Biography
Who is Elano?
Early career and Santos
Elano started his professional path with Guarani in Campinas. He spent a brief time with Internacional of Limeira before joining Santos in 2001. His senior debut took place on January 21, 2001, in a 1-0 win over Guarani. He scored his first goal for the club on April 28 during a match against Mogi Mirim.
He eventually became a key starter alongside players like Robinho, Diego, and Alex. In 2004, he helped Santos win the Campeonato Brasileiro while scoring 22 goals. Over three years at the club, he netted 34 goals.
European clubs
He moved to Shakhtar Donetsk on February 1, 2005. While playing in Ukraine, he became the first Ukrainian Premier League player to be called up for Brazil. This happened for a match against Norway on August 16, 2006. Manchester City signed him on August 2, 2007, for 8 million pounds. He took the number 11 shirt and debuted against West Ham United.
His first goal for the English side occurred on September 29 against Newcastle United. He scored two goals against Middlesbrough, including a curling free kick. He also scored a penalty in a League Cup win over Bolton. He played as a full back once in a 3-1 win against Portsmouth. He scored ten goals and provided ten assists in his first season.
Return to Brazil and India
Elano returned to Santos on November 30, 2010, in a deal worth 2.9 million euros. During the 2011 Campeonato Paulista, he finished as a top scorer with 11 goals. He joined Grêmio on July 8, 2012, in a swap deal for Ezequiel Miralles. In 2014, he went to Flamengo on loan from January until August. He later returned to Grêmio, but his contract ended on August 22, 2014.
On September 20, 2014, he joined Chennaiyin in the Indian Super League for 1 million dollars. He acted as the marquee player and scored on his debut against FC Goa on October 15, 2014. He was the first marquee player to score in the ISL. He scored eight goals and was the top scorer of the league before returning to Santos in January 2015.
National team and coaching
He represented the Brazil national team 50 times from 2004 to 2011. He scored nine goals during these appearances. His achievements include winning the 2007 Copa América and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. He also played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2011 Copa América.
He transitioned into management in 2020. He currently serves as the youth football manager for Santos.
Birthday and age
Elano was born on June 14, 1981, which makes Elano 45 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Elano shares the date with 23 other famous people.
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