 Érika in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Érika Cristiano dos Santos[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1988-02-04)4 February 1988 (age 38)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Corinthians | ||
| Number | 99 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Associação Sabesp | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2004 | Juventus | ||
| 2005–2008 | Santos | ||
| 2009 | FC Gold Pride | 7 | (0) |
| 2009 | Santos | ||
| 2010 | Foz Cataratas | ||
| 2011 | Santos | ||
| 2012–2015 | Centro Olímpico | 11 | (1) |
| 2015–2018 | Paris Saint-Germain | 45 | (9) |
| 2018– | Corinthians | 89 | (12) |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2008 | Brazil U-20 | ||
| 2006–2021 | Brazil | 87 | (16) |
Medal record | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 06 February 2026 | |||
Érika Cristiano dos Santos (born 4 February 1988), commonly known asÉrika, is a Brazilian professionalfootballer who plays forCorinthians and theBrazilian women's national team. Érika played as aforward for her clubs and Brazil's youth teams, but mainly as acentral defender or "volante" (defensive midfielder) for the senior national team. She was part of Brazil's silver medal-winning team at the2008 Beijing Olympics and also played at the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, the2012 London Olympics, the2016 Rio Olympics, and the2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At the club level, Érika enjoyed three successful spells withSantos and was hurt when themale parent club disbanded the female section in 2012. She also spent the2009 season with AmericanWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS) franchiseFC Gold Pride. After the demise of Santos, Érika and nine other former Santos players agreed to joinCentro Olímpico. She played forParis Saint-Germain between 2015 and 2018 before returning to Brazil withCorinthians.
At six years old, Érika became the first female pupil atMarcelinho Carioca's football school. She then playedfutebol de salão for Associação Sabesp, where the rules were changed to allow her to compete against adults at the age of 12. Érika's mother arranged a place atClube Atlético Juventus, where she began playing outdoors and quickly came to the attention of national youth team selectors and leading women's clubSantos.[4] With Santos Érika won theCampeonato Paulista in 2007 and the2008 Copa do Brasil.
Érika was picked byFC Gold Pride, a team in the newWomen's Professional Soccer fromSanta Clara, California, in the2008 WPS International Draft. The team's assistant coach wasSissi, Érika's compatriot and mentor. After appearing in seven FC Gold Pride games during2009, Érika was made afree agent at the season's close bycoachAlbertin Montoya.[5]
She returned to Santos and was part of the club's2009 Copa Libertadores Femenina-winning team in November 2009, scoring twice in the 9–0 final win overUAA. The following month Santos retained the Copa do Brasil after beatingBotucatu 3–0 in the final atEstádio do Pacaembu.[6]
In early 2012, Santos'board of directors scrapped the women's section to save money after the club handed their male playerNeymar a gigantic new contract. Érika was surprised and hurt by the development. Shecried at thepress conference announcement and publicly contemplated a contract offer from aSouth Korean club.[7]
With Neymar's assistance, Érika and the displaced Santos players secured around $1,500,000 in externalsponsorship. But Santos' board refused to reverse their decision, claiming that the women's team cost $2,000,000 a year to run and provided no financial return. Instead ten of the players including Érika moved toCentro Olímpico.[8]
In late 2013, Érika suffered ananterior cruciate ligament injury, which kept her out of football for around ten months, until September 2014.[9] In August 2015 Érika and compatriotCristiane made a doubletransfer to FrenchUEFA Women's Champions League contendersParis Saint-Germain Féminines.[10] Both were named in the2015–16French Football Federation Team of the Season.[11] In January 2017 Paris Saint-Germain agreed to release Érika from the final six months of her contract, as she had returned to Brazil to rehabilitate an injury.[12]
In July 2017, having recovered, she agreed to return to Paris Saint-Germain on a new one-year contract.[13] She made 20 appearances in2017–18, including the 1–0Coupe de France Féminine final win over rivalsLyon.[14] On the expiry of her contract she returned to Brazil for surgery onovarian cysts. She had an offer from a Chinese club but preferred to stay close to her family after three years away. She accepted an offer to joinCorinthians and remarked upon a "gigantic evolution" in Brazilian club football since she moved away to France.[15]
Érika became an important part of a successful team at Corinthians, the club she supported.[16] She suffered another anterior cruciate ligament injury in November 2021, when training with Corinthians inParaguay during the2021 Copa Libertadores Femenina.[17] She returned to fitness, almost a year later, in time for the2022 Copa Libertadores Femenina.[18]
At 15 years old, Érika played for Brazil at the2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship. She also featured at the2006 edition of the event, which had changed to under-20 from under-19, as Brazil came third. Still eligible in2008, Érika scored two goals in Brazil's run to the quarter-finals and was named in the tournamentall-star team. She had been the joint top goal scorer with seven goals at the2008 South American Under-20 Women's Football Championship, which served as the qualifying tournament.[19]
In November 2006, Érika made her senior international debut inBrazil's 6–1South American Women's Football Championship win overBolivia atEstadio José María Minella,Mar del Plata.[20] She was withdrawn from Brazil's2007 Pan American Games squad two days before the tournament, with injured ankle ligaments.[4]
At the2008 edition of theOlympic Football Tournament, Érika replacedAndréia Rosa in central defence after the first match. She remained in the team and collected a silver medal when Brazil lost the final 1–0 afterextra time to theUnited States.[21]
In November 2010, Érika scored Brazil's first goal in a 5–02010 South American Women's Football Championship win overColombia, which ensured qualification for the following year'sFIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.[22]
At the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, Érika scored Brazil's opening goal in a 3–0 win overEquatorial Guinea. Brazil then lost a controversial quarter-final onpenalties to the United States after a 2–2 draw. American players, supporters and media were unhappy that Érika appeared to exaggerate an injury during extra time to use up valuable seconds. Érika was shown theyellow card and thenAbby Wambach equalised in time which the referee had added on for the contentious injury.[23]
Érika went to her second Olympic football tournament atLondon 2012.FIFA.com described her as one of the team's key players.[24] Amidst allegations of a broken downbus plot,[25] Brazil lost their final group E game 1–0 to hostsGreat Britain before a record crowd of 70,584 atWembley Stadium. That meant a quarter-final against World Cup holdersJapan, who eliminated Brazil by winning 2–0 at Cardiff'sMillennium Stadium.
She returned to the national team for the2014 Torneio Internacional de Brasília de Futebol Feminino after almost two years away with injuries. She recalled playing in every outfield position for the national team, except on thewings, and was happy to keep fitting in where required.[26] On the eve of the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Érika sustained a knee injury and was replaced in the squad byRafinha.[27]
Érika recovered from her injury and was named to the Brazil squad for the2016 Summer Olympics, her third Olympic tournament. She appeared in two matches, including the bronze medal match, which hosts Brazil lost 2–1 to Canada.[28] Érika arrived at Brazil's training camp for the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup with a sprained ankle, then suffered a calf injury. She was removed from the squad and replaced byDaiane Limeira.[29]
At the2020 Summer Olympics, postponed until 2021 by theCOVID-19 pandemic, Érika participated in her fourth Olympic Games.[30]
Updated 30 July 2021.[20][31][32][33][34][35][36]
| Brazil national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2006 | 5 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 10 | 1 |
| 2009 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010 | 8 | 1 |
| 2011 | 9 | 5 |
| 2012 | 11 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 5 | 1 |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 | 12 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 83 | 15 |
| Key(expand for notes on "international goals" and sorting) | |
|---|---|
| Location | Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred Sorted by country name first, then by city name |
| Lineup | Start – played entire match onminute (offplayer) – substituted on at theminute indicated, andplayer was substituted off at the same time offminute (onplayer) – substituted off at theminute indicated, andplayer was substituted on at the same time |
| # | NumberOfGoals.goalNumber scored by the player in the match (alternate notation toGoal in match) |
| Min | The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal. |
| Assist/pass | The ball was passed by the player, whichassisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information. |
| penalty orpk | Goal scored onpenalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.) |
| Score | The match score after the goal was scored. Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team |
| Result | The final score. Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation |
| aet | The score at the end ofextra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation |
| pso | Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parentheses; the match was tied at the end of extra-time |
| Green background color –exhibition or closed door international friendly match | |
| Yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament | |
| Red background color – Olympic women's football qualification match | |
| Light-blue background color – FIFA women's world cup qualification match | |
| Pink background color – Olympic women's football tournament | |
| Blue background color – FIFA women's world cup final tournament | |
NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player | |
Goal | Date | Location | Opponent | # | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-06-15 | Suwon, South Korea |  Italy | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 2–1 | 2008 Peace Queen Cup |
| 2 | 2009-12-13 | São Paulo, Brazil |  Mexico | 1.1 | 5250.02005 2–0 | 5450.04005 3–2 | Torneio Internacional 2009 |
| 3 | 2010-11-19 | Latacunga, Ecuador |  Colombia | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 5–0 | Copa America 2010 |
| 4 | 2011-07-06 | Frankfurt, Germany |  Equatorial Guinea | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 3–0 | 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| 5 | 2011-12-08 | São Paulo, Brazil | Italy | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–1 | 5450.04005 5–1 | Torneio Internacional 2011 |
| 6 | 2011-12-11 | São Paulo, Brazil |  Chile | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Torneio Internacional 2011 |
| 7 | 2011-12-18 | São Paulo, Brazil |  Denmark | 2.1 | 5250.02005 1–1 | 5450.04005 2–1 | Torneio Internacional 2011 |
| 8 | 2.2 | 5350.03005 2–1 | |||||
| 9 | 2012-12-16 | São Paulo, Brazil | Denmark | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 2–1 | Torneio Internacional 2012 |
| 10 | 2015-12-01 | Cuiabá, Brazil |  New Zealand | 1.1 | 5250.02005 2–1 | 5450.04005 5–1 | Friendly game |
| 11 | 2017-11-25 | Ovalle, Chile | Chile | 1.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 4–0 | Friendly game |
| 12 | 2018-4-13 | Coquimbo, Chile |  Bolivia | 2.1 | 5250.02005 1–0 | 5450.04005 7–0 | 2018 Copa América Femenina |
| 13 | 2.2 | 5350.03005 5–0 | |||||
| 14 | 2019-08-29 | São Paulo, Brazil |  Argentina | 1.1 | 5250.02005 4–0 | 5450.04005 5–0 | 2019 International Women's Football Tournament |
| 15 | 2020-12-01 | São Paulo, Brazil |  Ecuador | 1.1 | 5250.02005 8–0 | 5450.04005 8–0 | Friendly game |
Érika is an outspoken advocate ofwomen's football in Brazil. When Brazil lost 5–1 to Germany at the2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, she rejected misleading comparisons tothe wealthy male team's recent 7–1 defeat by Germany at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In a damningopen letter, signed by 100 female athletes, she branded Brazil "a sexist and bigoted country that never believed in, accepted, or invested properly in women's football".[37]
One of Érika's coaches at youth level wasMarcinha, a pioneering veteran ofEC Radar and Brazil's1991 FIFA Women's World Cup squad.[38]
Santos
Paris Saint-Germain
Corinthians
Brazil
Reserva na estréia, a jogadora entrou no lugar de Andria Rosa na segunda partida e não saiu mais do time. Com ela, a seleção chegou até a final olímpica, depois de golear a Alemanha na semifinal, mas perdeu o ouro novemante para as norte-americanas.
Em um país machista e preconceituoso que nunca acreditou, aceitou ou investiu de verdade no futebol feminino
Brazil squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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