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Junior Pius

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Junior Pius
Personal information
Full name Junior Udeme Pius[1]
Date of birth (1995-12-20) 20 December 1995 (age 28)[1]
Place of birth Eman, Nigeria[1]
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Chaves
Number 40
Youth career
2013–2014 Porto
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Porto B 0 (0)
2014–2015 → Aves (loan) 7 (0)
2015–2016 Cesarense 23 (1)
2016–2017 Sanjoanense 31 (4)
2017–2018 Tondela 3 (0)
2018–2019 Paços Ferreira 29 (3)
2019–2022 Antwerp 6 (2)
2021–2022 → Sint-Truiden (loan) 14 (0)
2023–2024 Botoșani 26 (0)
2024– Chaves 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:02, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

Junior Udeme Pius listenⓘ (born 20 December 1995) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Chaves.

Club career

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Born in Eman, Akwa Ibom, Pius finished his development in Portugal with FC Porto.[2] On 1 September 2014, he was loaned to C.D. Aves to kickstart his senior career,[3] making his Segunda Liga debut on 5 October in a 0–0 away draw against C.D. Santa Clara where he was sent off for two late bookable offences.[4]

Released by Porto at the end of the season, Pius took his game to the Portuguese third division, representing in quick succession F.C. Cesarense and A.D. Sanjoanense. In the summer of 2017 he moved straight to the Primeira Liga, signing a three-year contract with C.D. Tondela.[5] He played his first game in the latter competition on 16 September, when he came on as a 31st-minute substitute in a 2–0 away loss to Sporting CP.[6]

In December 2017, while nursing a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee contracted in a friendly against S.C. Covilhã two months earlier,[7] Pius was caught stealing from a fund containing player fines of various types, this allegedly being the third time the incident had occurred with him. He was immediately suspended by the club, also being forbidden from attending its facilities.[8]

Pius joined second-tier side F.C. Paços de Ferreira on 10 August 2018.[9] He helped them to win promotion as champions, contributing three goals to this feat.[10][11]

On 28 June 2019, Pius agreed to a four-year deal at Belgian Pro League's Royal Antwerp FC, with an option for a further year.[12] In February 2021, after failing to make an impact, he was sent on loan to fellow top-flight Sint-Truidense V.V. until 30 June, with a buying option;[13] the move was extended for the entire 2021–22 campaign,[14] and his contract was terminated at its closure.[15]

On 8 March 2023, after six months as a free agent, Pius joined Romanian Liga I club FC Botoșani.[15] He returned to Portugal and its main division in January 2024, on a six-month contract with G.D. Chaves that could be renewed for another year.[16]

Honours

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Paços de Ferreira

Antwerp

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "J. Pius" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Júnior Pius a ser negociado" [Negotiations for Júnior Pius]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 1 June 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  3. ^ "FC Porto empresta Júnior Pius ao Desp. Aves" [FC Porto loan Júnior Pius to Desp. Aves]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 1 September 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Santa Clara-Aves, 0–0: Reinou a ineficácia" [Santa Clara-Aves, 0–0: Inefficiency ruled]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 October 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Tondela anuncia chegada de Junior Pius" [Tondela announce arrival of Junior Pius] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Sporting 2–0 Tondela" (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Tondela: Junior Pius com "época comprometida"" [Tondela: Junior Pius' "season in danger"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 14 October 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  8. ^ Diogo, Conceição (8 December 2017). "Tondela proíbe Junior Pius de frequentar instalações do clube" [Tondela forbid Junior Pius from attending club's facilities]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  9. ^ "Paços de Ferreira contrata Junior Pius" [Paços de Ferreira sign Junior Pius]. Record (in Portuguese). 10 August 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  10. ^ "FC Paços de Ferreira sagrou-se campeão nacional da II Liga" [FC Paços de Ferreira crowned II League national champions] (in Portuguese). Verdadeiro Olhar. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Júnior Pius ruma ao Antuérpia" [Júnior Pius heads for Antwerp]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 June 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  12. ^ "OFICIAL: Junior Pius depois do Paços Ferreira assina pelo Antuérpia" [OFFICIAL: after Paços de Ferreira, Junior Pius signs for Antwerp] (in Portuguese). Televisão Independente. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Junior Pius trekt op huurbasis naar STVV" [Junior Pius moves to STVV on a loan basis] (in Dutch). Royal Antwerp F.C. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Junior Pius trekt op huurbasis naar STVV" [Junior Pius moves to STVV on a loan basis] (in Dutch). Royal Antwerp F.C. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  15. ^ a b Olteanu, Ștefan-Adrian (8 March 2023). "FC Botoșani a oficializat al doilea transfer în mai puțin de 24 de ore! Și-a adus fundaș cu meciuri în primele ligi din Portugalia și Belgia" [FC Botoșani have confirmed second transfer in less than 24 hours! They brought in defender with matches in the first leagues of Portugal and Belgium]. ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  16. ^ Malacó, Pedro (16 January 2024). "Júnior Pius oficializado no Chaves" [Júnior Pius made official at Chaves]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Paços de Ferreira campeão da II Liga" [Paços de Ferreira II League champions]. O Minho (in Portuguese). 19 May 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  18. ^ Van Laeken, Frank (3 August 2020). "Antwerp countert ideeëloos Club" [Antwerp best clueless Club]. De Standaard (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
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