Alex Santana

This article is about the Brazilian footballer. For the American baseball player, see Alex Santana (baseball). For other people named Alex Santana, see Alex Santana (disambiguation).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Menezes and the second or paternal family name is Santana.

Alex Paulo Menezes Santana (born 13 May 1995) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Brasileirão Série A club Corinthians as a midfielder.^[1]

Alex Santana

Personal information
Full name	Alex Paulo Menezes Santana
Date of birth	(1995-05-13) 13 May 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Morungaba, Brazil
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Corinthians
Number	80
Youth career
2010–2012	Paulista
2012–2013	Internacional
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2018	Internacional	5	(0)
2016	→ Criciúma (loan)	11	(0)
2016	→ Guarani (loan)	12	(1)
2017	→ [[Paranáense Clube|ParanáenseClube]] (loan)	10	(2)
2018	→ Paraná (loan)	32	(4)
2019–2020	Botafogo	40	(9)
2020–2022	Ludogorets Razgrad	45	(12)
2022–2024	Athletico Paranaense	22	(2)
2024–	Corinthians	8	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:45, 20 November 2024 (UTC)

Santana began his professional career at Internacional in 2013, spending time on loan at Criciúma, Guarani and Paraná before moving to Botafogo six years later. He joined Athletico in July 2022.

Career

Early career

Santana began his professional career at Internacional. He made his debut on 11 October 2013 by replacing Otávio for the final 29 minutes in a 2–1 away loss against Flamengo.^[2]

Ludogorets

On 23 July 2020, Santana signed for Ludogorets Razgrad^[3] for a reported fee of €750,000.^[4] After signing a contract with the club, he said: "I joined Ludogorets to play in the Champions League.".^[5] He scored his debut goal for the Bulgarian champions on 23 August 2020 in a league game against Cherno More Varna. On 14 April 2021, he received his first red card in the 1:2 home loss against CSKA Sofia in a Bulgarian Cup match.^[6] During his time with Ludogorets, he established himself as a key member of the team.^[7]

Career statistics

As of 20 November 2024^[8]

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Internacional	2013	Série A	1	0	—		—		—		—		1	0
	2014		0	0	3	0	—		—		—		3	0
	2015		1	0	—		0	0	—		—		1	0
	2017	Série B	0	0	—		—		—		1[a]	0	1	0
	Subtotal		2	0	3	0	0	0	—		1	0	6	0
Criciúma (loan)	2016	Série B	0	0	11	0	—		—		1[a]	0	12	0
Guarani (loan)	2016	Série C	12	1	—		—		—		—		12	1
Paraná (loan)	2017	Série B	1	0	9	2	7	0	—		2[a]	0	19	2
	2018	Série A	27	4	5	0	0	0	—		—		32	4
	Subtotal		28	4	14	2	7	0	—		2	0	51	6
Botafogo	2019	Série A	24	5	8	3	4	1	6[b]	1	—		42	10
	2020		0	0	8	1	3	0	0	0	—		11	1
	Subtotal		24	5	16	4	7	1	6	1	—		53	11
Ludogorets	2020–21	First League	23	5	—		3	0	8[c]	0	1[d]	0	35	5
	2021–22		20	6	—		5	0	10[e]	0	1[d]	1	36	8
	2022–23		3	1	—		0	0	4[f]	1	0	0	7	2
	Subtotal		46	12	0	0	8	0	22	1	2	1	78	15
Athletico Paranaense	2022	Série A	13	2	—		0	0	5[g]	1	—		18	3
	2023		21	3	15	1	3	2	5	2	—		44	8
	2024		4	0	8	1	0	0	6[g]	0	0	0	18	1
Subtotal			38	5	23	2	3	2	16	3	—		80	12
Corinthians	2024	Série A	8	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	11	0
	Subtotal		8	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	11	0
Career total			129	24	53	6	22	2	35	3	6	1	303	46

1. Appearance(s) in Primeira Liga
2. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
3. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
4. Appearance(s) in Bulgarian Supercup
5. Seven appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
6. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
7. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores

Honours

Internacional

• Campeonato Gaúcho: 2013, 2014, 2015

Athletico Paranaense

• Campeonato Paranaense: 2023

References

1. "Alex Santana retorna ao Paraná Clube menos de um ano depois de sair". Retrieved 20 May 2018.
2. "Flamengo vs. Internacional". soccerway.com. 11 October 2013.
3. "Ludogorets attracted a midfielder from Botafogo". ludogorets.com. 23 July 2020.
4. "Лудогорец дава 780 000 евро за Сантана, той вече бил в България". sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). 11 July 2020.
5. "Alex Santana: I joined Ludogorets to play in the Champions League". ludogorets.com. 24 July 2020.
6. Cherkezov, Zdravko, ed. (14 April 2021). "ЦСКА изнесе лекция на "Лудогорец" и е на финал за Купата след корида в Разград" (in Bulgarian). bgonair.bg. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
7. Kostov, Hristo (29 January 2022). "Ключов играч на Лудогорец е трансферна цел на бразилци" (in Bulgarian). 7sport.net. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
8. Alex Santana at Soccerway

External links

• Alex Santana at Sambafoot
• Alex Santana at Soccerway