Victor de Paula
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Victor Matheus de Paula | ||
| Date of birth | 18 January 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Penya Encarnada | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018 | MiPK | 11 | (0) |
| 2019 | Klubi 04 | 10 | (0) |
| 2020 | Atlantis | 14 | (0) |
| 2021 | MiPK | 11 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Finnkurd (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Jippo | 64 | (8) |
| 2025– | Penya Encarnada | 9 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2025 | |||
Victor Matheus de Paula (born 18 January 1995) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Primera Divisió club Penya Encarnada.
Club career
De Paula first moved to Finland in early 2018 and signed with Mikkelin Pallo-Kissat in third-tier Kakkonen. His move was arranged by former Brazilian footballer Rafael, who had spent most of his career in Finland.[2] However, de Paula and fellow Brazilian players left the club in July due to obscurity in salary payments.[3] For the 2019 season, he signed with Klubi 04, the reserve of team of HJK Helsinki.[4] In 2020, he played for Atlantis, and in 2021 he returned to Mikkelin Pallo-Kissat.
For the 2022 season, de Paula joined Jippo in Kakkonen. After his first season with the club, de Paula was named the Defender of the Year in Kakkonen Group A.[5][6] He repeated the award in 2023. At the end of the 2023 season, Jippo won the Group A and eventually were promoted to newly established second-tier Ykkösliiga via promotion play-offs. He debuted in Finnish second level on 13 April 2024, in a 3–0 away win against SalPa.[7] He was an integral part of the team's defense[8] as Jippo surprisingly finished 3rd in the league. After the season, it was announced he would leave the club.[9] During his three seasons with Jippo, de Paula totalled 69 appearances and scored eight goals in all competitions combined.[10]
In January 2025, he signed with Penya Encarnada in Andorran first-tier Primera Divisió.
Career statistics
- As of 2 June 2025
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| MiPK | 2018 | Kakkonen | 11 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| Klubi 04 | 2019 | Kakkonen | 10 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 0 | ||
| Atlantis | 2020 | Kakkonen | 14 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 0 | ||
| Atlantis Akatemia | 2020 | Kolmonen | 3 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | ||
| MiPK | 2021 | Kakkonen | 11 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| Finnkurd (loan) | 2021 | Kolmonen | 1 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||
| Jippo | 2022 | Kakkonen | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | 21 | 2 | |
| 2023 | Kakkonen | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | – | 23 | 5 | ||
| 2024 | Ykkösliiga | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| Total | 64 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 69 | 8 | ||
| Penya Encarnada | 2024–25 | Primera Divisió | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | |
| Career total | 123 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 128 | 8 | ||
- ^ Includes Suomen Cup
Honours
Jippo
Individual
- Kakkonen Group A, Defender of the Year: 2022, 2023[10]
References
- ^ Victor de Paula at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
- ^ Veikkausliigalegenda järjesteli kolme maanmiestään Kakkoseen – omakin peliura jatkuu yhä, suomifutis.com, 11 April 2018
- ^ MiPK hankkiutui eroon brassipelaajistaan — Syynä epäselvyydet palkanmaksussa, Länsi-Savo.fi, 7 July 2018
- ^ Victor Matheus de Paula profile, hjk.fi
- ^ Jippo-toppari Victor Matheus on kotoisin Brasilian suurimmasta kaupungista: "Se oli hieno paikka kasvaa jalkapalloilijana", Karjalainen, 8 September 2023
- ^ Victor de Paula jatkaa Jipossa myös tulevalla kaudella – brassitoppari purki Andorran liigaan tehdyn sopimuksensa, Karjalainen, 23 March 2023
- ^ SALPA VS. JIPPO 0 - 3, int.soccerway.com
- ^ Joensuussa odotetaan Hakan vierailua innolla, veikkausliiga.com, 15 April 2024
- ^ Jippo menettää viime vuosien luottotopparinsa, Karjalainen
- ^ a b KIITOS, VICTOR – JIPON MONIVUOTINEN LUOTTOTOPPARI SUUNTAA UUSIIN HAASTEISIIN, jippo.fi, 7 January 2025