Giovani dos Santos

For the Mexican long-distance runner, see Giovani dos Santos (athlete).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is dos Santos and the second or maternal family name is Ramírez.
Giovani dos Santos
Dos Santos with LA Galaxy in 2017
Personal information
Full name Giovani dos Santos Ramírez[1]
Date of birth (1989-05-11) 11 May 1989 (age 35)[2]
Place of birth Monterrey, Mexico
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[3]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger, striker
Youth career
Monterrey
2002–2006 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Barcelona B 27 (6)
2007–2008 Barcelona 28 (3)
2008–2012 Tottenham Hotspur 17 (0)
2009 → Ipswich Town (loan) 8 (4)
2010 → Galatasaray (loan) 14 (0)
2011 → Racing Santander (loan) 16 (5)
2012–2013 Mallorca 29 (6)
2013–2015 Villarreal 57 (12)
2015–2018 LA Galaxy 77 (26)
2019–2021 América 39 (4)
Total 312 (66)
International career
2005 Mexico U17 8 (2)
2007 Mexico U20 6 (5)
2012 Mexico U23 9 (3)
2007–2018 Mexico 106 (19)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
FIFA U-17 World Championship
Winner 2005 Peru U-17 Team
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 London Team
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner 2009 United States
Winner 2011 United States
Winner 2015 United States–Canada
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 April 2021

Giovani dos Santos Ramírez (Spanish pronunciation: [ɟʝoˈβani ðos ˈsantos] Brazilian Portuguese: [dus ˈsɐ̃tus]; born 11 May 1989) is a Mexican former professional footballer. A versatile forward, dos Santos played as an attacking midfielder, winger, and secondary striker.

Dos Santos began his football career at a very young age, being recruited by Spanish club Barcelona and played for their B team until age 18. He made his way up the ranks, eventually playing for the senior squad, making his debut in 2007. That year, he was named by World Soccer Magazine as one of the "Top 50 Most Exciting Teen Footballers".[4] After playing one season, Dos Santos was transferred to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 in search for more playing time. Though he would stay with the club until 2012, his time there was mostly spent away on loan, at Ipswich Town, Galatasaray and Racing de Santander, with varying degrees of success.[5] Spurs eventually sold dos Santos to Mallorca in 2012, and he was sold a year later to Villarreal.[6] After a three-year stint, he was sold to LA Galaxy in July 2015,[7] who went on to buy out his contract and release him prior to the 2019 season.

Dos Santos was a member of the Mexico under-17 team that won the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Peru. He made his debut for the senior national team in a 1–0 victory over Panama on 9 September 2007, and represented El Tri at the 2010, 2014, and 2018 FIFA World Cups, along with the 2013 and 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. With Mexico, Dos Santos has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2009, 2011 and 2015, scoring in the 2009 and 2011 finals and winning the MVP award in 2009. He was also a member of Mexico's team that won the gold-medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[8]

  1. ^ "Gi̇ovani dos Santos Rami̇rez". Turkish Football Federation. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Giovani". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Giovani dos Santos: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Top 50 Most Exciting Teen Footballers (2007)". Soccerlens. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
  5. ^ Tucker, Duncan (24 August 2012). "Why Tottenham Hotspur Should Keep Giovani dos Santos". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  6. ^ Evelyn, Jen. "The Rebirth of Giovani Dos Santos". Inside Spanish Football. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  7. ^ "LA Galaxy sign Giovani dos Santos". LA Galaxy. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Olympics football: Mexico shock Brazil to win gold". bbc.com. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2014.