Felipe (footballer, born 1989)


Felipe Augusto de Almeida Monteiro, known simply as Felipe, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Spanish club Atlético Madrid and the Brazil national team.
Felipe began his career with União Mogi and was loaned to Bragantino before joining Corinthians in 2012. He played 109 times for the club, winning honours including the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2015 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. In 2016, he joined Porto, where he won a Primeira Liga title in 2018 before being signed by Atlético Madrid a year later.

Club career

Early career

Born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Felipe trialled at Sport Club Corinthians Paulista at the age of 14 but was released. He then worked for his mother-in-law, delivering mushrooms to restaurants, while playing for Valtra, a tractor company works team partnered with União Futebol Clube. He turned professional there, and debuted in the Campeonato Paulista Série A2 in 2009. After playing two friendlies against Clube Atlético Bragantino of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 2011, he signed for them on loan. He then won the attention of Corinthians.

Corinthians

With only 88 minutes of football to his name in his first year for Corinthians, he was a surprise inclusion for the squad chosen by manager Tite for the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. He was unused as his club won the title against Chelsea.
In the 2015 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Felipe played 26 games as Corinthians won the national title. He scored his first goal in the competition on 26 July in a 1–1 draw at Coritiba Foot Ball Club, and on 9 August he was sent off in a game of the same result at city rivals São Paulo FC.

Porto

On 15 June 2016, Felipe moved abroad for the first time, signing a five-year deal at FC Porto. He made his debut on 12 August as they began their season with a 3–1 win at Rio Ave F.C.. On 23 August, he opened the scoring in a 3–0 win at A.S. Roma in the UEFA Champions League playoff to put Porto into the group stages 4–1 on aggregate, and five days later he scored a first league goal to open a 2–1 loss at rivals Sporting CP.
In 2017–18, Porto won the league and Felipe was one of five club players named in the Team of the Year, alongside his fellow defenders Alex Telles and Ricardo Pereira. On 3 January he headed the winner at C.D. Feirense then was sent off for a second yellow card.
On 2 April 2019, Felipe was sent off in a 1–1 draw at S.C. Braga, though his team advanced to the 2019 Taça de Portugal Final 4–1 on aggregate. Due to his accumulation of yellow cards over the season, he missed the next two league matches. In the final on 25 May at the Estádio Nacional, he scored in added time at the end of extra time to secure a 2–2 draw with Sporting, but the Lisbon team won on penalties.

Atlético Madrid

On 27 May 2019, Felipe signed for Atlético Madrid for a fee of €20 million.
Felipe scored his first goal for the club in 2–0 UEFA Champions League last matchday win against Lokomotiv Moscow and helped his team advance into the knockout phase.

International career

Felipe was called up to Brazil's squad by coach Tite for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in March 2016, to replace suspended David Luiz.
Felipe made his debut for the national team on 11 September 2018, in a 5–0 friendly win against El Salvador at FedExField in the United States. His Porto teammate Éder Militão debuted in the same game.

Career statistics

Honours

Club

Corinthians
Porto