Yuri de Souza
Quick Facts
Biography
Yuri de Souza Fonseca (born 8 August 1982), known simply as Yuri, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Chinese club Qingdao Huanghai F.C. as a forward.
He also holds Portuguese citizenship, and spent his entire professional career in Portugal and Spain, mainly with Ponferradina.
Football career
Born in Maceió, Alagoas, Yuri arrived in Portugal still in his teens, joining F.C. Maia in the second division. His performances there attracted the attention of another club in the north, Primeira Liga's Boavista FC, for which he signed in January 2003.
However, Yuri could never impose himself at the Checquereds, going on to serve two loans in the process: he helped Gil Vicente F.C. avoid top flight relegation in his five-month spell, not being able to repeat it with G.D. Estoril Praia in the following season.
In the 2005 summer, Yuri moved to Iberian neighbours Spain, representing lowly Pontevedra CF. He also had a loan spell at UD Las Palmas in division two, but only appeared in 12 matches out of 42 without scoring.
Yuri signed for SD Ponferradina in 2009, going on to achieve two promotions to the second tier during his spell– to which he contributed with 26 goals combined – and eventually becoming captain. In the 2012–13 campaign he ranked third in the second division scorers' list at 21, helping his team to the seventh position.
Personal life
Yuri's older brother, Igor, is also a footballer and a forward. They shared teams at Maia (where they arrived at a young age) and Pontevedra.
His cousin, Charles, also played several seasons in Spain, and also represented Pontevedra.