Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso, simply Elkeson and spelled in Mandarin as Ai Kesen, is a former professional footballer who played as a striker.
17 Facts About Elkeson
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Elkeson first played for Vitoria's youth academy before signing with the first team in 2009.
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Elkeson was not initially included in Guangzhou's 30-player squad for the 2013 AFC Champions League due to the limit on foreign players.
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Elkeson scored thirteen goals in his first seven matches in the league.
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In July 2013, Elkeson was named in the squad which was submitted for the next stage of the AFC Champions League, replacing Lucas Barrios, who had decided to return to Europe.
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Elkeson scored twenty-four goals in twenty-eight appearances in the Super League which made him the top goalscorer of the season, eight more than the second-placed Carmelo Valencia.
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Elkeson scored six goals in six matches in the AFC Champions League, including two goals across both legs of the 2013 AFC Champions League Final against FC Seoul as Guangzhou was crowned champion of the competition for the first time.
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Elkeson played all three matches for Guangzhou Evergrande in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup.
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Elkeson scored the winner as Guangzhou beat Al-Ahli of the UAE to win a second AFC Champions League in three years on 21 November 2015.
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On 18 September 2018, Elkeson scored the winning goal for Shanghai SIPG, as the club recorded its first ever win in the Super League against his former club Guangzhou Evergrande.
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On 9 July 2019, Elkeson returned to his former club Guangzhou Evergrande.
12.
On 13 December 2021, Elkeson confirmed his departure from Guangzhou FC, having terminated his contract with the club by mutual consent.
13.
On 12 April 2022, Elkeson officially joined Serie B side Gremio, signing a contract until the end of the year and returning to Brazil after ten years abroad.
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On 7 April 2023, Elkeson returned to China and signed with Chinese Super League side Chengdu Rongcheng.
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In September 2011, Elkeson received his first call up for the Brazil national football team by Mano Menezes for the second leg of the 2011 Superclasico de las Americas against Argentina.
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Elkeson was called up to the Chinese national team in August 2019, following the gaining of Chinese citizenship via naturalisation.
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Elkeson subsequently became the first player to be called up for China without any Chinese ancestry.