| Date of birth | 17 August 1993 |
|---|---|
| Born | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Citizenship | Brazil |
| Height | 188 cm |
| Weight | 89 kg |
BIOGRAPHY
Sometimes a goalkeeper simply stands between the posts. And sometimes — he changes what people think a keeper should be. Ederson belongs to the second category.
Starting out in Brazil
Ederson Santana de Moraes was born on 17 August 1993 in Osasco, São Paulo state. He began his football journey in the São Paulo academy in 2008, but he couldn’t establish himself there. As a teenager, he went to Europe — into Benfica’s system. However, things didn’t work out immediately there either: after two years in the youth teams, he was released.
He didn’t disappear. He moved to Ribeirão (Portugal’s second division), and then — to Rio Ave. That was where his real growth began.
Breakthrough in Portugal
At Rio Ave, Ederson gradually became the first-choice goalkeeper. A run of confident performances caught Benfica’s attention, and in 2015 he returned to Lisbon. At first — as a backup. Then came the derby against Sporting and the chance he seized. After Júlio César’s injury, Ederson secured a starting role and helped Benfica win the Portuguese league title.
In the 2016/17 season he became the undisputed No. 1 and completed a domestic treble: the league, the Portuguese Cup, and the Super Cup.
The Manchester City era
In 2017, Manchester City paid £35 million for him — at the time, one of the most expensive goalkeeper transfers in history. Under Pep Guardiola he immediately became the No. 1, displacing Claudio Bravo.
Over eight seasons in England, Ederson played 372 matches and won:
- 6 Premier League titles
- 2 FA Cups
- 4 League Cups
- the UEFA Champions League (2023) — as part of a historic treble
He won the Premier League Golden Glove three years in a row (2020–2022), and in 2024 he received the FIFA The Best award as the world’s best goalkeeper.
A new chapter — Fenerbahçe
In September 2025, Ederson unexpectedly swapped England for Turkey, signing a contract with Fenerbahçe.
He made his debut in a winning match against Trabzonspor, and by January 2026 he had already claimed his first trophy with the club — the Turkish Super Cup — on the very same stadium where he had previously lifted the Champions League with City.
Brazil national team
Ederson made his debut for the national team in 2017.
His record includes:
- appearances at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups
- winning the 2019 Copa América
- reaching the 2021 Copa América final
He competed for a long time with Alisson, but established himself as one of the country’s two main goalkeepers.
Style
Ederson is not just a goalkeeper.
He:
- is superb with the ball at his feet
- launches attacks with long passes
- operates as a “sweeper-keeper”
- stays calm under pressure
He’s called a “playmaker in gloves”. And that’s no exaggeration.
Ederson is a rare example of a keeper who became a key figure in the era of positional football. He doesn’t just stop shots. He kick-starts the game.
PERSONAL LIFE
Off the pitch, Ederson is nothing like a cold machine for saves and assists. At home he’s a family man, a man of faith, and… a walking tattoo canvas.
He met his wife, Lais, in 2013, when he was playing for Rio Ave in Portugal.
It wasn’t love at first sight — as Lais later admitted. But the romance took off quickly, and within a year they got married. He was 21, she was 20.
Since then, Lais has been by his side at every stage of his career: Lisbon → Manchester → Istanbul.
The couple have three children:
- son Henrique
- daughters Yazmin and Laura
Plus four dogs. Their home is always noisy.
Lais is very active on social media and has long become a media figure in her own right, while still remaining her husband’s biggest supporter.
Ederson speaks openly about his Christian faith. He has a tattoo that reads “I belong to Jesus”. He doesn’t hide that faith helps him cope with pressure and responsibility.
His body is almost completely covered in tattoos. Among them:
- a rose and a skull on his neck
- angel wings on his back
- images of trophies won with Benfica
- religious symbols
It’s not just style — it’s an autobiography in ink.
In 2016, Ederson obtained Portuguese citizenship. It simplified his status in Europe, but he still represents Brazil at international level.
Outside the stadium, Ederson is calm, family-oriented, and quite down-to-earth. No unnecessary glamour. Just home, kids, faith, and football.
INTERESTING FACTS
Debut in a fiery match
Ederson played his first league match for Benfica… in the Lisbon derby against Sporting. It was essentially a match for top spot.
He kept a clean sheet, Benfica won 1–0 — and after that the team never gave up first place. Not every goalkeeper gets a start like that.
He “benched” a legend
After a run of strong performances, the coach kept Ederson in the starting XI even when the highly experienced Júlio César recovered. The decision was risky, but it paid off — Benfica won the title. The young keeper effectively displaced an idol of Brazilian fans.
A goalkeeper-playmaker
Ederson is one of the first modern goalkeepers whose passing became a full-fledged weapon. In 2018 he became the first Manchester City goalkeeper to register an assist in the Premier League. His long kick from his own box regularly turns into a goal-scoring attack. Former keeper Shay Given called him “the best in the world with his feet”. He doesn’t just start attacks — he builds them.
Unbelievable composure
His trademark is absolute calm. He can take the ball under intense pressure and calmly dribble past a forward. Sometimes it looks reckless. Sometimes — genius.
Scars as part of the image
In 2017, in a match against Liverpool, Sadio Mané kicked him in the face.
Ederson needed eight stitches. A week later he returned wearing a protective mask and kept playing.
Goalkeeper of a historic treble
In 2022/23 he was part of the Manchester City side that won the treble: Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League. In the Champions League he made 22 saves — the best figure of the season.
Three Golden Gloves in a row
From 2020 to 2022 he was the Premier League’s top goalkeeper for clean sheets three seasons running. Consistency is his second name.
Stadium symbolism
In 2023 he won the Champions League final at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium. In 2026 — already with Fenerbahçe — he lifted the Turkish Super Cup at the same venue. Two trophies in one stadium — with different clubs and different lives.
Seen as Brazil’s future
Brazilian legend Cláudio Taffarel, back in his Benfica days, said of him: “He has a huge future.” And he was right — Ederson became one of the leading goalkeepers of his generation.
Not perfect — and that’s his strength
Despite his elite status, Ederson has made mistakes due to overconfidence when playing out from the back. But that very quality — the willingness to take risks — is what made him unique. He plays goalkeeper as if he grew up a midfielder.
