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Ederson Santana. Photo by Brad Tutterow.

Top 10 Facts about Ederson Santana

Ederson Santana de Moraes is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays goalkeeper for Premier League club Manchester City and the Brazil national team.

Ederson began his career at So Paulo in 2008 before moving on to Benfica a year later, where he spent two seasons. In 2012, he moved from Ribeiro to Rio Ave in the Primeira Liga, where he became a regular starter. In 2015, he returned to Benfica and was assigned to the reserves before making his debut for the first team, with whom he would win four major titles in two seasons. Ederson joined English club Manchester City for £35 million for the 2017-18 season, making him the most expensive goalkeeper in history.

1. Ederson Santana, spent one season with local club So Paulo FC

Ederson began his football career in 2008 at local club So Paulo FC, where he played for one season before joining Benfica in Portugal. He spent two years as a junior here at the age of 16, eventually leaving for Second Division side Ribeiro in 2011. A year later, he joined Rio Ave of the Primeira Liga.

He officially signed a contract with Rio Ave in the summer of 2012. Following a string of good performances and a call to Brazil’s under-23 squad, he signed a new contract with the club in May 2015, which would last until 2014.

2. Ederson joined Benfica in 2015 and signed a five-year contract

In July 2015, he officially signed a five-year contract worth €500,000 with Benfica, with a €45 million release clause. Rio Ave would retain 50% of the future keeper’s economic rights. Ederson began the 2015-16 season as a backup for the first team, which was defended by compatriot and international Jlio César.

Ederson first appeared in the Segunda Liga with the reserve team and in the Taça da Liga with the main squad, before making his Premier League debut on 5 March 2016 against Sporting CP, replacing the injured Jlio César.

Benfica won the Lisbon derby 1-0 and went on to win the Primeira Liga. He would then be a part of eleven more victories as Benfica won their 35th league title, their third in a row. Five days later, he played in the Taça da Liga final, which Benfica won 6-2. In addition, he appeared in three Champions League matches as Benfica advanced to the quarter-finals. He and Benfica won the treble of the Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal, and Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira the following season.

3. In 2017, Ederson was the second most expensive goalkeeper in history

Ederson Santana. Photo by Brad Tutterow.

Ederson joined Premier League club Manchester City for £35 million (€40 million) on June 1, 2017, according to Benfica. At the time, the transfer made him the second most expensive goalkeeper of all time.

Now the fourth most expensive after Gianluigi Buffon (£33 million), whose transfer fee, while the second highest in pounds sterling, remained the highest in euros (€52 million in 2001) until Alisson’s (€75 million in 2018) and now Kepa Arrizabalaga’s (€80 million in 2018).  Ederson’s transfer equaled Axel Witsel’s as the highest fee ever paid by a club for a Benfica player.

4. Ederson’s body is heavily tattooed

Person getting a tattoo. Photo by Allef Vinicius.

Ederson obtained Portuguese nationality in 2016. His body is heavily tattooed, with a rose and a skull on his neck, angel wings on his back, and a Portuguese League trophy on his leg, which he won in 2016 and 2017.

5. He holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Football Drop Kick

Ederson also holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Football Drop Kick, which he set on May 10, 2018, by kicking the ball 75.35 meters (247 feet 2 inches) across the ground at the Etihad Campus. 

6. He is widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world

Goalpost. Photo by Rhett Lewis.

Although he is naturally left-footed, he can use either foot.  In terms of distribution, former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given called Ederson “the best goalkeeper in the world with his feet” in 2018; his range of passing has also led to him being described in the media as a playmaker.

7. Ederson was forced to withdraw from Copa América Centenario due to an injury

Ederson was named to Brazil’s provisional squad for Copa América Centenario, but was cut from the final squad due to injury. He made his national team debut in a 3-0 win over Chile in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in October 2017. He was named to Tite’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia in May 2018.

8. Ederson needed eight stitches after being kicked in the face

Ederson was forced to leave the game against Liverpool on September 9 after receiving a kick to the face from Sadio Mané. Ederson required eight stitches, and Mané was sent off and banned for the next three matches by referee Jon Moss. 

Ederson made his next appearance in the Champions League against Feyenoord the following week, wearing protective headgear.  Ederson thought Mané’s collision was unintentional and accepted an apology from the Liverpool player.

9. Ederson was awarded the Golden Glove in 2020

Ederson Santana. Photo by fc-zenit.ru.

Ederson became the first Manchester City goalkeeper to provide a Premier League assist on August 19, 2018, when his goal-kick was converted by Sergio Agüero for the opening goal in a 6-1 victory over Huddersfield Town. 

After a 5-0 home win against Norwich City on July 26, 2020, Ederson was awarded the Golden Glove for keeping the most clean sheets in the 2019-20 Premier League season.

10. Ederson Santana is a left-footed player

Ederson has been described as an agile, commanding, and physically imposing keeper with both physical strength and quick reflexes as well as shot-blocking abilities between the posts. He is more well-known for his distribution and skill with the ball at his feet than for his shot-stopping abilities: his control and confidence on the ball allows him to retain possession and quickly play the ball out from the back on the ground with his hands or either foot – even when under pressure – or launch an attack with long kicks.