João Paulo (footballer, born 1997)

João Paulo
Personal information
Full name João Paulo Silveira dos Santos
Date of birth (1997-07-04) 4 July 1997
Place of birth Santana do Livramento, Brazil
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Chapecoense
(on loan from Ferroviária)
Number 4
Youth career
Aimoré
2017 Ponte Preta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Grêmio Anápolis 1 (0)
2018–2019 Boavista B 26 (3)
2019 Paulista 16 (7)
2020–2022 Fortaleza 4 (0)
2020São José-RS (loan) 0 (0)
2022Náutico (loan) 22 (0)
2023Inter de Limeira (loan) 8 (1)
2023– Ferroviária 17 (0)
2024Chapecoense (loan) 21 (1)
2025–Chapecoense (loan) 31 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:04, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

João Paulo Silveira dos Santos (born 4 July 1997), known as João Paulo, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a centre-back for Chapecoense, on loan from Ferroviária.

Career

Born in Santana do Livramento, Rio Grande do Sul, João Paulo played for Aimoré and Ponte Preta as a youth before making his senior debut with Grêmio Anápolis in 2018. He moved abroad shortly after, joining Portuguese side Boavista but only playing for their B-team in the regional leagues.

On 5 June 2019, João Paulo returned to his home country and signed for Paulista.[1] On 17 January of the following year, he was presented at Fortaleza after agreeing to a five-month contract.[2]

On 21 August 2020, João Paulo was loaned to Série C side São José-RS.[3] On 7 October, after failing to make an appearance, he returned to his parent club and was assigned to the under-23 team.[4]

After spending the 2021 as a peripheral figure at Laion, João Paulo was loaned to Náutico on 31 December of that year.[5] In December 2022, he was suspended for one month after failing a doping exam where tetrahydrocannabinol was detected,[6] and after the suspension ended, he moved to Inter de Limeira also on loan.[7]

On 18 April 2023, João Paulo signed for Ferroviária.[8] On 23 December, he moved to Chapecoense on loan,[9] where he would establish himself as a first-choice.

On 26 March 2025, after being rarely used back at AFE, João Paulo returned to Chape again on loan.[10]

Career statistics

As of 5 January 2026[11]
Club Season League State League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Grêmio Anápolis 2018 Goiano 1 0 1 0
Boavista B 2018–19 AF Porto Elite Pro 26 3 26 3
Paulista 2019 Paulista 2ª Divisão 16 7 16 7
Fortaleza 2020 Série A 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2021 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 5[a] 0 8 0
Total 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 9 0
São José-RS (loan) 2020 Série C 0 0 0 0 0 0
Náutico (loan) 2022 Série B 18 0 4 0 0 0 1[a] 0 23 0
Inter de Limeira (loan) 2023 Série D 8 1 8 1
Ferroviária 2023 Série D 13 0 13 0
2025 Série B 4 0 4 0
Total 13 0 4 0 17 0
Chapecoense (loan) 2024 Série B 16 1 5 0 21 1
Chapecoense (loan) 2025 Série B 31 1 31 1
Career total 104 5 42 8 0 0 0 0 6 0 152 13
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste

Honours

Paulista

Fortaleza

Náutico

References

  1. ^ "Paulista contrata zagueiro que estava em Portugal para sequência da Segundona" [Paulista sign centre-back who was in Portugal for the remainder of the Segundona] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Zagueiro João Paulo é apresentado" [Centre-back João Paulo is presented] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fortaleza EC. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  3. ^ "João Paulo é reforço na defesa do Zeca" [João Paulo is an addition at Zeca's defense] (in Brazilian Portuguese). EC São José. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Zagueiro João Paulo retorna ao Fortaleza para Sub-23" [Centre-back João Paulo returns to Fortaleza for the under-23s] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Náutico oficializa a contratação do zagueiro João Paulo, que chega por empréstimo do Fortaleza" [Náutico turn official the signing of centre-back João Paulo, who arrives on loan from Fortaleza] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Emprestado pelo Fortaleza, zagueiro João Paulo é flagrado no exame antidoping e recebe punição" [On loan from Fortaleza, centre-back João Paulo is caught on doping exam and receives punishment] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário do Nordeste. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Livre para atuar após doping por maconha, zagueiro do Fortaleza é anunciado pela Inter de Limeira" [Free to play after doping due to marijuana, Fortaleza centre-back is announced by Inter de Limeira] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  8. ^ "João Paulo é o novo zagueiro da Ferroviária para Série D" [João Paulo is the new centre-back of Ferroviária for the Série D] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Associação Ferroviária de Esportes. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Chapecoense anuncia o zagueiro João Paulo" [Chapecoense announce the centre-back João Paulo] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Fechado com a Chape: zagueiro João Paulo retorna ao Verdão" [Done deal with Chape: centre-back João Paulo returns to the Verdão] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Associação Chapecoense de Futebol. 26 March 2025. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  11. ^ João Paulo at Soccerway. Retrieved 5 January 2026.