Thales Lira

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Thales Lira

| image =

| upright =

| full_name = Thales Natanael Lira de Matos

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|04|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Porto Alegre, Brazil

| height = 1.88 m

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = Arema

| clubnumber = 5

| years1 = 2013–2020

| clubs1 = Internacional

| caps1 = 19

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2015

| clubs2 = → Bahia (loan)

| caps2 = 18

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2015–2016

| clubs3 = → Atlético Goianiense (loan)

| caps3 = 3

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2017–2018

| clubs4 = → CSA (loan)

| caps4 = 33

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 2019

| clubs5 = → Vitória (loan)

| caps5 = 8

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2019

| clubs6 = → Criciúma (loan)

| caps6 = 14

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2019–2020

| clubs7 = → Paraná (loan)

| caps7 = 7

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2020

| clubs8 = Paraná

| caps8 = 10

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2020

| clubs9 = Ankaraspor

| caps9 = 7

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2021

| clubs10 = Guarani

| caps10 = 38

| goals10 = 1

| years11 = 2022

| clubs11 = Operário Ferroviário

| caps11 = 30

| goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2022–2023

| clubs12 = CSA

| caps12 = 7

| goals12 = 1

| years13 = 2023–2024

| clubs13 = PSS Sleman

| caps13 = 30

| goals13 = 3

| years14 = 2024–

| clubs14 = Arema

| caps14 = 25

| goals14 = 2

| club-update = 28 April 2025

}}

Thales Natanael Lira de Matos (born 6 April 1993) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga 1 club Arema.

Career

Born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, he joined several local Brazilian clubs, and finally decided to go abroad for the first time to Turkey and joined TFF First League side Ankaraspor in the 2020 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CF0Dn1PjaKa/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |title=Welcome, Thales Natanael Lira de Matos|publisher=Instagram|accessdate=1 October 2020|date=1 October 2020}}

=Guarani=

Ahead of 2021 season, Thales decided to return to Brazil and signed a contract with Guarani.{{cite web|url=https://guaranifc.com.br/destaque/guarani-acerta-chegada-do-zagueiro-thales/ |title=Guarani acerta chegada do zagueiro Thales|publisher=guaranifc.com.br|accessdate=2 March 2021|date=2 March 2021|language=Portuguese}} He made his league debut on 29 May 2021 in a match against Vitoria at the Estádio Brinco de Ouro.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/05/29/brazil/serie-b/guarani-futebol-clube-campinas/esporte-clube-vitoria/3482863/ |title=Guarani 1–1 Vitória|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=29 May 2021|date=29 May 2021}} On 16 October 2021, Thales scored his first league goal for Guarani, opening the scoring in a 2–2 draw against Clube de Regatas Brasil.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/10/16/brazil/serie-b/clube-de-regatas-brasil/guarani-futebol-clube-campinas/3483156/ |title=CRB 2–2 Guarani|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=16 October 2021|date=16 October 2021}} He contributed with 33 Série B appearances, scored one goal during his 2021 season.

=Operário Ferroviário=

On 8 December 2021, Thales signed a one-year contract with Operário Ferroviário.{{cite web|url=https://www.operarioferroviario.com.br/arquivos/noticias/novo-atleta-zagueiro-thales-reforca-o-elenco-do-operario-ferroviario |title=Novo Atleta: Zagueiro Thales reforça o elenco do Operário Ferroviário|publisher=www.operarioferroviario.com.br|accessdate=8 December 2021|date=8 December 2021|language=Portuguese}} He made his league debut on 10 April 2022 in a match against Tombense.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2022/04/10/brazil/serie-b/tombense-fc/operario-ferroviario-esporte-clube/3745729/ |title=Tombense 1–1 Operário Ferroviário|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=10 April 2022|date=10 April 2022}} Six days later, Thales scored his first league goal for Operário Ferroviário in a 2–0 home win against Ponte Preta.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2022/04/16/brazil/serie-b/operario-ferroviario-esporte-clube/associacao-atletica-ponte-preta/3745736/ |title=Operário Ferroviário 2–0 Ponte Preta|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=16 April 2022|date=16 April 2022}} He contributed with 17 Série B appearances, scored one goal during his 2022 season.

=Return to CSA=

On 15 December 2022, CSA announced a deal for Thales to join on a free transfer.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/al/futebol/noticia/2022/12/15/csa-fecha-com-o-zagueiro-thales-e-aumenta-lista-de-contratacoes.ghtml |title=CSA fecha com o zagueiro Thales e aumenta lista de contratações|publisher=ge.globo|accessdate=15 December 2022|date=15 December 2022}} He made his club debut on 22 January 2023 in a match against Fluminense PI.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/01/21/brazil/liga-do-nordeste/fluminense-pi/centro-sportivo-alagoano/3992082/ |title=Fluminense PI 0–0 CSA|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=22 January 2023|date=23 January 2023}} On 25 January, Thales scored his first goal for CSA in a 4–0 home win against Murici.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/01/24/brazil/alagoano/centro-sportivo-alagoano/murici-futebol-clube/3986542/ |title=CSA 4–0 Murici|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=25 January 2023|date=25 January 2023}} Thales contributed with only 7 appearances in all competitions, and scored one goal during his 2022–23 season.

=PSS Sleman=

On 29 April 2023, Thales went abroad to Southeast Asia and signed a contract with Liga 1 club PSS Sleman, he last defended the Brazilian club Centro Sportivo Alagoano (CSA) in the 2023 season.{{cite web|url=https://pssleman.id/thales-natanael-lira-de-matos-siap-perkokoh-lini-belakang-super-elja/ |title=THALES NATANAEL LIRA DE MATOS SIAP PERKOKOH LINI BELAKANG SUPER ELJA!|publisher=pssleman.id|accessdate=29 April 2023|date=29 April 2023}} Thales made his Liga 1 debut on 1 July 2023 as a starter in a 1–0 away win over Bali United.{{cite web|url=https://bali.idntimes.com/sport/soccer/ari-budiadnyana/laga-buruk-bali-united-di-liga-indonesia-perdana-c1c2 |title=5 Fakta Kekalahan Bali United dari PSS Sleman, Laga Buruk|publisher=bali.idntimes.com|accessdate=2 July 2023|date=2 July 2023}}

Honours

Atlético Goianiense

Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 2016

Arema

Piala Presiden: 2024{{cite web|title=Arema FC Juara Piala Presiden 2024|url=https://www.pssi.org/news/arema-fc-juara-piala-presiden-2024|website=PSSI|accessdate=4 August 2024|language=id}}