Welington (footballer)
{{short description|Brazilian footballer (born 2001)}}
{{for|other footballers called Welington|Welington (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Portuguese name|Damascena|Santos}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Welington
| image = Welington - Série A - SÃO PAULO 0 X 0 JUVENTUDE.jpg
| caption = Welington playing for São Paulo in 2022
| full_name = Welington Damascena Santos{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/4243590 |title=2024/25 Updated Premier League squad lists |publisher=Premier League |date=7 February 2025 |access-date=7 February 2025}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|02|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = São Paulo, Brazil
| height = 1.70 m{{Cite web |title=WELINGTON |url=https://admin.saopaulofc.net/atleta/welington/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=SPFC |language=pt-BR}}
| position = Left-back
| currentclub = Southampton
| clubnumber = 34
| youthyears1 = 2014–2020
| youthclubs1 = São Paulo
| years1 = 2020–2024
| clubs1 = São Paulo
| caps1 = 125
| goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2025–
| clubs2 = Southampton
| caps2 = 7
| goals2 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2023–
| nationalteam1 = Brazil U23
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 16:03, 19 April 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 24 September 2023
}}
Welington Damascena Santos (born 19 February 2001), known as Welington, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for {{English football updater|Southamp}} club Southampton.
Club career
= São Paulo =
== Early career ==
Welington played 26 matches for São Paulo under-15s, 37 matches in the under-17s and 107 matches in the under-20s. He won several trophies such as the 2018 Copa do Brasil U20 and the 2019 Copinha.{{Cite web |date=2 January 2021 |title=Joia 2021: experiente na base, lateral-esquerdo espera por chances no São Paulo de Diniz |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/noticias-spfc-sao-paulo-joia-2021-lateral-esquerdo-wellington.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} In the latter, he was part of the squad who shaved his head in honour of a fan of the club who had brain cancer.{{Cite web |date=25 January 2019 |title=Antes de final, elenco do São Paulo raspa cabelo em homenagem a torcedora com câncer |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/antes-de-final-jogadores-do-sao-paulo-homenageiam-torcedora-com-cancer-e-raspam-cabelo.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}}
He was named in the professional team for the first time in December 2019 for the last match of the Brazilian Championship against CSA.{{Cite web |date=7 December 2019 |title=Relacionados do São Paulo: garotos da base dominam lista contra o CSA; veja os nomes |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/relacionados-do-sao-paulo-garotos-da-base-dominam-lista-contra-o-csa-veja-nomes-e-posicao.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} São Paulo won 2–1, but Welington did not make his debut.{{Cite web |date=8 December 2019 |title=São Paulo supera expulsão, segura CSA e vence com time "made in Cotia"... |url=https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2019/12/08/csa-x-sao-paulo.htm |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=uol.com |language=pt}}
== 2020 ==
Turning professional in 2020, he made his debut on 8 March 2020, in a 1–0 defeat to Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto in the Campeonato Paulista.{{Cite web |date=19 April 2021 |title=Welington enfrentou doença na base e perda na família antes de fazer primeiro gol pelo São Paulo |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/noticias-spfc-sao-paulo-welington.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} He came on in the second half in place of Everton and suffered a fall in a head collision, but he remained on the field until the end of the match and was later taken to hospital.{{Cite web |date=8 March 2020 |title=Lateral do São Paulo estreia, bate a cabeça e vai para hospital |url=https://www.lance.com.br/sao-paulo/lateral-estreia-bate-cabeca-vai-para-hospital.html |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=lance.com |language=pt}}
== 2021 ==
On 14 April, he scored his first goal as a professional in a 3–2 victory over Guarani in the Campeonato Paulista.{{Cite web |date=15 April 2021 |title=Welington comemora primeiro gol pelo São Paulo: 'Nem acreditei' |url=https://www.lance.com.br/sao-paulo/welington-comemora-primeiro-gol-pelo-nem-acreditei.html |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=lance.com |language=pt}} He was part of the Paulista winning squad on 23 May which won 2–0 against Palmeiras but was an unused substitute.{{Cite web |date=25 May 2021 |title=Raio-X: participação da base no Campeonato Paulista 2021 |url=https://www.saopaulofc.net/raio-x-participacao-da-base-no-campeonato-paulista-2021-2/ |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=São Paulo FC |language=pt}} On 3 June, Welington renewed his contract until 31 December 2024.{{Cite web |date=3 June 2021 |title=São Paulo anuncia a renovação de contrato com Welington até 2024 |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/sao-paulo-anuncia-a-renovacao-de-contrato-com-welington-ate-2024.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}}
== 2022 ==
On 27 March, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 victory over Corinthians in the semi-finals of the Campeonato Paulista, helping São Paulo reach their second consecutive final.{{Cite web |date=27 March 2022 |title=Welington festeja vaga do São Paulo na final e gol no clássico: "Marcado na minha história" |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/2022/03/27/wellington-festeja-vaga-do-sao-paulo-na-final-e-gol-no-classico-marcado-na-minha-historia.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} On 3 April, Welington was a starter in the final, but ended up being beaten 4–0 by Palmeiras.{{Cite web |title=Palmeiras 4 x 0 São Paulo {{!}} Campeonato Paulista: melhores momentos |url=https://ge.globo.com/sp/futebol/campeonato-paulista/jogo/03-04-2022/palmeiras-sao-paulo.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}}
== 2023 ==
Previously wearing the number 34 shirt, he started using the number six shirt after Reinaldo's departure.{{Cite web |date=3 January 2023 |title=Ferraresi, Welington e Gabriel Neves ganham novos números de camisa no São Paulo |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/2023/01/03/ferraresi-welington-e-gabriel-neves-ganham-novos-numeros-de-camisa-no-sao-paulo.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} After an injury suffered against Botafogo-SP in the Campeonato Paulista, he was injured again more seriously on 13 March in a match against Água Santa,{{Cite web |date=14 March 2023 |title=Welington vai passar por novos exames para definir tratamento de lesão no São Paulo |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/2023/03/14/welington-vai-passar-por-novos-exames-para-definir-tratamento-de-lesao-no-sao-paulo.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} where he underwent ligament surgery on his left ankle.{{Cite web |date=20 March 2023 |title=Welington, lateral do São Paulo, é submetido a cirurgia no tornozelo |url=https://www.espn.com.br/futebol/sao-paulo/artigo/_/id/11787573/welington-lateral-sao-paulo-submetido-cirurgia-tornozelo |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ESPN |language=pt}} After four months, he returned to training on the field for the first time in June.{{Cite web |date=26 June 2023 |title=Welington treina com o grupo do São Paulo e fica próximo de retorno |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/2023/06/26/welington-treina-com-o-grupo-do-sao-paulo-e-fica-proximo-de-retorno.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}} On 19 August, Welington played his hundredth match for the club in the goalless draw with Botafogo.{{Cite web |title=São Paulo 0 x 0 Botafogo - Melhores momentos - 20ª rodada do Brasileirão 2023 |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/video/sao-paulo-0-x-0-botafogo-melhores-momentos-20a-rodada-do-brasileirao-2023-11878689.ghtml |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=ge.globo.com |language=pt}}{{Cite web |date=22 August 2023 |title=100 jogos de Welington! Veja as Crias de Cotia do elenco atual com mais partidas pelo São Paulo |url=https://www.lance.com.br/sao-paulo/100-jogos-de-welington-veja-as-crias-de-cotia-do-elenco-atual-com-mais-partidas-pelo-sao-paulo.html |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=lance.com |language=pt}}
== 2024 ==
On 4 February, he was part of the winning squad for the Supercopa Rei final against Palmeiras which ended 4–2 on penalties, after a goalless draw in normal time.{{Cite web |date=4 February 2024 |title=São Paulo vence o Palmeiras nos pênaltis e é campeão da Supercopa do Brasil… |url=https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2024/02/04/palmeiras-x-sao-paulo---supercopa-do-brasil-2024.htm |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=uol.com |language=pt}}
= Southampton =
On 26 July 2024, Welington signed a pre-contract with Premier League side Southampton, and he formally joined on 1 January 2025 following the expiry of his contract with São Paulo in December 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/personal-terms-agreed-with-sao-paulo-duo|title=Personal terms agreed with São Paulo duo|publisher=Southampton F.C.|date=26 July 2024|accessdate=26 July 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Rees-Julian |first=George |date=1 January 2025 |title=Forgotten Southampton signing formally joins club from Brazil |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24825669.forgotten-southampton-signing-formally-joins-club-brazil/ |access-date=1 January 2025 |website=Southern Daily Echo}} On 1 February 2025, Welington made his debut for the club in a 2–1 away victory against Ipswich Town.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Peter |date=1 February 2025 |title=Ipswich 1–2 Southampton: Aro Muric errors help Southampton to victory at relegation rivals Ipswich |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/ipswich-vs-southampton/report/506042 |access-date=1 February 2025 |website=Sky Sports}}
Career statistics
{{updated|19 April 2025}}{{Soccerway|welington-damascena-santos/646133|accessdate=7 October 2020}}
| 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 |
| rowspan=6|São Paulo
|2020 |1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=CP|Appearances in the Campeonato Paulista}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021
|Série A |16 | 0 | 6{{efn|name=CP|Appearances in the Campeonato Paulista}} | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2022
|Série A |32 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 1 | |
| 2023
|Série A |16 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| 2024
|Série A |22 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in Supercopa do Brasil}} | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!87 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 164 | 2 | |
| Southampton
|2024–25{{soccerbase season|146433|2024|access-date=1 January 2025}} |7 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!94 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 172 | 2 |
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
;São Paulo
References
{{reflist}}
{{commons category}}
{{Southampton F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welington}}
Category:Footballers from São Paulo
Category:Brazilian men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Southampton F.C. players
Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Brazil men's youth international footballers
Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England