Biography
Who is Fred?
Early life and career beginnings
Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos spent his childhood years training at the local club Atlético Mineiro. He later moved to Porto Alegre in 2009 before joining Internacional in 2010. During his time with Internacional, he represented the club across various youth levels and helped them secure six titles in 2010, including the Copa Santiago and the Copa FGF.
He made his professional debut on January 26, 2012, against Cerâmica in the Campeonato Gaúcho. Later that year, on July 18, 2012, he scored his first professional goal during a Série A match against his former club, Atlético Mineiro. Over the course of his time at Internacional, he appeared in 55 matches, scored eight goals, and won the Campeonato Gaúcho title twice.
European club career
In June 2013, he signed a deal worth 15 million euros to join the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk. He immediately made an impact by scoring two goals in his competitive debut during the Ukrainian Super Cup. While playing in Ukraine, he won ten trophies, including three Ukrainian Premier League titles. In 2018, he secured a move to the Premier League side Manchester United for a reported fee of 47 million pounds. During his five-year stint at United, he won the EFL Cup in 2023 and formed a noted midfield partnership with Scott McTominay.
Following his time in England, he moved to the Turkish club Fenerbahçe in August 2023 on a four-year contract. He debuted against Samsunspor and was voted man of the match. His time in Turkey included winning the Turkish Super Cup in 2025. In August 2026, he returned to Brazil to rejoin Atlético Mineiro on a deal lasting until December 2029.
International play and doping case
He represented Brazil at both the under-20 and under-23 levels before making his senior debut in November 2014 against Turkey. He was a member of the squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile, where he started in the team's first two Group C matches. He also received call-ups for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2021 Copa América.
During the 2015 Copa América, he tested positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide. He denied wrongdoing while awaiting further testing. In December 2015, CONMEBOL issued a one-year suspension, which FIFA later extended to cover worldwide football. Following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency, an agreement was reached that prevented him from playing until July 2017.
Birthday and age
Fred was born on March 5, 1993, which makes Fred 33 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Fred shares the date with 48 other famous people.
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