Anderson

Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira (born 13 April 1988), commonly known as Anderson, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who works as assistant manager of Adana Demirspor.

He made his first appearance for the team on 23 October 2004 in a 3–1 loss to Internacional in the Brazilian Série A, in which he scored a goal from a free-kick.

Grêmio, however, were relegated at the season's conclusion and Anderson followed the team to the Brazilian Série B.

His goal against Náutico during the 2005 play-offs earned Grêmio promotion to the Brazilian Série A.

There, he won the Primeira Liga twice, along with the Taça de Portugal and Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira during the 2005–06 season.

It was reported in June 2005 that Portuguese group GestiFute had paid €5 million for 70% of the economic rights to Anderson.

On 18 June 2005, Anderson was reported to have signed a pre-contract with Portuguese side Porto.

Anderson earned himself iconic status by scoring the goal that lifted Grêmio back into Série A in a promotion playoff against Náutico in November 2005.

This goal was particularly memorable because Grêmio only had seven players on the pitch at the time and had just seen the opposition have a penalty saved.

The goal, scored 16 minutes into extra time, gave Grêmio a 1–0 victory in the most unlikely of circumstances.

In January 2006, Anderson moved to Porto.

Three months before his 18th birthday, Anderson joined Porto for a €7 million transfer fee in January 2006.

As FIFA prohibits the international transfer of any underage players (subject to the exception that the player is moving to other countries to accompany their parents), Anderson's mother, Doralice de Oliveira, relocated to Portugal to facilitate his move abroad.

Porto owned 65% of the economic rights, from which Porto would receive 65% of the future transfer fee of the player.

Anderson made his league debut for Porto on 5 March 2006, playing a part in helping the team seal the 2005–06 Primeira Liga title.

In the 2006–07 season, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in Porto's first group game against CSKA Moscow.

Anderson, however, was forced to miss five months of the season due to a broken leg, as a result of a tackle by Benfica midfielder Kostas Katsouranis.

Despite his injury, he managed to appear in 15 games in the 2006–07 season, scoring two goals, and again picking up a league-winners' medal.

In total, he made 21 starts for Porto in all competitions.

He played as a midfielder and known best for his tenure with Manchester United from 2007 to 2015.

Born in Porto Alegre, he began his career with Grêmio, joining the youth team before rising through the ranks.

After 18 months in Portugal, he joined English club Manchester United, with whom he won the Premier League title four times, as well as the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League, one League Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and two FA Community Shields.

Anderson made his Brazil debut in 2007 during the 2007 Copa América, which they went on to win.

On 30 May 2007, the Manchester United website confirmed that the club had agreed in principle to sign Anderson from Porto for an undisclosed fee.

The initial application for a work permit for Anderson was rejected on the ground that he did not have enough international caps.

Manchester United subsequently argued that only his youth had prevented him from acquiring more caps and that, given his exceptional talent and the size of the transfer fee, clearance was justified.

On 29 June 2007, he was granted a work permit to play in the United Kingdom, and the move was completed on 2 July, with Anderson signing a five-year contract to become United's second Brazilian player after Kléberson.

The transfer fee Porto announced was €30 million, which was equivalent to around £20 million as of July 2007.

Anderson was friends with Portuguese-speaking new teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani prior to joining the club.

He was handed the number 8 shirt, previously worn by Wayne Rooney, who changed to number 10, and made his Manchester United debut on 3 August 2007, playing 45 minutes of a pre-season friendly against Doncaster Rovers, which United won 2–0.

On 1 September 2007, Anderson made his competitive debut for United against Sunderland, before he was substituted at half-time and replaced by striker Louis Saha, who eventually scored the game winner.

He also played for the Brazil Olympic football team during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, helping them secure the bronze medal.

Born in Porto Alegre, Anderson joined Grêmio as a youth player.

In the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, Anderson was brought on as a substitute in the final minute of extra time to replace Wes Brown, and converted United's sixth attempt in the penalty shootout.

United won the game 6–5 on penalties to give Anderson the first European honour of his career.

He fell out of favour at Manchester United following the departure of manager Alex Ferguson in 2013, and spent the second half of the 2013–14 season at Fiorentina before returning to Brazil with Internacional in January 2015.

He went on loan to Coritiba in 2017, before returning to Europe in 2018 with Turkish side Adana Demirspor.

Anderson made his Champions League debut against Sporting Clube de Portugal in a 0–1 away win on 19 September, coming on as a substitute for Ryan Giggs in the 76th minute.

On 26 September, Anderson made his League Cup debut, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 loss to Coventry City, in a team consisting almost entirely of youth and reserve team players.

After a year there, Anderson retired from football in September 2020.