*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 February 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 October 2023
Ederson Santana de Moraes (born 17 August 1993), simply known as Ederson (Brazilian Portuguese:[ˈɛdɛʁsõ]), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Manchester City and the Brazil national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world due to his accurate pinpoint distribution and ball playing skills.
Ederson started his career at São Paulo in 2008 before joining Portuguese club Benfica one year later, where he would spend two seasons. In 2012, he transferred from Ribeirão to Primeira Liga club Rio Ave and became a regular starter there. He rejoined Benfica in 2015 and was assigned to the reserves before debuting for the first team, with whom he would win four major titles in two seasons. For the 2017–18 season, Ederson joined English club Manchester City for £35 million and became the most expensive goalkeeper of all-time in terms of the nominal value of pound sterling at the time of his transfer. He went on to win the Premier League and EFL Cup in his first season in England, and won a domestic treble the following season. In total, Ederson has won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the UEFA Champions League with City, the latter coming in 2023 as part of a continental treble.
Ederson made his senior debut for Brazil in 2017. He was chosen in Brazil's squad for the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and the Copa América in 2019 and 2021, winning the 2019 tournament.
Club career
Early career
Born in Osasco, São Paulo, Ederson started his football career in 2008 at local club São Paulo FC with whom he played one season, before joining Benfica in Portugal. At the age of 16, he spent two years as a junior before being released in 2011 and eventually signing for Second Division club Ribeirão.[4]
A year later, Ederson joined Primeira Liga club Rio Ave, signing a contract until 2014 in summer 2012. In April 2015, following a string of good performances and a call up to the Brazil under-23 squad, he signed a new contract with the club that would last until 2019.[5]
On 27 June 2015, Ederson rejoined Portuguese champions Benfica.[6] Then, in July, he officially signed a five-year contract with the club, in a deal worth €500,000, and set a €45 million release clause. Rio Ave would keep 50% of the upcoming keeper's economic rights. In the 2015–16 season, Ederson started as a second choice in line for the first team, defended by compatriot and international Júlio César. Ederson first played some matches in the Segunda Liga with the reserve team and in the Taça da Liga with the main squad, before playing in the Primeira Liga on 5 March 2016 against local rivalsSporting CP, replacing injured Júlio César. Benfica won the Lisbon derby 0–1 and took the first place of Primeira Liga. He would then be part of eleven more victories that would seal Benfica's 35th league title, their third in a row.[7] Five days later, he played the Taça da Liga final against Marítimo, which Benfica won 6–2. In addition, he played three matches in the Champions League campaign, where Benfica reached the quarter-finals. In his next season, he and Benfica won the treble of Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal and Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.
Manchester City
Ederson with Manchester City in 2017
On 1 June 2017, Benfica announced that Ederson had joined Premier League club Manchester City for £35 million (€40 million).[8] At the time, the transfer made him the second most expensive goalkeeper of all-time – currently fifth highest –[9][10] after Gianluigi Buffon (£33 million), whose transfer fee, although the second highest ever in pounds sterling, still remained the highest of all time in euros (€52 million in 2001) until Alisson Becker's (€75 million in 2018) and now Kepa Arrizabalaga's (€80 million in 2018).[11] Ederson's transfer equalled Axel Witsel's as the largest fee a club has ever paid for a Benfica player at the time.[12]
Ederson was immediately inserted as Pep Guardiola's first choice goalkeeper, supplanting Claudio Bravo. He made his competitive debut for the club on 12 August 2017 in a 0–2 away win at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he kept a clean sheet.[13] On 9 September against Liverpool, Ederson suffered a kick to the face by Sadio Mané, and was forced to leave the game after eight minutes of treatment.[14] Ederson received eight stitches, and Mané was sent off by referee Jon Moss and banned for the subsequent three matches.[15] Ederson made his next start the following week in the Champions League against Feyenoord, sporting a piece of protective headgear.[16] Ederson believed that Mané's collision was accidental, and accepted an apology from the Liverpool player.[16]
On 19 August 2018, Ederson became the first Manchester City goalkeeper to provide a Premier League assist, as his goal-kick was converted by Sergio Agüero for the opening goal in a 6–1 win over Huddersfield Town.[17][18]
In May 2019, Ederson was included in Brazil's 23-man squad for the 2019 Copa América.[25]
In June 2021, he made his major tournament debut for Brazil, starting and keeping a clean sheet in a 4–0 victory over Peru at the 2021 Copa América.[26] On 10 July, he started in his nation's 1–0 defeat to rivals Argentina in the final.[27]
On 7 November 2022, Ederson was named in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and served as the second-choice goalkeeper behind Alisson Becker.[28]
Style of play
Ederson has been described as an agile, commanding, and physically imposing keeper,[29][30][31][32] who possesses both physical strength and good reflexes[30][33][34] and shot-stopping abilities between the posts.[29][33] However, he is mostly highly regarded for his distribution and skill with the ball at his feet than for his abilities as shot-stopper:[35] his control and confidence on the ball enables him to retain possession and quickly play the ball out from the back on the ground with his hands or either foot – even when put under pressure – or launch an attack with long kicks.[29][30][33][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] Although naturally left-footed,[32] he is capable of using either foot.[43] Regarding his distribution, former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given described Ederson as "the best goalkeeper in the world with his feet" in 2018;[44] his range of passing has also led to him be described as a playmaker in the media.[45][46]
He is also very quick when rushing off his line,[39] and often functions as a sweeper-keeper.[47] Regarded as a highly promising prospect in his formative years,[33] he stood out for his decision making, consistency, and composure in goal, as well as his ability to organise his defence, and has also become an intelligent reader of the game;[29][30][33][37] as such, some in the sport consider him to be one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and in world football.[48]
Personal life
Ederson acquired Portuguese citizenship in 2016.[49] His body is heavily covered in tattoos, including a rose and a skull on his neck, angel wings on his back, a Portuguese League trophy on his leg, which he won for Benfica in 2016 and in 2017, and even a tattoo of 'I Belong to Jesus' which conveys his Christian faith.[50]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 20 February 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^Tramacere, Emanuele (16 May 2017). "1993 - La Serie: la caccia al portiere" [1993 – The Series: hunt for the goalkeeper]. Calciomercato.com (in Italian). Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^ abSerra, Matteo (12 May 2016). "Inter: ecco Ederson, il nuovo Julio Cesar" [Inter: here is Ederson, the new Julio Cesar]. www.calciomercato.com (in Italian). Retrieved 16 January 2018.
^Rodrigues, Vítor (24 September 2016). "Ederson e Jardel já são portugueses" [Ederson and Jardel are already Portuguese]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 March 2018.
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