| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alex Paulo Menezes Santana | ||
| Date of birth | (1995-05-13) 13 May 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Morungaba, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Corinthians | ||
| Number | 88 | ||
| 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) |
| 2017-2018 | → Paraná (loan) | 42 | (6) |
| 2019–2020 | Botafogo | 40 | (9) |
| 2020–2022 | Ludogorets Razgrad | 46 | (12) |
| 2022–2024 | Athletico Paranaense | 61 | (7) |
| 2024– | Corinthians | 29 | (2) |
| 2025 | → Grêmio (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 May 2026 | |||
Alex Paulo Menezes Santana (born 13 May 1995) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Corinthians.[1]
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 match played 3 May 2026[8]
| Club | Season | League | State league[a] | National cup[b] | 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 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |||
| Criciúma (loan) | 2016 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Guarani (loan) | 2016 | Série C | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | ||||
| Paraná (loan) | 2017 | Série B | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| 2018 | Série A | 27 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 4 | |||
| Total | 28 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 51 | 6 | |||
| Botafogo | 2019 | Série A | 24 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6[d] | 1 | — | 42 | 10 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| Total | 24 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | 53 | 11 | |||
| Ludogorets | 2020–21 | Bulgarian First League | 23 | 5 | — | 3 | 0 | 8[e] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 35 | 5 | |
| 2021–22 | 20 | 6 | — | 5 | 0 | 10[g] | 0 | 1[f] | 1 | 36 | 8 | |||
| 2022–23 | 3 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 4[h] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | |||
| Total | 46 | 12 | — | 8 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 78 | 15 | |||
| Athletico Paranaense | 2022 | Série A | 13 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 5[i] | 1 | — | 18 | 3 | ||
| 2023 | 21 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5[i] | 2 | — | 44 | 8 | |||
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6[d] | 0 | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Total | 38 | 5 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 3 | — | 80 | 12 | |||
| Corinthians | 2024 | Série A | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5[j] | 0 | — | 22 | 2 | |||
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 16 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | ||
| Grêmio (loan) | 2025 | Série A | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 1[k] | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Career total | 174 | 27 | 70 | 10 | 28 | 3 | 52 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 331 | 46 | ||
- Includes Campeonato Gaúcho, Campeonato Catarinense, Campeonato Paranaense, Campeonato Carioca, Campeonato Paulista
- Includes Copa do Brasil, Bulgarian Cup
- Appearance(s) in Primeira Liga
- Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
- Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in Bulgarian Supercup
- Seven appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in Copa Libertadores
- Three appearances in Copa Libertadores, two appearances in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearance(s) in Recopa Gaúcha
Honours
- Internacional
- Ludogorets Razgrad
- Athletico Paranaense
- Corinthians
- Grêmio
- Recopa Gaúcha: 2025
Individual
- Bulgarian First League Goal of the Week: 2021–22 (Week 12) v. Botev Plovdiv[9]
References
- "Alex Santana retorna ao Paraná Clube menos de um ano depois de sair". Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- "Flamengo vs. Internacional". soccerway.com. 11 October 2013.
- "Ludogorets attracted a midfielder from Botafogo". ludogorets.com. 23 July 2020.
- "Лудогорец дава 780 000 евро за Сантана, той вече бил в България". sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). 11 July 2020.
- "Alex Santana: I joined Ludogorets to play in the Champions League". ludogorets.com. 24 July 2020.
- 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.
- Kostov, Hristo (29 January 2022). "Ключов играч на Лудогорец е трансферна цел на бразилци" (in Bulgarian). 7sport.net. Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- Alex Santana at Soccerway
- "Голът на Алекс Сантана срещу Ботев Пд". vbox7.com.
External links
- Alex Santana at Sambafoot (archive)
- Alex Santana at Soccerway