Gleidionor Figueiredo Pinto Júnior (born December 30, 1986), or simply Júnior Negrão (often written as Negão), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for China League One club Sichuan Jiuniu.
Having extensively traveled around Brazil and Europe during the first part of his career due to frequent loan spells, Júnior has turned out to be a late bloomer since the start of his adventure in Asian football, thanks to a streak of successful seasons in Thailand and South Korea.
During this same period of time, he has gained the nickname "The Smiling Assassin", due to the funny contrast between his quiet, kind and positive attitude off the pitch and his impressive goals to game ratio, united with a hard-working and aggressive style of play, on the pitch.
Born in Salvador, Bahia, his parents moved to Manaus, Amazonas before he turned his first year of age. For this reason, Júnior has stated that he considers himself a manauara, as he spent there the entirety of his childhood and adolescence.
Júnior is a Christian, and he is frequently seen pointing fingers to the sky as a form of prayer after scoring a goal. Júnior is married and he has two daughters, named Anna Julia and Isabella.
He stated he would like to play for Bahia as his last team before retirement: being one of the most representative clubs of his birthplace (together with Vitória), he said that would give him the opportunity to honor the legacy of his parents, especially his father.
Belgian Pro League Hat-Trick 2010-09-22 |
2007-2008 |
2008-2016 |
2010-2011 (Loan) |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2021 |
2021-2023 |
2023-2024 |