Vinicius Zanocelo

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is de Souzaand the second or paternal family name is Zanocelo.

Vinicius Zanocelo

Zanocelo with Santos in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Vinicius Nelson de Souza Zanocelo
Date of birth	(2001-01-30) 30 January 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Santo André, Brazil
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Estoril (on loan from Santos)
Number	7
Youth career
2016	Juventus-SP
2016–2019	Ponte Preta
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2021	Ponte Preta	30	(1)
2021–2022	Ferroviária	12	(1)
2021–2022	→ Santos (loan)	61	(4)
2023–	Santos	3	(0)
2023	→ Fortaleza (loan)	6	(0)
2024–	→ Estoril (loan)	30	(1)
International career‡
2020	Brazil U20	3	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 02:45, 31 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:47, 5 January 2021 (UTC)

Vinicius Nelson de Souza Zanocelo (born 30 January 2001), known as Vinicius Zanocelo or just Zanocelo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Portuguese club Estoril, on loan from Santos.

Club career

Ponte Preta

Born in Santo André, São Paulo, Zanocelo joined Ponte Preta's youth setup in July 2016, from Juventus-SP, after previously playing futsal for Corinthians, Remo and Portuguesa. ^[1] On 23 February 2019, he renewed his contract until December 2021. ^[2]

Zanocelo made his first team debut on 20 March 2019, coming on as a late substitute for Nathan Silva in a 0–1 Campeonato Paulista away loss against Palmeiras. ^[3] He scored his first goal ten days later, netting a last-minute equalizer in a 2–2 away draw against Oeste. ^[4]

Zanocelo only started to feature more regularly in the 2020 campaign, where he contributed with 15 league appearances.

Ferroviária

On 23 January 2021, Ponte Preta reached an agreement with Ferroviária for the transfer of Zanocelo, for a fee of R$ 2.3 million. ^{[5] [6]} He was announced at his new club on 3 February, after agreeing to a four-year contract. ^[7]

Zanocelo immediately became a starter at his new club, contributing with one goal in 12 appearances in the 2021 Campeonato Paulista.

Santos

Zanocelo with Santos in 2022

On 4 June 2021, Zanocelo moved to Santos on a two-year loan deal, with a buyout clause. ^[8] He made his club – and Série A – debut thirteen days later, replacing Gabriel Pirani in a 0–1 away loss against Fluminense.

Zanocelo scored his first goal for Peixe on 23 February 2022, netting his team's second in a 3–0 away win over Salgueiro, for the year's Copa do Brasil. ^[9]

On 21 November 2022, Ferroviária announced the permanent transfer of Zanocelo to Santos, after the latter club activated his buyout clause. ^[10] The following 8 March, after featuring rarely under head coach Odair Hellmann, he asked to leave the club. ^[11]

Loan to Fortaleza

On 1 April 2023, Zanocelo was loaned to fellow top tier side Fortaleza until the end of the year, with a buyout clause. ^[12] Rarely used by the club, he left when his loan expired in December after 12 matches overall. ^[13]

Loan to Estoril

On 30 January 2024, following Santos' first-ever relegation to Série B, Zanocelo was loaned to Portuguese Primeira Liga club Estoril until 31 December 2024. ^[14]

Career statistics

As of 30 December 2024. ^[15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			State league		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Ponte Preta	2019	Série B	1	0	3	1	0	0	—		—		4	1
	2020		15	0	11	0	3	0	—		—		29	0
	Total		16	0	14	1	3	0	—		—		33	1
Ferroviária	2021	Série D	0	0	12	1	—		—		—		12	1
Santos	2021	Série A	23	0	—		1	0	2 [a]	0	—		26	0
	2022		28	3	10	1	4	1	7 [a]	0	—		49	5
	2023		0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	—		3	0
	2024	Série B	0	0	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	Total		51	3	13	1	5	1	9	0	—		78	5
Fortaleza (loan)	2023	Série A	6	0	—		4	1	2 [a]	0	—		12	1
Estoril (loan)	2023–24	Primeira Liga	15	1	—		0	0	—		—		15	1
	2024–25		15	0	—		1	0	—		—		16	0
	Total		30	1	—		1	0	—		—		31	1
Career total			103	4	38	3	13	2	11	0	0	0	165	9

1. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana

References

1. "Dos quase 500 gols no futsal à promessa dos pais: a trajetória de Vinicius Zanocelo, joia da Ponte" [From nearly 500 goals in futsal to the promise to his parents: the path of Vinicius Zanocelo, the pearl of Ponte] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
2. "Prata da casa: Macaca renova contrato com meia-atacante Vinicius Zanocelo até 2021" [Home-grown: Macaca reenw contract with attacking midfielder Vinicius Zanocelo until 2021] (in Brazilian Portuguese). AA Ponte Preta. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
3. "Palmeiras vence Ponte e garante segunda melhor campanha do Paulistão" [Palmeiras defeat Ponte and assure the best campaign of the Paulistão] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
4. "Em jogo polêmico, Ponte empata com o Oeste com gol nos acréscimos" [In a controversial match, Ponte draw with Oeste with a goal in the stoppage time] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Terra. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
5. "Zanocelo se despede da Ponte Preta: "Levarei sempre comigo o amor à nossa Macaca e à nação pontepretana, vocês tem em mim um grande torcedor"" [Zanocelo bids farewell from Ponte Preta: "I will take with me the love of our Macaca and the pontepretana nation, you have in me a great supporter"] (in Brazilian Portuguese). AA Ponte Preta. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
6. "Ponte Preta fecha acordo para a venda do meia Vinícius Zanocelo para a Ferroviária" [Ponte Preta agree deal for the sale of midfielder Vinícius Zanocelo to Ferroviária] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
7. "Vinicius Zanocelo é o novo reforço da Ferroviária" [Vinicius Zanocelo is the new addition of Ferroviária] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Associação Ferroviária de Esportes. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
8. "Zanocelo é mais um reforço anunciado pelo Santos FC" [Zanocelo is another addition announced by Santos FC] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
9. "Santos bate Salgueiro com tranquilidade fora de casa e avança à segunda fase" [Santos defeat Salgueiro with ease away from home and go to the second phase] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
10. "Zanocelo é transferido para o Santos em definitivo" [Zanocelo is transferred to Santos permanently] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Associação Ferroviária de Esportes. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
11. "Vinícius Zanocelo pede para deixar o Santos" [Vinícius Zanocelo asks to leave Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
12. "Vinicius Zanocelo é emprestado pelo Santos FC para o Fortaleza até o fim de 2023" [Vinicius Zanocelo is loaned from Santos FC to Fortaleza until the end of 2023] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
13. "Zanocelo não fica no Fortaleza para 2024 e será devolvido ao Santos" [Zanocelo does not stay at Fortaleza for 2024 and will be given back to Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). O Povo. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
14. "Santos FC empresta Vinicius Zanocelo ao Estoril, de Portugal" [Santos FC loan Vinicius Zanocelo to Estoril, from Portugal] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
15. Vinicius Zanocelo at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 October 2020.

External links

• SMG Brasil profile (in Brazilian Portuguese)