![]() Welington playing for São Paulo in 2022 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Welington Damascena Santos[1] | ||
Date of birth | 19 February 2001 | ||
Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | ||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Left-back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Southampton | ||
Number | 34 | ||
Youth career | |||
2014–2020 | São Paulo | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020–2024 | São Paulo | 125 | (2) |
2025– | Southampton | 1 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2023– | Brazil U23 | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:26, 1 February 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 September 2023 |
Welington Damascena Santos (born 19 February 2001), known as Welington, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League club Southampton.
Club career
São Paulo
Early career
Welington played 26 matches for São Paulo under-15s, 37 matches in the under-17s and 107 matches in the under-20s. He won several trophies such as the 2018 Copa do Brasil U20 and the 2019 Copinha.[3] In the latter, he was part of the squad who shaved his head in honour of a fan of the club who had brain cancer.[4]
He was named in the professional team for the first time in December 2019 for the last match of the Brazilian Championship against CSA.[5] São Paulo won 2–1, but Welington did not make his debut.[6]
2020
Turning professional in 2020, he made his debut on 8 March 2020, in a 1–0 defeat to Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto in the Campeonato Paulista.[7] He came on in the second half in place of Everton and suffered a fall in a head collision, but he remained on the field until the end of the match and was later taken to hospital.[8]
2021
On 14 April, he scored his first goal as a professional in a 3–2 victory over Guarani in the Campeonato Paulista.[9] He was part of the Paulista winning squad on 23 May which won 2–0 against Palmeiras but was an unused substitute.[10] On 3 June, Welington renewed his contract until 31 December 2024.[11]
2022
On 27 March, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 victory over Corinthians in the semi-finals of the Campeonato Paulista, helping São Paulo reach their second consecutive final.[12] On 3 April, Welington was a starter in the final, but ended up being beaten 4–0 by Palmeiras.[13]
2023
Previously wearing the number 34 shirt, he started using the number six shirt after Reinaldo's departure.[14] After an injury suffered against Botafogo-SP in the Campeonato Paulista, he was injured again more seriously on 13 March in a match against Água Santa,[15] where he underwent ligament surgery on his left ankle.[16] After four months, he returned to training on the field for the first time in June.[17] On 19 August, Welington played his hundredth match for the club in the goalless draw with Botafogo.[18][19]
2024
On 4 February, he was part of the winning squad for the Supercopa Rei final against Palmeiras which ended 4–2 on penalties, after a goalless draw in normal time.[20]
Southampton
On 26 July 2024, Welington signed a pre-contract with Premier League side Southampton, and he formally joined on 1 January 2025 following the expiry of his contract with São Paulo in December 2024.[21][22] On 1 February 2025, Welington made his debut for the club in a 2–1 away victory against Ipswich Town.[23]
Career statistics
- As of 8 February 2025[24]
Club | Season | League | State league | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
São Paulo | 2020 | Série A | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2021 | Série A | 16 | 0 | 6[a] | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
2022 | Série A | 32 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 1 | |
2023 | Série A | 16 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
2024 | Série A | 22 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
Total | 87 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 164 | 2 | ||
Southampton | 2024–25[25] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
Career total | 88 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 166 | 2 |
- ^ a b Appearances in the Campeonato Paulista
- ^ Appearance in Supercopa do Brasil
Honours
- São Paulo
- Copa São Paulo de Futebol Jr.: 2019
- Campeonato Paulista: 2021
- Copa do Brasil: 2023
- Supercopa do Brasil: 2024
References
- ^ "2024/25 Updated Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
- ^ "WELINGTON". SPFC (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Joia 2021: experiente na base, lateral-esquerdo espera por chances no São Paulo de Diniz". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 2 January 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Antes de final, elenco do São Paulo raspa cabelo em homenagem a torcedora com câncer". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 25 January 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Relacionados do São Paulo: garotos da base dominam lista contra o CSA; veja os nomes". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 7 December 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "São Paulo supera expulsão, segura CSA e vence com time "made in Cotia"..." uol.com (in Portuguese). 8 December 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Welington enfrentou doença na base e perda na família antes de fazer primeiro gol pelo São Paulo". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 19 April 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Lateral do São Paulo estreia, bate a cabeça e vai para hospital". lance.com (in Portuguese). 8 March 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Welington comemora primeiro gol pelo São Paulo: 'Nem acreditei'". lance.com (in Portuguese). 15 April 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Raio-X: participação da base no Campeonato Paulista 2021". São Paulo FC (in Portuguese). 25 May 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "São Paulo anuncia a renovação de contrato com Welington até 2024". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 3 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Welington festeja vaga do São Paulo na final e gol no clássico: "Marcado na minha história"". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 27 March 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Palmeiras 4 x 0 São Paulo | Campeonato Paulista: melhores momentos". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Ferraresi, Welington e Gabriel Neves ganham novos números de camisa no São Paulo". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 3 January 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Welington vai passar por novos exames para definir tratamento de lesão no São Paulo". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 14 March 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Welington, lateral do São Paulo, é submetido a cirurgia no tornozelo". ESPN (in Portuguese). 20 March 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Welington treina com o grupo do São Paulo e fica próximo de retorno". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "São Paulo 0 x 0 Botafogo - Melhores momentos - 20ª rodada do Brasileirão 2023". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "100 jogos de Welington! Veja as Crias de Cotia do elenco atual com mais partidas pelo São Paulo". lance.com (in Portuguese). 22 August 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "São Paulo vence o Palmeiras nos pênaltis e é campeão da Supercopa do Brasil…". uol.com (in Portuguese). 4 February 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Personal terms agreed with São Paulo duo". Southampton F.C. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ Rees-Julian, George (1 January 2025). "Forgotten Southampton signing formally joins club from Brazil". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ Smith, Peter (1 February 2025). "Ipswich 1–2 Southampton: Aro Muric errors help Southampton to victory at relegation rivals Ipswich". Sky Sports. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ Welington at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ "Games played by Welington in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Footballers from São Paulo
- Brazilian men's footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- São Paulo FC players
- Southampton F.C. players
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
- Premier League players
- Brazil men's youth international footballers
- Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in England
- 21st-century Brazilian sportsmen