Vinícius Bergantin

Vinícius

File:ViniciusP1000180.JPG
Personal information
Full name	Vinícius Bergantin
Date of birth	(1980-07-31) 31 July 1980
Place of birth	Salto, São Paulo, Brazil
Height
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Free agent
Youth career
1998–2000	Ituano
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000	Ituano	24	(3)
2001	São Caetano	2	(1)
2002	Gama	19	(0)
2002–2003	→ Hannover 96 (loan)	17	(2)
2003–2010	Hannover 96	144	(9)
2011	Americana	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 November 2011

Vinícius Bergantin (born 31 July 1980 in Salto) is a Brazilian football player who last played for Brazilian Série B side Americana Futebol.

Career

Vinícius began his career at the academy of Ituano Futebol Clube in 1998 and signed a professional deal at the club in 2000 after impressing the coaching staff there. His first and only season at the club was very successful, as he impressed many with his ability to make forward runs and finished the season with three league goals in twenty-four appearances. This good form attracted the interest of other clubs, including Associação Desportiva São Caetano, who signed him in 2001.

However Vinícius rarely featured for São Caetano, making just two league appearances and scoring once. In 2002 he was signed by Sociedade Gama. Here he regularly made appearances for the club, taking part in nineteen games in the league without scoring. He was showing a lot of potential and European clubs began to show an interest. Gama agreed to loan Vinícius out to German Bundesliga outfit Hannover 96 for the 2002–03 season. He made seventeen appearances, scoring twice during this loan spell and impressed the manager at the time. Hannover signed Vinícius for £700,000 in 2003. Vinícius had a Spinal disc herniation and so he could not play from 2008–2010. Hannover 96 did not extend his contract because of his injury, but he is at the team to keep in shape.

Three months after being without a club since his departure from Hannover, he joined the Americana Futebol in January 2011.