Kléber Laube Pinheiro

Kléber Laube Pinheiro (born 2 May 1990), known simply as Kléber, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Japanese club JEF United Chiba as a striker.

Kléber
Personal information
Full name Kléber Laube Pinheiro[1]
Date of birth (1990-05-02) 2 May 1990[1]
Place of birth Estância Velha, Brazil[1]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 JEF United Chiba
Number 9
Youth career
2004 Caxias–RS
2004–2005 Fabril
2006 Vila Nova
2007–2009 Atlético Mineiro
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Atlético Mineiro 4 (0)
2009–2011 → Marítimo (loan) 38 (15)
2011–2015 Porto 26 (9)
2013 → Palmeiras (loan) 7 (2)
2013–2014 Porto B 15 (3)
2014–2015 → Estoril (loan) 21 (8)
2015–2016 Beijing Guoan 11 (0)
2016–2019 Estoril 49 (16)
2019 → JEF United Chiba (loan) 38 (17)
2020– JEF United Chiba 8 (0)
National team
2011 Brazil 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 July 2020

Club career

Brazil

Born in Estância Velha, Rio Grande do Sul, Kléber started his career with Clube Atlético Mineiro, also having finished his development at the Belo Horizonte club. On 21 February 2009, he played his first match for the first team, against Rio Branco Esporte Clube in the Campeonato Mineiro.

Portugal

In the summer of 2009, the 19-year-old Kléber left his country and signed for C.S. Marítimo in Portugal, on loan. He made his Primeira Liga debut on 20 September, featuring ten minutes in a 1–2 away loss against Madeira neighbours C.D. Nacional.[2]

Kléber – who also scored three times in only four matches with the reserves in the third division – finished his first season with Marítimo with eight goals from 20 appearances,[3] notably netting twice in the last round, a 2–1 away win against Vitória S.C. which meant his team leapfrogged their opponents and finished in fifth position, with the subsequent qualification to the UEFA Europa League.[4]

After reported interest from FC Porto, Kléber refused to start 2010–11 with Marítimo, even though he still had another year on his contract.[5][6] Atlético Mineiro accepted the deal but the Portuguese did not,[7] and he eventually finished the campaign with seven league goals, eight overall.

Kléber finally moved to Porto on 4 July 2011 for a fee of €2.3 million, signing a five-year contract.[8] He scored five goals in five games in the team's pre-season, and three in the first seven competitive fixtures, including the winner in a 2–1 home victory over FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.[9]

On 7 February 2013, Kléber returned to his country and signed for Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras on loan. The move was initially until 30 June, extendable if the side advanced to the semi-finals in the Copa Libertadores.[10]

China

On 14 July 2015, Kléber signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan FC.[11]

International career

On 10 November 2011, courtesy of his Porto performances, Kléber made his debut for Brazil, appearing in a friendly with Gabon.[12]

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References
  1. "Kléber" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  2. Nacional vence "derby" Madeirense (Nacional win Madeira derby); Diário de Notícias, 20 September 2009 (in Portuguese)
  3. Liga 2009/2010: lista dos melhores marcadores (2009/2010 League: top scorers table); Diário de Notícias, 9 May 2010 (in Portuguese)
  4. Assobios para Paulo Sérgio, que deixa o Guimarães fora da Europa (Boos for Paulo Sérgio, who leaves Guimarães out of Europe); Público, 9 May 2010 (in Portuguese)
  5. Kléber força saída do Marítimo (Kléber wants out of Marítimo); Diário de Notícias, 28 June 2010 (in Portuguese)
  6. Caso Kléber segue na FIFA (Kléber affair to continue in FIFA) Archived 1 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine; Record, 15 July 2010 (in Portuguese)
  7. Insulares podem comprar passe de Kléber (Islanders may buy Kléber's sporting rights) Archived 9 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine; Record, 7 September 2010 (in Portuguese)
  8. Kléber assinou por cinco anos e tem cláusula de 40 milhões (Kléber signed for five years and has a 40 million clause); Público, 4 July 2011 (in Portuguese)
  9. Porto see off nine-man Shakhtar; UEFA, 13 September 2011
  10. Palmeiras confirma atacante Kléber, que se apresenta nesta sexta (Palmeiras confirm forward Kléber, announced this Friday); Gazeta Esportiva, 7 February 2013 (in Portuguese)
  11. 国安官方宣布克莱伯加盟; Sports Sohu, 16 July 2015 (in Chinese)
  12. Gabon 0–2 Brazil: Sandro & Hernanes lead Selecao to success in Libreville; Goal, 10 November 2011
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