Vágner Love
Vágner Love with CSKA Moscow, 2009
Personal information
Full name Vágner Silva de Souza
Date of birth (1984-06-11) 11 June 1984
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Atlético Goianiense
Number 9
Youth career
2001–2003 Palmeiras
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 Palmeiras 56 (39)
2004–2011 CSKA Moscow 158 (79)
2009Palmeiras (loan) 12 (5)
2010Flamengo (loan) 19 (19)
2012–2013 Flamengo 45 (19)
2013 CSKA Moscow 14 (6)
2013–2015 Shandong Luneng 31 (19)
2015–2016 Corinthians 45 (16)
2016 Monaco 12 (4)
2016–2018 Alanyaspor 44 (34)
2018–2019 Beşiktaş 18 (6)
2019–2020 Corinthians 49 (7)
2020–2021 Kairat 36 (14)
2022 Midtjylland 9 (1)
2022–2023 Sport 62 (23)
2024– Atlético Goianiense 0 (0)
International career
2003 Brazil U20 6 (4)
2004–2007 Brazil 20 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
 Brazil
Copa América
Winner2004 Peru
Winner2007 Venezuela
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 02:44, 6 January 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 September 2015

Vágner Silva de Souza (born 11 June 1984), known as Vágner Love, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Série A club Atlético Goianiense. He is a forward who has been described by World Soccer Magazine as possessing "mobility, flair, awareness and powerful shooting".[2]

The second name Love was given to Vágner while playing for Palmeiras as he was known for his playboy lifestyle.[3]

Over two spells, Vágner Love scored 117 goals across 241 official games in eight seasons at CSKA Moscow. He won 14 honours in the Russian capital, scoring in their win in the 2005 UEFA Cup Final to become the youngest player to score in a UEFA Cup final.

Vágner Love scored four goals in 20 games for the Brazil national team, winning the Copa América in 2004 and 2007.

Club career

Palmeiras

Vágner Love started his career with Palmeiras. In the 2003 season, he helped them to return to the Série A, the nation's top-flight division.

CSKA Moscow

In August 2004, Vágner Love was bought by Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow, where he joined fellow Brazilian creative midfielder Daniel Carvalho, who had transferred before start of the season. Upon his arrival, Vagner Love had an immediate impact on the results of the team, helping CSKA qualify to the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League group stage with 3 goals in 3 preliminary games, and 9 goals in the remaining 12 league games as the team finished second in a close title race against cross-city rivals Lokomotiv, losing just by one point. He also played in every Champions League group stage game and scored one goal against PSG. In December 2004, CSKA finished third in the group and was relegated to the 2004–05 UEFA Cup knockout stage.

At the end of the football season in Russia, Vagner Love was linked with a move to Corinthians due to homesickness and having trouble adjusting to life in Moscow. However, CSKA refused to sell or loan him.

On 18 May 2005, at the age of 20 years, 341 days, Vágner Love scored the final goal in CSKA's 3–1 victory over Sporting CP in the 2005 UEFA Cup Final at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon, making him the youngest player to score in a UEFA Cup final.[4] In addition to winning the UEFA Cup, he has gone on to win the Russian Premier League title and Russian Cup in both 2005 and 2008, as well as the Russian Super Cup in 2006.

Vágner Love became the top scorer in the 2008 season (the first top scorer from outside the former Soviet Union) and the top scorer of the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, the latter with 11 goals in 8 games.[5]

Return to Palmeiras on loan

On 28 August 2009, following a run of poor form for CSKA, Vágner Love was signed by his former club Palmeiras on a one-year loan deal until 31 July 2010.[6] CSKA press spokesman Sergei Aksenov claimed that Vágner Love left Russia due to "urgent family problems demand(ing) his presence at home in Brazil".[7][8]

Vágner Love had a respectable return of 5 goals in 12 games for Palmeiras, but his loan spell was ended prematurely: After publicly stating his concern over his safety at Palmeiras due to off-field altercations with fans, as well as his desire to play for his childhood team Flamengo, the deal was ended early on 14 January 2010.[9]

Antonio Nocerino and Vágner Love

Flamengo

On 15 January 2010, the day after his loan was terminated with Palmeiras, Vágner Love officially signed a loan deal with reigning Brazilian champions Flamengo, through till July 2010.[10][11] He made his Flamengo debut against Bangu in the Campeonato Carioca on 23 January 2010, scoring two goals.

Vágner Love performed very well playing for Flamengo, scoring 23 goals in 26 matches. His successful strike partnership with Adriano was dubbed by fans as "Império do Amor", or "The Love Empire", in reference to Adriano's nickname "The Emperor" and Vágner Love's artistic surname. The presence of midfielder Dejan Petković in Flamengo's squad made supporters start the year with high expectations—it was widely believed that the Serbian's passing and free-kick abilities, coupled with Adriano's and Vagner's prolific scoring, would produce a top team. However, the team failed to advance past the quarter-finals in the 2010 Copa Libertadores.[12] Shortly after, Adriano revealed he wanted to try playing in Italy again,[13] and Flamengo could not convince CSKA to extend Vágner Love's loan, thus dismantling the once-promising "Love Empire".[14]

Return to CSKA

Love playing for CSKA

After a change of presidency, on 12 January 2013, Flamengo did not pay his pendencies of rights with CSKA, and Vágner Love had to leave the club, returning to Russia after a one-year absence.[15] On 16 January, he was "re-presented" in Moscow and signed a three-year contract extension.[16] He continued his goal scoring record with CSKA on his return to the club, and propelled the club to the Premier League title in 2013 after a goalless draw with Kuban Krasnodar on 18 May, the club's first league title since 2006.[17]

Shandong Luneng

On 24 July 2013, Vágner Love transferred to Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng[18] in a reported €12 million transfer.[19]

Corinthians

On 8 February 2015, Vágner Love rescinded his contract with Shandong Luneng and signed with Corinthians in Brazil.[20] He went on to become the top scorer of the club during the national championship as Corinthians went on to win the Série A that year.

Monaco

On 13 January 2016, Ligue 1 club Monaco announced the signing of Vágner Love on an 18-month deal for a €1 million transfer fee.[21] On 20 March, he opened the scoring in an eventual 2–0 win against Paris Saint-Germain, the Parisian club's first home defeat since May 2014.[22]

Alanyaspor

On 30 August 2016, Turkish Süper Lig club Alanyaspor reached an agreement with Monaco for the transfer of Love.[23] On 31 August 2016, he was officially presented after passed the medical.[24] Having failed to score in his first seven appearances for the club, Love scored 23 goals in 20 matches that followed to earn the Golden Boot award.

Beşiktaş

On 26 January 2018, Turkish Süper Lig club Beşiktaş reached an agreement with Alanyaspor for the transfer of Love.[25]

Return to Corinthians

On 25 January 2019, Love returned to Corinthians on a deal until the end of 2020 after rescinding his contract with Beşiktaş.[26] He rescinded his contract in June 2020.[27]

Kairat

On 8 July 2020, Kazakhstan Premier League club FC Kairat announced the signing of Vágner Love on a six-month contract, with the option to extend it.[28] On 3 November 2020, Love scored Kairat's first goal, in a 3–1 win over Ordabasy, to clinch their first Kazakhstan Premier League title since 2004.[29] On 5 November 2020, Kairat extended their contract with Vágner Love until the end of the 2021 season.[30]

Midtjylland

On 20 January 2022, Love signed an agreement to join Midtjylland on a free transfer, with a contract lasting until the end of the 2021/22 season.[31] On 22 May 2022 Midtjylland confirmed, that Love was one out of seven players, whose contracts had come to an end, and therefore would leave the club.[32]

Sport Recife

On 26 July 2022, Love returned to Brazil after two years, joining Série A side Sport Recife until the end of the year.[33]

On 6 January 2023, the forward renewed his contract with the club for another season.[34][35]

Atlético Goianiense

On 5 January 2024, Love signed a one-year contract with recently-promoted to Série A club Atlético Goianiense.[36]

International career

Vágner Love earned his first call up for the Brazil national football team for the 2004 Copa América, in a squad without the main stars to give them rest after the end of the 2003–04 season.[37] He made his debut as a substitute in the 4–1 win against Costa Rica, which was his single appearance as Brazil went on to win the competition.[38]

He did not make the final 23-man squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Following the tournament, Vágner Love was named in new manager Dunga's first squad for the national team[39] and scored his first goal for the Seleção in the same year, against Wales.[40]

The following year, he was included in Brazil's squad for the 2007 Copa América. On 7 July 2007, he scored the final goal in a 6–1 win against Chile in the quarter-finals of the competition.[41] He played his last match for the national team in that year, against Uruguay. Over the course of his international career, he amassed 20 caps and scored 4 goals.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 28 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League State league National cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Palmeiras 2002 Série A 200020
2003 Série B 291920121[lower-alpha 1]13322
2004 Série A 1181212763026
Total 4227141288116548
CSKA Moscow 2004 Russian Premier League 129009[lower-alpha 2]40[lower-alpha 3]02113
2005 2177014[lower-alpha 4]71[lower-alpha 5]04314
2006 239747[lower-alpha 2]21[lower-alpha 3]03815
2007 2313103[lower-alpha 2]31[lower-alpha 3]12817
2008 2620116[lower-alpha 2]83329
2009 133314[lower-alpha 4]31[lower-alpha 3]0217
2010 159005[lower-alpha 4]20[lower-alpha 3]02011
2011–12 259519[lower-alpha 6]11[lower-alpha 3]04011
Total 15879247573051244117
Palmeiras (loan) 2009 Série A 125000[lower-alpha 7]0125
Flamengo (loan) 2010 Série A 54141510[lower-alpha 7]42923
Flamengo 2012 Série A 36131095[lower-alpha 7]25124
CSKA Moscow 2012–13 Russian Premier League 95310[lower-alpha 4]0126
2013–14 21000[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 3]031
Total 116310010157
Shandong Luneng Taishan 2013 Chinese Super League 10600106
2014 2113745[lower-alpha 8]53322
Total 311974554328
Corinthians 2015 Série A 3114142203[lower-alpha 7]05016
Monaco 2015–16 Ligue 1 1241000134
Alanyaspor 2016–17 Süper Lig 2823002823
2017–18 1410211611
Total 4233214434
Beşiktaş 2017–18 Süper Lig 103102[lower-alpha 2]1134
2018–19 83008[lower-alpha 4]4167
Total 186101052911
Corinthians 2019 Série A 2851518110[lower-alpha 9]45911
2020 00611[lower-alpha 7]071
Total 285212811146212
Kairat 2020 Kazakhstan Premier League 147002[lower-alpha 4]31610
2021 2276512[lower-alpha 10]52[lower-alpha 11]04217
Total 361465148205827
Midtjylland 2021–22 Danish Superliga 91000091
Sport Recife 2022 Série B 177177
2023 30111253211[lower-alpha 12]55623
Career total 5182488545652912060156803388
  1. Appearances in Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appearance in Russian Super Cup
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. Appearance in UEFA Super Cup
  6. Six appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Appearance in Copa Libertadores
  8. Appearances in AFC Champions League
  9. Appearance in Copa Sudamericana
  10. Four appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League, six appearances and four goals in the UEFA Europa Conference League
  11. Appearances in Kazakhstan Super Cup
  12. Appearances in Copa do Nordeste

International

As of 1 April 2009[42][43][44]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Brazil 200410
200500
200631
2007163
Total204
Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Vágner Love goal.
List of international goals scored by Vágner Love
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
15 September 2006White Hart Lane, London, England Wales1–02–0Friendly
227 March 2007Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden Ghana1–01–0Friendly
37 July 2007Estadio José Antonio Anzoátegui, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela Chile6–16–12007 Copa América
417 October 2007Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ecuador1–05–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Vágner Love after winning the 2013 Russian Super Cup with CSKA

Palmeiras

CSKA Moscow

Shandong Luneng

Corinthians

Kairat

Sport

Brazil

Individual

References

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