Túlio de Melo
Encyclopedia
Túlio Vinícius Fróes de Melo (born 31 January 1985 in Montes Claros
), commonly known as Túlio de Melo, is a Brazil
ian football striker who currently plays for Lille OSC
in the French
Ligue 1
.
, and moved to Europe
in 2004 to join Danish
top flight team Aalborg BK on loan. In 2005 he signed a three-year contract with French club Le Mans, where he gained a reputation as a powerful striker with the ability to lob keepers of international class from range. His impressive performances in the first half of the 2007–08 season (10 goals in 19 matches) caused interest from higher level teams, namely Serie A
clubs Palermo
and Parma
. His name later caused controversy between these teams as it appeared he actually signed contracts with both clubs, but eventually it was Palermo who finalized his signing.
match, a 2–1 home loss to Ravenna
.
On August 31, 2008 Ligue 1
club Lille OSC
announced to have completed the signing of Túlio de Melo from Palermo.
Montes Claros
Montes Claros is a city located in northern Minas Gerais state, in Brazil. The estimated population in 2010 was 412,284 inhabitants and the total area of the municipality was 3,470 km²...
), commonly known as Túlio de Melo, is a Brazil
Brazil
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...
ian football striker who currently plays for Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
.
Early career & Breakthrough (2003–08)
Túlio de Melo started his career with Atlético MineiroClube Atlético Mineiro
Clube Atlético Mineiro , are a Brazilian football club based in Belo Horizonte, the oldest in the city. Founded in 1908, they play in the Campeonato Mineiro and Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão. Atlético Mineiro have been Brazilian champions once, state winners a record 40 times and...
, and moved to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 2004 to join Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
top flight team Aalborg BK on loan. In 2005 he signed a three-year contract with French club Le Mans, where he gained a reputation as a powerful striker with the ability to lob keepers of international class from range. His impressive performances in the first half of the 2007–08 season (10 goals in 19 matches) caused interest from higher level teams, namely Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
clubs Palermo
U.S. Città di Palermo
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...
and Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
. His name later caused controversy between these teams as it appeared he actually signed contracts with both clubs, but eventually it was Palermo who finalized his signing.
Palermo & Lille (2008–present)
He joined the Rosanero on July 2008, but he was soon listed for transfer by the club, and managed only to play 45 minutes in a Coppa ItaliaCoppa Italia 2008-09
The 2008–09 Coppa Italia was the sixty-first season of the tournament. The competition started on 9 August 2008 and ended on 13 May 2009. The radically different format used in the 2007–08 Coppa was abandoned, with the new format more closely resembling earlier editions of the tournament.The final...
match, a 2–1 home loss to Ravenna
Ravenna Calcio
Ravenna Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1913 and refounded in 2001....
.
On August 31, 2008 Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
club Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
announced to have completed the signing of Túlio de Melo from Palermo.