Andre Santos may have only flickered his talent during the first five years of his professional career, but the left-wingback has certainly started living up to his potential since a 2008 transfer to Corinthians.
Born in Sao Paulo in 1983, he started out at Figueirense, for whom his energetic performances during their triumphant Campeonato Catirinense campaign of 2004 earned him a move to Rio de Janeiro giants Flamengo. Andre Santos failed to establish himself at O Mengão, however, and subsequently spent the 2006 season helping Atletico Mineiro seal a return to the Brazilian top flight.
Andre Santos returned to Figueirense thereafter, and his form for the Florianopolis outfit convinced Corinthians to sign him for the 2008 term. Although expected to be more of a squad player, he swiftly cemented his place in the Timão starting XI and provided a productive attacking outlet down the left flank that proved to be critical for Corinthians’ Campeonato Paulista and Copa do Brasil titles in 2009.
He received his first international call-up in May 2009, ahead of Brazil's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay and eventually snatched the starting left-wingback spot from Kleber during the FIFA Confederations Cup in June of 2009. Shortly after the victorious campaign in South Africa, Santos joined Turkish giants Fenerbahce just in time to claim the 2009 Turkish Supercup. Although he constantly plays as a winger for his club, Andre Santos remains as one of Dunga’s most reliable options at the left-wingback spot.
