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Fred Brazil photo by Kirill Venediktov

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Fred

Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos commonly known as Fred, is a Brazilian professional footballer who was born in 1993. He plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Brazil national team.

Fred started his career at Brazilian club Internacional. This is where he won the Campeonato Gaúcho twice. In June 2013, he signed for Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won three Ukrainian Premier League titles. In 2018, Fred signed for Manchester United.

Fred represented Brazil at under-20 and under-23 levels. He made his senior international debut in November 2014. Fred was part of Brazil’s squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile, starting in their first two Group C matches as they reached the quarter-finals. He was also named in Brazil’s final squads for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 Copa América.

Fred tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide in a sample collected during the 2015 Copa América. In 2015, he released a statement claiming he was innocent, while awaiting the results of a second sample. Shakhtar Donetsk were cleared by UEFA to select him at the start of the 2015–16 season, after a complaint by Fenerbahçe over his appearance in a Champions League third qualifying round game.

Also in2015, he had  received a one-year suspension from CONMEBOL, preventing him from playing in any CONMEBOL sanctioned games, but allowing him to continue playing for Shakhtar.   In 2017, after Fred had returned from the suspension, an agreement was reached with WADA before the CAS hearing that resulted in him being unable to play football until  2017.

Here are the Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Fred

1. He was among the six Shakhtar players during the Ukrainian crisis who refused to return to Donetsk 

During the Russo-Ukrainian War, Fred was among the six Shakhtar players who refused to return to Donetsk in July 2014 following a pre-season friendly against Olympique Lyonnais in France. A few days later, he returned to Ukraine after the club relocated training sessions to Kyiv.

2. Fred represented the club at various youth levels and helped them win six titles in 2010

Exhibition match Russia vs. Brazil, March 23, 2018. Fred (BRA) photo by Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro)

He spent six years of his childhood at local club Atlético Mineiro, before joining Porto Alegre in 2009.One year later, he joined Internacional. Fred initially represented the club at various youth levels and helped them win six titles in 2010, including the Copa Santiago and Copa FGF

He made his professional debut aged 18 on 26 January 2012, against Cerâmica in the Campeonato Gaúcho. He scored his first goal in professional football on 18 July 2012, in a Série A game against his former club Atlético Mineiro. Overall, he scored eight goals in 55 appearances for Internacional and won the Campeonato Gaúcho twice.

3. He played three times for the Brazil under-20 team 

Fred played three times for the Brazil under-20 team at the 2013 South American Youth Football Championship. He played two games for the under-23 team in November 2015, both of which were against the United States

4. Fred made his debut for the Brazil national team 

In 2014, he made his debut for the Brazil national team as a substitute in a 4–0 victory over Turkey in Istanbul. Due to an injury to Luiz Gustavo, Fred was called up to Brazil’s squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile. He started in their first two Group C matches as they reached the quarter-finals.

5. Fred was named in Tite’s final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World

Fred brazil photo by Kirill Venediktov

In 2018, he was named in Tite’s final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. But failed to make an appearance at the tournament. He was included in Brazil’s squad for the 2021 Copa América on home soil.

6. Former Brazil striker Ronaldinho has been Fred’s childhood hero

The Former Brazil striker Ronaldinho was Fred’s childhood hero. Fred’s first goal in the Brazilian championship in July 2012 came against his hometown club Atletico Mineiro, who Ronaldinho had once linked with joining United – was playing for at the time.

7.Manchester United had signed Fred for a reported fee of £47 million

In 2018, Premier League club Manchester United reached an agreement to sign Fred for a reported fee of £47 million. He agreed a five-year contract with the option to extend for a further year. Fred made his club debut in a 2–1 victory over Leicester City in their first league game of the season. He scored his first goal for United against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018, in a 1–1 league draw at home.

Fred played a full 90 minutes in Manchester United’s Premier League record-equalling 9–0 home win against Southampton. He had scored the equalizing goal at the 57th minute in Manchester United’s Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur, in which the Red Devils won 3–1, after Spurs’s Son Heung-min scored at the 40th minute of the match.

8. Fred has helped the Ukrainian club Shakhtar earn three Ukrainian Premier league titles

Exhibition match Russia vs. Brazil, March 23, 2018. Fred (BRA) photo by Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro)

He had signed with the Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk and earned three Ukrainian Premier league titles. And then later he was signed a five year agreement with Manchester united.

9. He has ever received racial abuse by Manchester united fans

In 2019, Fred was allegedly racially abused by Manchester City fans during the Manchester derby. Fred scored two goals and assisted another in United’s UEFA Europa League round of 32 match against Club Brugge, which they won 5–0 and 6–1 on aggregate.

10. Fred has a total of 14 goals in 156 game and has won 10 trophies

Fred Brazil photo by Kirill Venediktov

He scored his first goal in professional football on 18 July 2012, in a Série A game against his former club Atlético Mineiro.Overall. He scored eight goals in 55 appearances for Internacional and won the Campeonato Gaúcho twice.

Fred scored two goals on his competitive debut in the Ukrainian Super Cup, helping Shakhtar to a 3–1 victory over Chornomorets Odesa. In 2018, Fred scored a free-kick, his first goal in the UEFA Champions League, in a 2–1 round of 16 first-leg victory against AS Roma. With Shakhtar, Fred won 10 trophies, including three Ukrainian Premier League titles.