer (2): 2010, 2011
- Triobet Baltic League champion (1): 2011