{"id":1151038,"date":"2020-07-13T15:34:12","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T14:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1151038"},"modified":"2025-08-15T18:09:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T17:09:17","slug":"brazil-league-serie-a-best-newcomer-award-winners","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/brazil-league-serie-a-best-newcomer-award-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazilian football’s ‘Best Newcomer’ award winners \u2013 where are they now?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduced in 2007, the Best Newcomer award is handed out to the breakthrough young talent in Brazil’s Serie A.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is an accolade that can pave the way to prestigious European clubs. So what has become of the 13 recipients so far?<\/p>\n

2007 – Breno<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Brazilian<\/p>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 17<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Centre Back<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 0<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> S\u00e3o Paulo, Bayern Munich<\/span>, FC. Nurnberg (loan), S\u00e3o Paulo, Vasco da Gama. Retired<\/p>\n

Let’s start off with a bizarre story involving the winner of the 2007 Best Newcomer. Shortly after claiming the award, Breno earned a \u20ac12m move to Bayern Munich<\/span>, where he was immediately integrated into the first-team squad.<\/p>\n

But after struggling to secure a place in the starting XI at Bayern, Breno was loaned to FC Nurnberg and a serious knee injury sustained while there proved to be the start of the promising defender’s troubles.<\/p>\n

In April 2012, Breno was handed a prison sentence due to an arson charge. He returned home to play for his first club, S\u00e3o Paulo, represented Vasco da Gama and retired in 2021.<\/p>\n

2008 – Keirrison<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Brazilian<\/p>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 19<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Striker<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 0<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Coritiba, Palmeiras, Barcelona<\/span>, Benfica (loan), Fiorentina (loan), Santos (loan), Cruzeiro (loan), Coritiba, Londrina, Arouca, Coritiba FC, Londrina (loan), Coritiba, Londrina. Retired<\/p>\n

After scoring goals on a frequent basis with Coritiba and then Palmeiras, Keirrison earned a dream move to the then-European champions Barcelona, managed by none other than Pep Guardiola<\/span> himself.<\/p>\n

Securing first-team football was always going to be a tough ask, though, with Lionel Messi<\/span>, David Villa, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all at the club. Unfortunately, Keirrison was unable to make an impact during his numerous loan spells away from Camp Nou, too.<\/p>\n

He failed to make a single appearance for Barcelona<\/span> and, after a litany of loan moves, eventually left in 2014 to return to Coritiba, before joining Serie B side Londrina, though he has since left and retired in 2021.<\/p>\n

2009 – Fernandinho<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 23<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Attacking-midfield<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 0<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Iraty, Daejeon Citizen (loan), Citizen AA (loan), Gremio Barueri, Sao Paulo, Al-Jazira, Atletico Mineiro (loan), Gremio, Hellas Verona (loan), Flamengo (loan), Chongqing Lifan, Retr\u00f4<\/p>\n

Nope, not that one. Unlike the Manchester City<\/span> enforcer, this Fernandinho was an attacking player and a pretty good one at that, scoring goals and providing assists for the unfashionable Gr\u00eamio Barueri club.<\/p>\n

In hindsight, Fernandinho should have stayed put as big moves to S\u00e3o Paulo and then Al-Jazira failed to work out. After various loan spells and a stint at the Chinese Super league with Chongqing Lifan, he is now 39 years old and still going strong for Retr\u00f4 in the Brazilian Serie C.<\/p>\n

\"Shakhtar<\/a>

READ MORE: What happened to the Shakhtar Donetsk side that became the \u2018last\u2019 Uefa Cup winners?<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

2010 – Bruno C\u00e9sar<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 21<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Attacking-midfielder<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 2<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Santo Andre, Corinthians, Benfica, Al-Ahli, Palmeiras (loan), Estoril, Sporting CP, Vasco da Gama, Penafiel, XV de Piracicaba. Retired<\/p>\n

An impressive debut season with Corinthians which yielded 14 goals in 31 games was enough to persuade Portuguese giants Benfica to shell out \u20ac6m to bring Bruno Cesar to Europe.<\/p>\n

Cesar made a promising start to his career in Lisbon scoring 10 goals in 26 Primeira Liga games in his first season, but after slipping down the pecking order the following campaign, he headed to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Now aged 36, he went back and forth between Portugal (Sporting and Penafiel) and Brazil (Vasco) before retiring in 2023.<\/p>\n

2011 – Wellington Nem<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Brazilian<\/p>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 19<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Winger<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 3<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Fluminense, Figueirense (loan), Shakhtar Donetsk, Sao Paulo (2017 loan), Fluminense (2019 loan), Fortaleza, Cruzeiro, Arouca, Vit\u00f3ria, Kisvarda FC, Becamex HCMC, Figueirense<\/p>\n

An outstanding season on loan at Figueirense brought Wellington Nem to the attention of Shakhtar Donetsk, who have made a habit of hoovering up the best up and coming talent from Brazil over the past decade.<\/p>\n

Nem remained contracted to the Ukrainian side until 2020, before becoming somewhat of a journeyman. He has since returned to boyhood club Figueirense, playing at the Brazilian Serie C.<\/p>\n

2012 – Bernard<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Brazilian<\/p>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 19<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Attacking-midfield<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 14<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Atl\u00e9tico Mineiro, Democrata-SL (loan), Shakhtar Donetsk, Everton<\/p>\n

Everton’s<\/span> promising signing was perennially linked to a host of Premier League clubs, notably Arsenal<\/span> and Spurs<\/span>, before completing his free transfer to Goodison Park in 2018.<\/p>\n

His scintillating displays at Atletico Mineiro saw him make the move to Ukraine<\/span>. There, Bernard emerged as a key player at Shakhtar during his three years with the club, without perhaps kicking on as much as was previously expected. His reputation was also tainted by his presence in the Brazil team humiliated 7-1 by Germany<\/span> six years ago.<\/p>\n

He has since defended Al-Sharjah and Panathinaikos before returning to Atl\u00e9tico Mineiro in 2024 – though he has recorded just 2 goals and 2 assists in 58 games during his second stint there.<\/p>\n

2013 – Marcelo Cirino<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 21<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Striker<\/p>\n

International apps:<\/strong> 0<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Athletico Paranaense, Vitoria (loan), Flamengo, Internacional (loan), Al Nasr (loan), Ahtletico Paranaense, Chongqing Lifan, Bahia, Athletico Paranaense, Oper\u00e1rio, PSS Sleman<\/p>\n

Unlike virtually everyone else on this list, Marcelo’s ‘Best Newcomer’ award didn’t culminate in a move to Europe as he remained with Athletico Paranaense for a further season.<\/p>\n

His big move was to Flamengo in 2015, but he ultimately became a flop. After a few loan spells, he returned to Athletico in 2018 and surprised everyone with strong showings, performing an insane solo run before setting up the winning goal for their 2019 Copa do Brasil trophy.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old now plays in Indonesia for PSS Sleman.<\/p>\n

2014 – Erik<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age at time of award:<\/strong> 19<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Striker<\/p>\n

International Apps:<\/strong> 0<\/p>\n

Career path:<\/strong> Goi\u00e1s, Palmeiras, Atl\u00e9tico Mineiro (loan), Botafogo (loan), Yokohama F. Marinos (loan), Changchun Yatai, Machida Zelvia, Vissel Kobe (loan)<\/p>\n

The former Brazil Under-23 international burst onto the scene in 2014 while playing for Goi\u00e1s, for whom he averaged a goal every three games.<\/p>\n

In 2015, despite interest from European clubs including Fenerbahce, Erik opted to stay in Brazil, signing a five-year deal with Palmeiras. He seems to have found himself in Japanese football though, with a loan spell at Yokohama F. Marinos between 2019 and 2020 and now playing for Vissel Kobe since the start of 2025.<\/p>\n

2015 – Gabriel Jesus<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Gabriel Jesus has now scored 20 goals across all competitions in back-to-back season for Man City.

2018\/19: 21 goals
2019\/20: 20 goals (and counting)

Going about his business. ? pic.twitter.com\/BOYvhMAc6e<\/a><\/p>— Squawka (@Squawka) July 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>