Juan (footballer, born 1982)
Club career
Club career
-----------

### Arsenal

Juan was born in [São Paulo](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo "São Paulo"). He started his career with [São Paulo](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_FC "São Paulo FC") before being signed by English side [Arsenal](/wiki/Arsenal_F.C. "Arsenal F.C.") in 2001\. He only made two first\-team appearances for Arsenal, his debut coming against [Grimsby Town](/wiki/Grimsby_Town_F.C. "Grimsby Town F.C.") in the [League Cup](/wiki/Football_League_Cup "Football League Cup") on 27 November 2001\. His other appearance came when he started in the 5th Round of the [FA Cup](/wiki/FA_Cup "FA Cup") against [Gillingham](/wiki/Gillingham_F.C. "Gillingham F.C.") on 16 February 2002\. Juan was due to play in Arsenal's Third Round [League Cup](/wiki/Football_League_Cup "Football League Cup") tie against Sunderland but picked up a knee injury ahead of the game. He also scored in a pre\-season friendly for Arsenal against [Stevenage](/wiki/Stevenage_F.C. "Stevenage F.C.") in 2002\. On 8 November 2002, additional diagnosis confirmed an [ACL](/wiki/Anterior_cruciate_ligament_injury "Anterior cruciate ligament injury") knee injury. This injury essentially ended Juan's [Arsenal](/wiki/Arsenal_F.C. "Arsenal F.C.") career.

### Millwall

He had a brief period on loan for two months at [Millwall](/wiki/Millwall_F.C. "Millwall F.C.") in 2003\. There he played three league matches and one [League Cup](/wiki/Football_League_Cup "Football League Cup") match.

### Fluminense

### Flamengo

Juan moved to [Flamengo](/wiki/Clube_de_Regatas_do_Flamengo "Clube de Regatas do Flamengo") in the beginning of 2006\. Late in that year he scored one goal in the final of [Brazilian Cup](/wiki/Copa_do_Brasil "Copa do Brasil") against [Vasco da Gama](/wiki/Clube_de_Regatas_Vasco_da_Gama "Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama") and was named "man of the match".

After being voted one of the best players in the [Brazilian Série A 2007](/wiki/2007_Campeonato_Brasileiro_S%C3%A9rie_A "2007 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A"), Juan received the second place prize [Bola de Prata](/wiki/Bola_de_Prata_%28Brazil%29 "Bola de Prata (Brazil)") (Silver Ball) award for best [left back](/wiki/Left_back "Left back") awarded by *[Placar](/wiki/Placar "Placar")*, a prestigious Brazilian football magazine. Juan played well once again in the 2008 season, this time winning the [Bola de Prata](/wiki/Bola_de_Prata_%28Brazil%29 "Bola de Prata (Brazil)") (Silver Ball) award as the best player in his position.[Laterais\-esquerdos/Bola de Prata](http://placar.abril.com.br/bola-de-prata/laterais-esquerdos/)  

On 22 August 2008, Juan received his first call up to [Brazil national team](/wiki/Brazil_national_football_team "Brazil national football team") to play against [Chile](/wiki/Chile_national_football_team "Chile national football team") and [Bolivia](/wiki/Bolivia_national_football_team "Bolivia national football team") in the qualifying round of the [World Cup 2010](/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup_2010 "FIFA World Cup 2010").[Dunga mantém base olímpica para jogos das eliminatórias. Juan (Fla) é a novidade](http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Noticias/Times/Selecao_Brasileira/0,,MUL733596-15071,00.html) [CBF anuncia convocados para Eliminatórias](http://www.lancenet.com.br/clubes/FLAMENGO/noticias/08-08-22/367574.stm?cbf-anuncia-convocados-para-eliminatorias)   After this spell with the national team Juan was occasionally referred to as Juan Maldonado to avoid confusion with [Juan](/wiki/Juan_Silveira_dos_Santos "Juan Silveira dos Santos"), another former [Flamengo](/wiki/Clube_de_Regatas_do_Flamengo "Clube de Regatas do Flamengo") player who had also been called up for Brazil around this time.

On 22 May 2009, Juan received a 30\-day ban for threatening [Botafogo](/wiki/Botafogo_de_Futebol_e_Regatas "Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas")'s [Maicosuel](/wiki/Maicosuel_Reginaldo_de_Matos "Maicosuel Reginaldo de Matos") in the [2009 Rio de Janeiro State League](/wiki/Campeonato_Carioca "Campeonato Carioca") finals.[Juan é suspenso por 30 dias pelo TJD\-RJ](http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Noticias/Futebol/0,,MUL1164670-9825,00.html) 

### São Paulo

In December 2010, as his Flamengo contract was expiring, [São Paulo](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_FC "São Paulo FC") announced interest in signing the player. Juan declared that a return to São Paulo, the club where he played as a youth player before joining Arsenal, would be "like moving home."[Juan Sees Move to São Paulo as ´Return Home´](http://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/noticia/2010/12/juan-ve-ida-para-o-sao-paulo-como-retorno-para-casa-diz-empresario.html) Report on Globo News Site  Juan joined São Paulo at the start of 2011 season. After the finish of his loan for [Santos](/wiki/Santos_FC "Santos FC"), Juan, that was out of [Ney Franco](/wiki/Ney_Franco "Ney Franco")'s plans, didn't back to club.[*Com reforços e nova camisa, São Paulo inicia treinos em Cotia* **(in Portuguese)**](http://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/2013/01/com-reforcos-e-nova-camisa-sao-paulo-inicia-treinos-em-cotia.html)

### Santos

In February 2012 Juan joined [Santos FC](/wiki/Santos_FC "Santos FC") on a season long loan after São Paulo signed left back [Cortês](/wiki/Bruno_Cort%C3%AAs "Bruno Cortês") from [Botafogo](/wiki/Botafogo_de_Futebol_e_Regatas "Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas").[Santos Sign Juan](http://esportes.terra.com.br/santos/noticias/0,,OI5602729-EI19380,00-Santos+seduz+convence+adequacao+salarial+e+fecha+com+Juan.html) Terra Esportes  The move has worked out well with Juan playing regularly and helping his side win the [2012 São Paulo State Championship](/wiki/2012_Campeonato_Paulista "2012 Campeonato Paulista").

### Return to São Paulo

In May 2013, after the reorganisation made by president Juvenal Juvêncio and coach [Ney Franco](/wiki/Ney_Franco "Ney Franco"), which got rid of seven players, Juan was reintegrated to [*Tricolor*](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_FC "São Paulo FC"). In the Juvêncio's words: *"O rapaz \[Juan] chegou impecável e disposto a jogar"* ("The boy \[Juan] came with a flawless form and wishing to play"). The next month, Juan made his début against [Atlético Mineiro](/wiki/Clube_Atl%C3%A9tico_Mineiro "Clube Atlético Mineiro") in the [Brazilian League](/wiki/2013_Campeonato_Brasileiro_S%C3%A9rie_A "2013 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A"). Juan came on from the bench as a substitute for [Thiago Carleto](/wiki/Thiago_Carleto "Thiago Carleto"), who came off injured. According to Juan: *"Estou muito feliz de poder defender o São Paulo novamente."*("I am very happy to defend São Paulo again").

On 5 June 2013, Juan made his full début for [São Paulo](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo "São Paulo"). The game finished 1–0 to [Goiás](/wiki/Goi%C3%A1s_Esporte_Clube "Goiás Esporte Clube"), and the player was criticized by fans. According to Juan he did not understand the claims: *"Quando o resultado não vem, sobra para alguém. Mais uma vez, sobrou para mim. Queria entender qual o problema da torcida comigo. Eu me esforço, luto. Sei que não estou 100%, que eu posso render mais, mas time grande é assim, tem pressão"* ("When we could not win, somebody always is faulted. One more time, I was the faulted. I would want to understand which the fans' problems with me. I try, I fight. I know I am not 100% conditioned, that I can play better, but in great club the things are this way, under pressure").

### Vitória

On 30 August 2013, Juan was presented in [Esporte Clube Vitória](/wiki/Esporte_Clube_Vit%C3%B3ria "Esporte Clube Vitória"). He chose the [side from Bahia](/wiki/Esporte_Clube_Vit%C3%B3ria "Esporte Clube Vitória") because of [Caio Júnior](/wiki/Caio_J%C3%BAnior "Caio Júnior"), with whom he worked at [CR Flamengo](/wiki/CR_Flamengo "CR Flamengo"), a period during which Juan made it into the [Brazilian team](/wiki/Brazilian_national_football_team "Brazilian national football team"). Ironically, with [Júnior](/wiki/Caio_J%C3%BAnior "Caio Júnior") dismissed, Juan would work again with [Ney Franco](/wiki/Ney_Franco "Ney Franco"), the coach that, in the start of 2013, did not have Juan in his plans when both of them were at [São Paulo FC](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_FC "São Paulo FC"). Juan scored his first goal on 4 September, in a 2–1 loss against [Flamengo](/wiki/CR_Flamengo "CR Flamengo").

On 5 October 2013, in the 3–2 loss against [São Paulo](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_FC "São Paulo FC"), Juan scored a penalty against his former club and was heavily scolded by [Tricolor](/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_FC "São Paulo FC") fans and also by [Rogério Ceni](/wiki/Rog%C3%A9rio_Ceni "Rogério Ceni"), São Paulo's captain, who said Juan kicked the ball with both feet, which is prohibited in football.

### Retirement

On 16 August 2019, 37\-year old Juan announced his retirement from football.[Ex\-Flamengo e SPFC, Juan anuncia aposentadoria: "Sai um peso das costas"... \- Veja mais em](https://www.bol.uol.com.br/esporte/2019/08/16/ex-flamengo-juan-anuncia-a-sua-aposentadoria-sai-um-peso-das-costas.htm), bol.uol.com.br, 16 August 2019


Why does Juan feel under pressure?