Sérgio Araújo


Sérgio Araújo de Melo, usually known as Sérgio Araújo, was an association football winger. He is currently a farmer in Brazil.

Playing career

Having been born and raised in the region of Minas Gerais it was in the famous club Atlético Mineiro that Sérgio Araújo started to show his speed and moves, scoring goals and assisting his teammates. Naturally Sérgio was picked by Brazilian manager to play for his national team, playing his first international match against Uruguay. In the following month he scored his first goal for Brazil against Bolivia. His final international match was in December 1987 against West Germany. During this short period he played 10 international matches, playing aside well known players such as Douglas, Bebeto, Valdo, Raí, Müller and Ricardo Gomes. At Atlético Mineiro he, as well as Aílton, was part of the team that won the Conmebol Cup in 1992. Between 1988 and 1989, he played 39 games and scored nine goals for Flamengo.
In late 1993, Sérgio Araújo moved to Portuguese club Vitória Setúbal, joining a team where Yekini was the star. He played his first match against Benfica in an astonishing 5–2 win, scoring one goal in his debut. Araújo played around 20 games that season, only scoring for 3 times.
Just before the 1994–1995 season, the Nigerian striker Yekini moved to Olympiacos Piraeus, and the team was severely weakened. Vitória Setúbal only won three games, and was relegated. Sérgio Araújo, due to several injuries could not be of great help to the club, and was dismissed in the end of the season.
He ended his career in Brazil, returning to Minas Gerais to be a successful farm owner.
Besides having played for Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo and Vitória de Setúbal, he has also played for Fluminense, Vasco, Grêmio, Guarani, Ponte Preta, XV de Piracicaba, América, Internacional de Limeira, Villa Nova, and Serra.

Managerial career

After retiring, he worked for two years as Operário 's manager, leaving the club in 2008 to work as Villa Nova's youth squad manager.

Honours