# Anderson (footballer, born 1988)
**Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira** (born 1988), known simply as Anderson, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder, most notably for Manchester United between 2007 and 2015, winning four Premier League titles and the 2008 [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league).[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/27258/anderson/video) • [2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html) Born in [Porto Alegre](https://www.edgepedia.org/porto-alegre), he was left-footed and began his career at Grêmio before moving to [FC Porto](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-porto) and then, at 18, to England for a reported fee of €30 million.[3](https://fbref.com/en/players/ffcbeb74/Anderson) • [4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira, born 1988 in Porto Alegre, Brazil[3](https://fbref.com/en/players/ffcbeb74/Anderson) |
| Position and foot | Midfielder; preferred foot left[3](https://fbref.com/en/players/ffcbeb74/Anderson) |
| Clubs | Grêmio, FC Porto, Manchester United (2007–2015, with a loan to Fiorentina), Internacional, Coritiba (loan), Adana Demirspor[2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html) • [4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) |
| Manchester United record | 181 appearances in all competitions; 105 Premier League appearances with 5 goals and 7 assists[5](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37489425/anderson-talks-espn-fc-manchester-united-career) • [1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/27258/anderson/video) |
| Major honors | 4 Premier League titles, 2007–08 UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup 2008, 2 League Cups, 2 Community Shields, Copa América[2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html) • [4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) |
| Individual award | Golden Boy award, 2008, given to the best young player in Europe[6](https://as.com/futbol/del-estrellato-precoz-al-olvido-n/) |
| International | Brazil senior team, Copa América winner; bronze medal with Brazil at the 2008 Beijing Olympics[4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) • [7](https://football.fandom.com/wiki/Anderson_%28born_1988%29) |
| Retirement | Retired in September 2019 at age 31 while at Adana Demirspor of the Turkish second division[4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) |
## Early career and Grêmio
Anderson came through the youth ranks of Grêmio in his home city of Porto Alegre and made his first-team debut in 2004.[8](https://ge.globo.com/rs/futebol/noticia/ex-dupla-gre-nal-anderson-se-aposenta-na-turquia-e-cogita-virar-dirigente.ghtml) In 2005, still a teenager, he entered Grêmio folklore by scoring the goal in the Batalha dos Aflitos, the decisive match that took Grêmio back to the Brazilian Série A.[8](https://ge.globo.com/rs/futebol/noticia/ex-dupla-gre-nal-anderson-se-aposenta-na-turquia-e-cogita-virar-dirigente.ghtml) The Guardian later described him as the star of Porto Alegre's local youth leagues, courted by a battalion of agents.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/mar/30/newsstory.sport)
## FC Porto
In June 2005, at 17, Anderson signed with FC Porto. Porto's announcement recorded an agreement with Grêmio for the acquisition of 70 percent of his sporting rights, with a contract of three years plus two option years, the maximum FIFA regulations allowed for a minor at the time.[10](https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/fc-porto-confirma-medio-anderson.html) The Guardian reports that Porto had struck a deal with the agent [Jorge Mendes](https://www.edgepedia.org/jorge-mendes) jointly to buy the player's registration for €8 million before he traveled to the 2005 Under-17 tournament in Peru.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/mar/30/newsstory.sport) A European Commission transfer study gives the fee as €5 million, and the two figures have circulated without reconciliation.[11](https://www.sport.ee/et/file/3989cf21c72160f8a1c3bb00eb9c9f33/consstudytransfersfinalrpt.pdf)
He spent two seasons in Portugal, making 18 [Primeira Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/primeira-liga) appearances with 2 goals and 4 assists in 1,031 minutes, and won two Portuguese league titles and two Portuguese Cups.[2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html) • [9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/mar/30/newsstory.sport) With Brazil he had won the South American Under-17 Championship in 2005 and reached the final of the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship, which Brazil lost to Mexico.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/mar/30/newsstory.sport) • [2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html)
## Manchester United
**Move to England.** Manchester United signed Anderson from Porto on 2 July 2007, when he was 18, for a reported fee of €30 million.[4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) • [12](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/anderson_oliveira.html) He inherited the number 8 shirt and made his debut on 1 September 2007 in a 1-0 home league win over [Sunderland](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunderland).[12](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/anderson_oliveira.html)
**Trophies.** In his first season in England he won a double of the Premier League and the Champions League, and he went on to collect four Premier League titles, one [FIFA Club World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-club-world-cup), two League Cups, and two Community Shields during eight years at the club.[6](https://as.com/futbol/del-estrellato-precoz-al-olvido-n/) • [2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html) In 2008 he received the Golden Boy award for the best young player in Europe.[6](https://as.com/futbol/del-estrellato-precoz-al-olvido-n/)
**Moscow 2008.** In the Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow on 21 May 2008, with the score level at 1-1, Anderson came on as a substitute in the last minute of extra time after [Ryan Giggs](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-giggs) told manager Sir Alex Ferguson that "Ando is very good at penalties"; he converted the sixth penalty in the shootout that won United the European Cup.[5](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37489425/anderson-talks-espn-fc-manchester-united-career)
**Playing record and role.** Across eight seasons he made 181 appearances in all competitions for United, including 105 Premier League matches with 5 goals and 7 assists.[5](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37489425/anderson-talks-espn-fc-manchester-united-career) • [1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/27258/anderson/video) He rotated in central midfield with [Michael Carrick](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-carrick), Paul Scholes, and [Darren Fletcher](https://www.edgepedia.org/darren-fletcher) from 2007 to 2012, and a Guardian analysis during the 2011-12 season credited his increased confidence, collecting the ball deep from goalkeeper [David de Gea](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-de-gea) and starting passing movements forward, as instrumental to United's early dominance that season.[13](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/sep/11/manchester-united-bolton-anderson) His time in England was hampered by injuries and inconsistency, and a loan spell at Fiorentina in Italy came midway through his United years.[12](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/anderson_oliveira.html) • [2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html)
## International career
Anderson won senior caps for Brazil and was part of the squad for the [Copa América](https://www.edgepedia.org/copa-america), his only full international tournament, which Brazil won.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/mar/30/newsstory.sport) • [4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing he played for the Brazil Olympic football team and helped secure the bronze medal.[7](https://football.fandom.com/wiki/Anderson_%28born_1988%29)
## Later career and retirement
Anderson left United in February 2015 and returned to Brazil to join Internacional, later going on loan to Coritiba, and remained in Brazil until 2017.[12](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/anderson_oliveira.html) • [2](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html) In July 2018 he joined [Adana Demirspor](https://www.edgepedia.org/adana-demirspor) in the Turkish second division, but he played no minutes for the club that season, in part because of the limit on foreign players.[4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) • [14](https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2019/09/23/ex-gremio-e-inter-anderson-se-aposenta-e-pode-virar-dirigente-na-turquia.htm)
**Retirement.** In September 2019, Adana Demirspor's chairman Murat Sancak confirmed that the 31-year-old had decided to stop playing. Sancak said Anderson had agreed to reduce his salary for the season from €600,000 to €200,000 to change roles, and that he would continue working at the club, with the chairman suggesting he would be effective in the club's foreign relations.[4](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31) Brazilian reports added that Anderson had been dealing with physical problems and that the retirement was decided even though the move into a director role had not yet been formally accepted.[14](https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2019/09/23/ex-gremio-e-inter-anderson-se-aposenta-e-pode-virar-dirigente-na-turquia.htm)
## References
1. [Anderson: Overview, Video, Stats, Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/en/players/27258/anderson/video)
2. [¿Qué fue de Anderson? La joya que jugó en Manchester United, AS (2018)](https://as.com/us/us/2018/09/19/futbol/1537318050_464054.html)
3. [Anderson Stats, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/ffcbeb74/Anderson)
4. [Toe Poke Daily: Former Man United star Anderson retires at 31, ESPN (2019)](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37576753/former-man-united-star-anderson-retires-31)
5. [Man United, Moscow, 'killing' Arsenal and more -- Anderson talks to ESPN, ESPN (2018)](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37489425/anderson-talks-espn-fc-manchester-united-career)
6. [Del estrellato precoz al olvido, AS (2025)](https://as.com/futbol/del-estrellato-precoz-al-olvido-n/)
7. [Anderson (born 1988), Football Wiki, Fandom](https://football.fandom.com/wiki/Anderson_%28born_1988%29)
8. [Ex-dupla Gre-Nal, Anderson se aposenta na Turquia e cogita virar dirigente, Globo Esporte (2019)](https://ge.globo.com/rs/futebol/noticia/ex-dupla-gre-nal-anderson-se-aposenta-na-turquia-e-cogita-virar-dirigente.ghtml)
9. [Anderson has no fear - on the field or in life, The Guardian (2008)](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/mar/30/newsstory.sport)
10. [FC Porto confirma médio Anderson, Diário de Notícias (2005)](https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/fc-porto-confirma-medio-anderson.html)
11. [Consolidated report on transfers of players, sport.ee](https://www.sport.ee/et/file/3989cf21c72160f8a1c3bb00eb9c9f33/consstudytransfersfinalrpt.pdf)
12. [Oliveira Anderson, Manchester United midfielder profile, MUFCInfo](https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/a-z_player_archive/a-z_player_archive_pages/anderson_oliveira.html)
13. [Improving Anderson is crucial to Manchester United's dominance, The Guardian (2011)](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/sep/11/manchester-united-bolton-anderson)
14. [Ex-Grêmio e Inter, Anderson se aposenta e pode virar dirigente na Turquia, UOL Esporte (2019)](https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2019/09/23/ex-gremio-e-inter-anderson-se-aposenta-e-pode-virar-dirigente-na-turquia.htm)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of South America › Brazilian men's footballers › Contemporary Brazilian footballers › Brazilian footballers born in the 1980s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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