Luanzinho

Luanzinho
Personal information
Full name Luan Martins Pereira
Date of birth (2000-04-21) 21 April 2000
Place of birth Ariquemes, Brazil
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sharjah
Number 11
Youth career
2014–2017 Avaí
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Avaí 77 (2)
2020– Sharjah 115 (25)
International career‡
2017 Brazil U17 1 (0)
2025– United Arab Emirates 10 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 September 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 December 2025

Luan Martins Pereira (born 21 April 2000), commonly known as Luanzinho or simply Luan, is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for UAE Pro League club Sharjah. Born in Brazil, he represented the country at youth level before switching to play for United Arab Emirates at senior level.

Club career

Born in Ariquemes, Rondônia, Luanzinho joined Avaí's youth setup in August 2014.[1] In July 2017, he was promoted to the main squad by manager Claudinei Oliveira.

On 3 August 2017, Luanzinho made his first team – and Série A – debut, coming on as a second-half substitute for Wellington Simião in a 0–5 away loss against Atlético Paranaense. In September, he extended his contract until 2021.[2]

International career

A Brazilian citizen by birth and former representative of Brazil at youth international level, Luanzinho was granted Emirati passport in October 2023, making him eligible to represent the United Arab Emirates national team through residency.

He made his international debut for the UAE against Korea DPR in March 2025 in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match.

He scored his first international goal on 13 November 2026 against Iraq in another 2026 World Cup qualification match.

Personal life

His father Edson Pereira was a Vilhena former footballer, while his brother Renan was also a footballer and a midfielder;[3] the latter was also groomed at Avaí, but died from a brain tumor in 2017.[4]

Career statistics

As of 4 April 2024[5]
Club Season League State League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Avaí 2017 Série A 1900000——190
2018 Série B 17113052——352
2019 Série A 17010140——311
2020 Série B 001000——10
Total 531241920000864
Sharjah 2019–20 UPL 41———41
2020–21 2011061—272
2021–22 2233120—274
2022–23 25673—10339
2023–24 197101242—198
Total 8415124121231011024
Career total 137163651041231019628

International goals

List of international goals scored by Luanzinho
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
18 September 2025Zabeel Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Bahrain1–01–0Friendly
213 November 2025Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Iraq1–11–12026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Avaí

Sharjah

References

  1. ↑ "Luanzinho de Ariquemes é convocado para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-17" [Luanzinho from Ariquemes is called up for the Brazilian under-17 national team] (in Portuguese). RO Esportes. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Catarinense, Diário (7 September 2017). "De contrato renovado, Luanzinho faz planos no Avaí: "Sonho é ganhar títulos"" [With a renewed contract, Luanzinho makes his plans at Avaí: "Dream is to win titles"]. Diário Catarinense (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  3. ↑ Avaí repassa recursos para compra da casa de Renanzinho (Avaí transfer resources for the purchase of Renanzinho's house); Avaí FC, 10 August 2017 (in Portuguese)
  4. ↑ Renanzinho, jogador do Avaí, morre aos 20 anos em Florianópolis (Renanzinho, Avaí player, dies aged 20 in Florianópolis); Diário Catarinense, 21 December 2017 (in Portuguese)
  5. ↑ Luanzinho at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
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