Neilton
{{short description|Brazilian footballer}}
{{For|the place|Neilton, Washington}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Neilton
| image = Neilton - Brasileirão Série A- Bragantino 4 x 2 Coritiba - 52152104454 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Neilton with Coritiba in 2022
| fullname = Neilton Meira Mestzk
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1994|2|17}}
| birth_place = Nanuque, Brazil
| height = {{height|m=1.66}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Água Santa
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2000–2008 | youthclubs1 = ADC Basf Suvinil
| youthyears2 = 2008–2014 | youthclubs2 = Santos
| years1 = 2013–2014 | clubs1 = Santos | caps1 = 22 | goals1 = 22
| years2 = 2014–2017 | clubs2 = Cruzeiro | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2015–2016 | clubs3 = → Botafogo (loan) | caps3 = 46 | goals3 = 14
| years4 = 2017 | clubs4 = → São Paulo (loan) | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2017–2020 | clubs5 = Vitória | caps5 = 62 | goals5 = 14
| years6 = 2019 | clubs6 = → Internacional (loan) | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2019–2020 | clubs7 = Hatta | caps7 = 7 | goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2020–2022 | clubs8 = Coritiba | caps8 = 42 | goals8 = 21
| years9 = 2021 | clubs9 = → Sport Recife (loan) | caps9 = 19 | goals9 = 2
| years10 = 2023 | clubs10= Guarani | caps10= 14 | goals10= 2
| years11 = 2023 | clubs11 = Criciúma | caps11 = 2 | goals11 = 0
| years12 = 2024– | clubs12 = Água Santa | caps12 = 0 | goals12 = 0
| club-update = 13 October 2023
| ntupdate =
}}
Neilton Meira Mestzk (born 17 February 1994), commonly known as Neilton, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Água Santa.
Career
=Santos=
Neilton joined Santos' youth setup in 2008, aged 14.[http://www.abcdmaior.com.br/noticia_exibir.php?noticia=38437 SÓSIA DE NEYMAR TEM ESTILO E FUTEBOL PARA SONHAR ALTO (Neymar's copy has style and football to dream high)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002103536/http://www.abcdmaior.com.br/noticia_exibir.php?noticia=38437 |date=2 October 2013 }}; ABCD Maior, 19 February 2012 {{in lang|pt}} He was the club's topscorer in 2013 Copa São Paulo de Júnior, along with Giva. After his performances, he was a possible target to Premier League club Chelsea.[https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelsea-transfers-neilton-santos-teenager-1589787 Neil diamond: Chelsea line up "new Neymar" Neilton.. who even LOOKS like Brazil ace]; Mirror Football, 6 February 2013
On 20 March, Neilton was promoted to first team and was named the "new Neymar".[http://esporte.ig.com.br/futebol/2013-03-20/muricy-aprova-desempenho-e-promove-neilton-ao-profissional-do-santos.html Muricy aprova desempenho e promove Neílton ao profissional do Santos (Muricy approves performance and promote Neílton to Santos' first team)]; IG, 20 March 2013 {{in lang|pt}} He made his first-team debut on the following day, in the Campeonato Paulista game against Mirassol.{{cite web|title='Lek' da Vila, Giva marca dois gols e Peixe vence o Mirassol|trans-title=Vila's 'Boy', Giva scores twice and Peixe wins Mirassol|url=http://www.lancenet.com.br/santos/Santos-Mirassol_0_886711540.html|publisher=LANCE! Net|date=21 March 2013|language=pt|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327141106/http://www.lancenet.com.br/santos/Santos-Mirassol_0_886711540.html|archive-date=27 March 2013}} He made his Série A debut on 29 May, providing an assist to Walter Montillo's goal of a 1-2 defeat against Botafogo.{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/jogo/brasileirao2013/29-05-2013/botafogo-santos.html |title=Sem Seedorf, Bota impõe derrota ao Santos no início da era pós-Neymar |trans-title=Without Seedorf, Bota defeats Santos at the start of after-Neymar era |publisher=Globo Esporte |date=29 May 2013 |access-date=30 May 2013 |language=pt}}
On 5 June, Neilton scored his first professional goal, in a 1-3 defeat against Criciúma.{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/jogo/brasileirao2013/05-06-2013/criciuma-santos.html |title=Inspirado, Criciúma vence Santos sem dificuldades no Heriberto Hülse |trans-title=Inspired, Criciúma defeats Santos without difficulties in Heriberto Hülse |publisher=Globo Esporte |date=5 June 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013 |language=pt}} On 13 July, he scored twice in a 4-1 home routing over Portuguesa.{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/jogo/brasileirao2013/13-07-2013/santos-portuguesa.html |title=Neilton brilha, Santos goleia Lusa e entra na briga pelos primeiros lugares |trans-title=Neilton shines, Santos thrash Lusa and joins the fight for the top places |publisher=Globo Esporte |date=13 June 2013 |access-date=14 June 2013 |language=pt}}
=Cruzeiro=
On 5 June 2014 Neilton signed a four-year deal with Cruzeiro.{{cite web|url=http://www.cruzeiro.com.br/index.php?section=conteudo&id=4824|title=Cruzeiro anuncia a chegada de mais dois reforços para o segundo semestre|trans-title=Cruzeiro announces the arrival of two more reinforcements for the second semester|language=pt|publisher=Cruzeiro's official website|date=5 June 2014|access-date=10 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606213813/http://www.cruzeiro.com.br/index.php?section=conteudo&id=4824|archive-date=6 June 2014|url-status=dead}} On 25 July of the following year, after being rarely used, he was loaned to Botafogo until the end of the year.{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/mg/futebol/noticia/2015/07/cruzeiro-confirma-emprestimo-de-neilton-ao-botafogo-ate-o-final-do-ano.html|title=Cruzeiro confirma empréstimo de Neilton ao Botafogo até o final do ano|trans-title=Cruzeiro confirm loan of Neilton to Botafogo until the end of the year|publisher=Globo Esporte|language=pt|date=25 July 2015|access-date=14 September 2016}}
On 16 December 2015, Neilton's loan was renewed for a further year.{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/rj/futebol/noticia/2015/12/botafogo-e-cruzeiro-chegam-acordo-e-neilton-fica-no-clube-ate-fim-de-2016.html|title=Botafogo e Cruzeiro chegam a acordo, e Neilton fica no clube até fim de 2016|trans-title=Botafogo and Cruzeiro reach agreement, and Neilton stays at the club until the end of 2016|publisher=Globo Esporte|language=pt|date=16 December 2015|access-date=14 September 2016}}
=São Paulo=
On 22 December 2016, São Paulo FC signed for one year with Neilton. Hudson, in other hand, goes to opposite side.[http://www.gazetaesportiva.com/mercado/cruzeiro-e-sao-paulo-acertam-troca-de-neilton-por-hudson/ Cruzeiro e São Paulo acertam troca de Neilton por Hudson] On 13 May 2017,after poor performances, Neilton was dismissed by club.[http://m.lance.com.br/futebol-nacional/fora-jogo-sao-paulo-neilton-fica-perto-retornar-botafogo.html Fora do São Paulo, Neilton fica perto de retornar ao Botafogo]
Career statistics
{{updated|3 January 2020}}{{Soccerway|neilton-meira-mestzk/289800|accessdate=11 September 2017}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|State League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||||
| valign="center"|Santos
|2013 |14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 19 | 4 | ||
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Cruzeiro
|2014 |rowspan="2"|Série A |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2015
|1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 5 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Subtotal
!2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 9 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Botafogo
|2015 |18 | 6 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 18 | 6 | ||||
| 2016
|Série A |35 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 3 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 54 | 12 | ||
| colspan="2"|Subtotal
!53 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 3 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 72 | 18 | ||
| valign="center"|São Paulo
|2017 |Série A |0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 9 | 0 | |
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Vitória
|2017 |rowspan="2"|Série A |30 | 7 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 30 | 7 | ||||
| 2018
|32 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 4 | colspan=2|— | 5 | 3 | 56 | 21 | |
| colspan="2"|Subtotal
!62 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 4 | colspan=2|— | 5 | 3 | 86 | 28 | |
| valign="center"|Internacional
|2019 |Série A |16 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 28 | 1 | |
| colspan="3"|Total
!139 | 30 | 49 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 181 | 48 |
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Neilton (footballer)|Neilton}}
- {{Soccerway|neilton-meira-mestzk/289800}}
{{Copa do Brasil top scorers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neilton}}
Category:Brazilian men's footballers
Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série B players
Category:UAE Pro League players
Category:Cruzeiro Esporte Clube players
Category:Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas players
Category:Esporte Clube Vitória players
Category:SC Internacional players
Category:Coritiba Foot Ball Club players
Category:Sport Club do Recife players
Category:Criciúma Esporte Clube players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates
Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates
Category:Footballers from Minas Gerais