Madjer
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | João Victor Saraiva | ||
| Date of birth | 22 January 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Luanda, Angola | ||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2007 | Cavalieri del Mare | ||
| 2003 | Pernambuco | ||
| 2008 | Milano Beach Soccer | ||
| 2008 | Rio de Janeiro | ||
| 2009 | Cavalieri del Mare | ||
| 2010–2012 | Sporting CP | ||
| 2010 | São Paulo | ||
| 2010 | AS Roma | ||
| 2010 | Torres Novas | ||
| 2010 | Lokomotiv Moscow | ||
| 2011 | Alanyaspor | ||
| 2011 | Al-Ahli Dubai | ||
| 2012 | Botafogo | ||
| 2012–2013 | Beşiktaş | ||
| 2013–2014 | Lokomotiv Moscow | ||
| 2014–2019 | Sporting CP | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 1998–2019 | Portugal | 587 | (1082) |
Medal record | |||
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21 July 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 24 December 2019 | |||
João Victor Saraiva (born 22 January 1977), better known as Madjer, is a Portuguese retired beach soccer player. He played in the forward position, and has won numerous awards at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups for his goalscoring abilities. He took the nickname Madjer because his idol is the former Algerian player Rabah Madjer. He has often been hailed as the best-ever beach soccer player.[1] He became the first player to score 1000 international beach soccer career goals in an 8–1 win against England in September 2016.
In 2019, he was considered, by the prestigious magazine France Football, to be the best beach soccer player of all time.[2]
Early life and background
Madjer was born in Luanda, Angola, but moved to Portugal at a young age. He began his football career in conventional 11-a-side football and futsal before fully transitioning to beach soccer in the late 1990s. His acrobatic style, combining height (1.94 m) with exceptional agility, volley technique, overhead kicks, and bicycle kicks, quickly made him one of the most recognisable figures in the sport.[3][4]
International career
Madjer has an extraordinary agility and dribbling talent in contrast to his height (194 cm). Besides, he is very capable in acrobatic finishes such as volleys, over-head kicks and bicycle kicks.[5] His skills provide a vital contribution for his team while competing in EBSL, Mundialito, and above all the Beach Soccer World Championship.
At the 2005, 2006, and 2008 World Cups Madjer won the golden boot for most goals scored in the tournament, and, he also was the MVP of EBSL last season in 1999, 2006, 2008 and 2009.
He retired from the sport after winning the 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in a victory over Italy.[6]
Post-retirement
Following his retirement, Madjer was appointed beach soccer coordinator by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) in February 2020, where he has focused on youth development and the growth of the sport in Portugal.[7] He also organises the annual Madjer Youth Beach Soccer Cup, an international youth tournament aimed at discovering and nurturing new talent.[8]
Statistics
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Honours
Club
- Cavalieri del Mare Beach Soccer
- Scudetto
- 2005
- Circuito Nacional de Futebol de Praia
- 2010, 2016
- Russian National Beach Soccer Championship
- 2011;
- Euro Winners Cup: 2013
- Alanya[11]
- Turkish National Beach Soccer Championship
- 2011
- UAE National Beach Soccer Championship: 2012, 2013, 2014. 2015[12]
- UAE President's Cup: 2014
- UAE Supercup: 2014
- Instanbul Beach Soccer Cup: 2015[13]
- Mundialito de Clubes: 2015 (3rd)[14]
- Beach Soccer Championships (Oceanside) USA Cup: 2016[15]
- Turkish National Beach Soccer Championship
- 2013
Country
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (3): 2001, 2015, 2019
- Euro Beach Soccer League (6): 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2019
- Euro Beach Soccer Cup (6): 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
- European Games (Gold Medal): 2019
- BSWW Mundialito (4): 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012
- Copa Latina (1): 2000
Individual
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Golden Ball (2): 2005, 2006
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Silver Ball (2): 2007, 2009
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bronze Ball (1): 2015
- Beach Soccer World Championships Top Scorer (2): 2002, 2004
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Golden Shoe (3): 2005, 2006, 2008
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Silver Shoe (3): 2009, 2011, 2015
- Beach Soccer MVP (3): 2003, 2005, 2006
- Beach Soccer Best Player of the Year (2): 2015, 2016
- Beach Soccer Goal of the Year (1): 2015
- Beach Soccer Team of the Year (2): 2015, 2016
- Euro Beach Soccer League MVP (5): 1999, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
- Euro Beach Soccer League Top Scorer (6): 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009
- Euro Beach Soccer League Fair Play Award (1): 2005
- Euro Beach Soccer League Portuguese Event Top Scorer (1): 2007
- Euro Beach Soccer League French Event Top Scorer (1): 2007
- Euro Beach Soccer League Spanish Event Top Scorer (1): 2004
- Euro Beach Soccer Cup Top Scorer (4): 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012
- FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA) Top Scorer (1): 2011
- Mundialito MVP (6): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
- Mundialito Top Scorer (5): 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012
- Copa Latina MVP (2): 1999, 2000
- Capocannoniere Serie A (2): 2008, 2009
- Capocannoniere Coppa Italia (1): 2008
- Russian National Beach Soccer Championship MVP (1): 2011
- Turkish National Beach Soccer Championship MVP (2): 2012, 2013
- UAE National Beach Soccer Championship Top Scorer (1): 2012
- Mundialito de Clubes Top Scorer (1): 2012
- Beach Soccer Championships (Oceanside) USA Cup MVP (1): 2016[16]
References
- ^ "Madjer: I'll be proud to represent Portugal and beach soccer". FIFA. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ https://www.zerozero.pt/news.php?id=265748(in Portuguese)
- ^ Webb, Tom (2015). "Portugal Beach Soccer Star Madjer Scores Outrageous Bicycle-Kick Goal". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Madjer: the legend who redefined beach soccer". Beach Soccer Worldwide. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ Webb, Tom. "Portugal Beach Soccer Star Madjer Scores Outrageous Bicycle-Kick Goal". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Thanks for the memories – Beach Soccer Worldwide". Beach Soccer Worldwide. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Madjer becomes FPF's beach soccer coordinator". Beach Soccer Worldwide. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Madjer Youth Beach Soccer Cup – Official Site". Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Beach Soccer RÚssia: Lokomotiv Moscou Conquista o TÍtulo da TaÇa da RÚssia!" [Beach Soccer Russia: Lokomotiv Moscow Wins Russian Cup Title] (in Portuguese). Grupo Globo. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Lokomotiv become Russian Champions". BSWW. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "BEACH SOCCER Record-Turquia". record. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012.
- ^ "Al Ahli Beach Soccer from DUBAI". www.beachsoccerusa.org. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Al-Ahli reigns supreme in Istanbul Beach Soccer Cup". www.beachsoccer.com. 21 September 2015. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "FC Barcelona, champions of the Mundialito de Clubes!". www.beachsoccer.com. 13 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Al Ahli wins The Beach Soccer USA Cup". beachsoccerusa.org. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "The Beach Soccer USA Cup". beachsoccerusa.org. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2026.