Luiz Araújo (footballer)

Luiz de Araújo Guimarães Neto (born 2 June 1996), known as Luiz Araújo (Brazilian Portuguese: [luˈiz ɐɾɐˈuʒu]), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Flamengo.

Luiz Araújo
Luiz Araújo with Lille in 2018
Personal information
Full name Luiz de Araújo Guimarães Neto
Date of birth (1996-06-02) 2 June 1996
Place of birth Taquaritinga, Brazil
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Flamengo
Number 31
Youth career
2012–2013 Mirassol
2013–2016 São Paulo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Mirassol 0 (0)
2016–2017 São Paulo 41 (7)
2016 → Novorizontino (loan) 5 (0)
2017–2021 Lille 108 (14)
2021–2023 Atlanta United 59 (11)
2023– Flamengo 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 July 2023

Career

São Paulo

Born in Taquaritinga, São Paulo, Araújo began his career with Mirassol as a youth, before being promoted to the first team in January 2013.[2] Before he could make his debut for Mirassol, Araújo joined São Paulo, returning to youth football.[3]

Loan to Novorizontino

On 26 February 2016, after finishing as the top scorer in the U-20 Copa Libertadores, Araújo was loaned to Novorizontino until the end of the Campeonato Paulista in April.[4] He made his professional debut for the club on 19 March, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against XV de Piracicaba.[5]

Return to São Paulo

Following the Campeonato Paulista season, Araújo returned to São Paulo and immediately joined the first team. He made his senior and Série A debut for the club on 5 June 2016 against Cruzeiro, replacing Ytalo in a 1–0 victory.[6] He then made his debut in the Copa Libertadores on 13 July 2016 against Atlético Nacional in the second leg of the semifinals, coming on as a substitute in the 2–1 defeat.[7] On 5 November, Araújo scored his first professional goal, a late second half stoppage time strike to help São Paulo win 4–0 over Corinthians.[8]

Araújo finished his debut season with São Paulo on 11 December against Santa Cruz, scoring the fifth goal in a 5–0 home victory.[9]

On 15 February 2017, Araújo scored his first two goals of the season, earning a brace in a 3–1 away victory against Santos in the Campeonato Paulista.[10] He played his final match for São Paulo on 4 June 2017, a 1–0 defeat against Ponte Preta.[11][12]

Lille

On 14 June 2017, Araújo signed for French Ligue 1 club Lille, for a reported €10.5 million.[13] He made his debut for the club in their opening match on 6 August against Nantes, starting for Marcelo Bielsa's side in a 3–0 victory.[14] Araújo then scored his first goal for Lille on 14 October in a 2–2 home draw against Troyes. His goal was a 12th-minute equalizer.[15] Araújo completed his first season at Lille with 6 goals in 36 matches as the club barely managed to survive relegation from the first division.[16]

During the 2018–19 season, Araújo dropped to just six starts in the league but played in 27 matches overall in Ligue 1, contributing three goals, as Lille finished 2nd behind Paris Saint-Germain.[17]

The next season, 2019–20, Araújo continued as a regular substitute for Lille but played more matches overall. He scored his first goal of the campaign on 13 September 2019 against Angers in a 2–1 home victory.[18] Araújo then made his European debut for Lille in the UEFA Champions League on 17 September against Ajax. He came on as a 63rd-minute substitute in the 3–0 defeat.[19] Araújo would go on to play in all six matches, earning three starts, for Lille as they were knocked out after the group stage, finishing last.[20]

Following the 2019–20 season, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Araújo began the 2020–21 season as an 83rd-minute substitute against Rennais in a 1–1 draw.[21] He then scored two goals in two matches on 13 September and 20 September against Metz and Marseille. His goal against Metz was the only goal in the 1–0 victory and the opening goal in the 1–1 draw against Marseille.[22][23] Araújo made his debut for Lille in their opening match of the UEFA Europa League group stage on 22 October 2020 in a 4–1 away victory against Sparta Prague.[24] Lille would go on to finish 2nd in their group and qualify for the knock-outs. On 3 December, he suffered an injury during the club's home match against Sparta Prague, leaving Araújo out until 2021.[25]

Araújo returned to the pitch for Lille on 17 January 2021 against Reims.[26] On 16 April, Araújo scored the equalizer for Lille in a 1–1 draw against Montpellier.[27] The draw helped keep Lille six points ahead of Paris Saint-Germain for the league title.[27] The title was soon secured during the final match on 23 May against Angers, with Lille winning by just a point over Paris Saint-Germain.[28] Araújo came on as an 82nd-minute substitute during the 2–1 away victory.[29]

On 1 August 2021, Araújo played his final match for Lille, in the Trophée des Champions against Paris Saint-Germain. He started and played 85 minutes as Lille secured a 1–0 victory at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv.[30]

Atlanta United

On 6 August 2021, Araújo signed with Major League Soccer side Atlanta United as a designated player.[31] He made his debut for the club on 18 August against Toronto FC, playing 67 minutes in a 1–0 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.[32]

Araújo scored his first goal for the club on 15 September, converting after getting the ball 50 yards from goal, spinning past his defender, running and curling his shot into the left corner in the 5th minute, as Atlanta United won 4–0 at home.[33]

Flamengo

On 18 May 2023, it was announced that Araújo would join Brazilian side Flamengo on a permanent deal at the end of June, the Brazilian club agreed to pay a €9m transfer fee.[34]

Career statistics
As of match played 9 July 2023[35]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup State League Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mirassol 2013 —0000——00
São Paulo 2016 Série A 22220—1[lower-alpha 1]0—252
2017 Série A 42421531[lower-alpha 2]0—247
Total 2646215320—499
Novorizontino (loan) 2016 —0050——50
Lille 2017–18 Ligue 1 34521———366
2018–19 Ligue 1 25341———294
2019–20 Ligue 1 21262—6[lower-alpha 3]0—334
2020–21 Ligue 1 28430—6[lower-alpha 4]0—374
2021–22 Ligue 1 ———001[lower-alpha 5]010
Total 10814154—1201013618
Atlanta United 2021 Major League Soccer 164——00—164
2022 Major League Soccer 28422———306
2023 Major League Soccer 16310———173
Total 601132—00006313
Flamengo 2023 Série A 1010—00—20
Career total 195292582031401025540
  1. Appearance in Copa Libertadores
  2. Appearance in Copa Sudamericana
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Appearance in Trophée des Champions

Honours

Lille

References
  1. "Luiz Araújo". Atlanta United FC. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  2. "Mirassol FC promove cinco atletas da Copa SP ao time principal" [Mirassol FC promote five athletes from the Copa SP to the main squad] (in Portuguese). Gazeta do Interior. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  3. "Mirassol lucra com destaque do São Paulo na Copinha" [Mirassol profit from São Paulo's spotlight in the Copinha] (in Portuguese). Diário da Região. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  4. "São Paulo empresta artilheiro da base ao Novorizontino" [São Paulo loan youth squads' top goalscorer to Novorizontino] (in Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  5. "Novorizontino 1–1 XV de Piracicaba". Soccerway.
  6. "Cruzeiro 0–1 São Paulo". Soccerway.
  7. "Atlético Nacional 2–1 São Paulo". Soccerway.
  8. "São Paulo 4–0 Corinthians". Soccerway.
  9. "São Paulo 5–0 Santa Cruz". Soccerway.
  10. "Santos 1-3 São Paulo". Soccerway.
  11. "Luiz Araújo acerta detalhes com Lille e não joga mais pelo São Paulo". www.lance.com.br.
  12. "São Paulo libera Luiz Araújo para fechar com Lille e não conta mais com atacante". ge.
  13. "Official: Lille sign Luiz Araujo from São Paulo for €10.5m". Get Football News France. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  14. "Lille 3–0 Nantes". Soccerway.
  15. "Lille 2–2 Troyes". Soccerway.
  16. "Cria da base, Luiz Araújo visita o Tricolor: "Sempre estará no meu coração"". gazetaesportiva. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  17. "Luiz Araújo entra na mira do Santos para substituir Rodrygo, mas Lille descarta saída". SantaPortal. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  18. "Lille 2–1 Angers". Soccerway.
  19. "Ajax 3–0 Lille". Soccerway.
  20. Wallace, Sam (10 December 2019). "Chelsea secure place in Champions League last 16 after narrow win over Lille". The Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  21. "Lille 1–1 Rennais". Soccerway.
  22. "Lille 1–0 Metz". Soccerway.
  23. "Marseille 1–1 Lille". Soccerway.
  24. "Sparta Prague 1–4 Lille". Soccerway.
  25. Bja, Rayan (18 December 2020). "Luiz Araujo toujours en phase de reprise". lepetitlillois. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  26. "Lille 2–1 Reims". Soccerway.
  27. Myers, Paul (16 April 2021). "Araujo salvages a draw for Lille against Montpellier". rfi.fr. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  28. "Lille campeão: a obra de Galtier". ProScout. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  29. "Angers 1–2 Lille". Soccerway.
  30. "Lille 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain". Soccerway.
  31. "Atlanta announce signing of Luiz Araujo from Lille". ESPN. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  32. Reineking, Jim (20 August 2021). "MLS notebook: MLS vs. Liga MX All-Star game in LA. Is a merger between the two leagues on the horizon?". USA Today. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  33. Roberson, Doug (September 16, 2021). "Luiz Araujo's first goal for Atlanta United a bit of brilliance". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  34. "Atlanta United agrees to transfer Luiz Araújo to Flamengo | Atlanta United FC". atlutd.
  35. Luiz Araújo at Soccerway
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