Kaiky Fernandes Melo (born 12 January 2004), simply known as Kaiky, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a centre-back for Segunda División club Almería.

Kaiky
Kaiky with Santos in 2022
Personal information
Full name Kaiky Fernandes Melo
Date of birth (2004-01-12) 12 January 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Santos, Brazil
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
Almería
Number 4
Youth career
Portuários
2013–2021 Santos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Santos 33 (1)
2022– Almería 30 (1)
2024Albacete (loan) 12 (0)
International career
2019 Brazil U15 7 (0)
2022– Brazil U20 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:44, 14 June 2022 (UTC)

Club career

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Santos

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Born in Santos, São Paulo, Kaiky joined Santos' youth setup from local side Portuários.[1] Initially playing futsal, he started to appear in the club's football categories at the age of nine.[2]

On 21 December 2020, Kaiky signed his first professional contract with Peixe, agreeing to a three-year deal.[3] He made his professional debut the following 28 February, starting in a 2–2 Campeonato Paulista away draw against Santo André.[4]

On his Copa Libertadores debut on 9 March 2021, Kaiky started and scored his first professional goal, netting the winner in a 2–1 home success over Deportivo Lara;[5] aged 17 years, one month and 25 days, he became the youngest Brazilian to score in the competition and second overall, only behind Juan Carlos Cárdenas;[6] his record was broken in the following month by teammate Ângelo.

Kaiky made his Série A debut on 29 May 2021, starting in a 0–3 away loss against Bahia.[7] On 27 April 2022, after establishing himself in the first team squad, he renewed his contract until December 2026.[8]

Almería

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On 11 July 2022, Santos agreed to transfer Kaiky to Spanish La Liga side UD Almería for a rumoured fee of 7 million.[9] The move was officially announced eight days later, with the player signing a six-year deal.[10]

Kaiky made his debut abroad on 14 August 2022, starting in a 2–1 home loss to Real Madrid.[11] He scored his first professional goal on 26 August 2023, netting a last-minute equalizer in a 1–1 away draw against Cádiz.

On 1 February 2024, Kaiky was loaned to Segunda División side Albacete for the remainder of the season.[12]

International career

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Kaiky was called up to the under-15 team in 2019, and featured in the 2019 South American U-15 Championship for the side as captain.[13] He featured in six matches during the tournament as his side lifted the trophy.

In 2020, Kaiky was called multiple times to the under-17s, in a training period ahead of the 2021 South American U-17 Championship.[14]

Career statistics

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As of match played 26 September 2023[15]
Club Season League State league[a] National cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Santos 2021 Série A 15 0 7 0 2 0 13[c] 1 37 1
2022 1 0 10 1 3 0 3[d] 0 17 1
Total 16 0 17 1 5 0 16 1 54 2
Almería 2022–23 La Liga 13 0 1 0 14 0
2023–24 3 1 0 0 3 1
Total 16 1 1 0 17 1
Career total 32 1 17 1 6 0 16 1 71 3
  1. ^ Includes Campeonato Paulista
  2. ^ Includes Copa do Brasil, Copa del Rey
  3. ^ Ten appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores, three appearances in Copa Sudamericana
  4. ^ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

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International

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Brazil U15

References

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  1. ^ "Santos: Conheça o zagueiro capitão da seleção sub-15 que já joga no sub-20" [Santos: know the captain of the under-15 national team who already plays in the under-20s] (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL Esporte. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Joia 2021: Santos prepara novo "xerife" para zaga com contrato longo e experiência" [Pearl 2021: Santos prepare new "sheriff" for the defense with long contract and experience] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Promessa da base, zagueiro de 16 anos do Santos assina primeiro contrato profissional" [Prospect of the youth setup, 16-year-old stopper of Santos signs first professional contract] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Sob olhar de Holan, garotos do Santos estreiam com empate contra Santo André" [Watched by Holan, Santos' kids debut with draw against Santo André] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 28 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Santos bate Deportivo Lara com gols de garotos e larga em vantagem na Libertadores" [Santos defeat Deportivo Lara with goals from kids and go in advantage in the Libertadores] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Muito futuro: Ângelo e Kaiky quebram marcas pelo Santos na Libertadores" [Too much future: Ângelo and Kaiky break landmarks for Santos in the Libertadores] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Bahia atropela o Santos em sete minutos e larga com vitória no Brasileirão" [Bahia run over Santos in seven minutes and start with a victory in the Brasileirão] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Santos FC acerta renovação de Kaiky por mais três anos" [Santos FC agree the renewal of Kaiky for three more years] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Santos acerta venda de Kaiky para o Almería, da Espanha" [Santos agree transfer of Kaiky to Almería, from Spain] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Kaiky se convierte en nuevo jugador de la UD Almería" [Kaiky becomes the new player of UD Almería] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  11. ^ Rodríguez, José María (14 August 2022). "Alaba levanta de la silla al Madrid" [Alaba lifts Madrid from the chair]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Kaiky jugará en el Albacete hasta final de temporada" [Kaiky will play at Albacete until the end of the season] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Capitão da Seleção Sub-15, Kaiky exalta consistência da equipe" [Captain of the under-15 national team, Kaiky praises consistency of the team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). CBF. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Kaiky Fernandes volta a ser convocado para a Seleção Sub-17" [Kaiky Fernandes is called up to the under-17 national team again] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário do Peixe. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  15. ^ Kaiky at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
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