Corinthians see 13 ex-players promoted to Série A

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Central do Timão

·26 November 2025

Corinthians see 13 ex-players promoted to Série A

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

The Série B of the Brazilian Championship came to an end last Sunday and determined its four promoted teams to the top tier in 2026: Coritiba, Athletico-PR, Chapecoense, and Remo. Among the squads of these teams, 13 players have previously played for Corinthians.

Below, Central do Timão presents who these players are and how they contributed to the promotion campaign.

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Giuliano and Victor Cantillo are two former Corinthians players who moved up to Série A of the Brasileirão. Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

Coritiba – Bruno Melo, Clayson, and Everaldo

Bruno Melo, loaned by Fortaleza in 2022, had few opportunities at Corinthians due to competition with Lucas Piton and Fábio Santos, being used only 13 times and not scoring any goals. At Coritiba, where he arrived on a free transfer in January, he gained more space and took part in 28 Série B matches, starting in 25 of them, with two goals and two assists.

Clayson wore the Timão shirt between 2017 and 2019, a period in which he helped win the 2017 Brazilian Championship and the 2018 and 2019 Paulista titles. Even with significant contributions, he faced criticism and internal problems, resulting in his departure to Bahia. At Coritiba since June, he played in 22 games, recording two assists.

Everaldo also did not leave a great legacy at Parque São Jorge, despite being bought in 2019 for R$ 2.5 million. He played 36 matches and scored four goals until the end of his contract in 2023, with successive loans. For Coritiba, he played 11 Série B games without any direct goal involvement.

Athletico-PR – Giuliano, Lucas Belezi, and Steven Mendoza

Giuliano arrived at Corinthians in 2021, standing out in the 2022 Copa do Brasil, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, including one in the final against Flamengo. He left the club at the end of 2023 and signed with Athletico-PR. In Série B, he played 16 games, seven as a starter, and scored three goals in the runner-up campaign.

Lucas Belezi became known for being the youngest player to play professionally for Corinthians, playing 21 minutes in a friendly in 2019 at just 16 years old. With extensive experience in the youth categories, he refused to renew in 2022 and signed with Athletico the following year. In 2025, he made 15 appearances, 11 as a starter.

Steven Mendoza arrived at Corinthians in 2015 after standing out in Indian football. He had positive moments but never established himself, being loaned out until he was sold to Amiens-FRA for R$ 3.8 million. At the Paraná club since July, he played an important role in the final stretch of Série B, with 21 games, two goals, and three assists.

Chapecoense – Giovanni Augusto, Marcinho, Mailson, and Rafael Santos

Chapecoense has the largest number of former Corinthians players, with Giovanni Augusto as the main name. The midfielder played between 2016 and 2018 for Timão, took part in 78 games, scored seven goals, and won the 2017 Brazilian and Paulista titles. At 36, he joined Chape in April and was an undisputed starter in 31 matches, scoring two goals and providing nine assists.

Marcinho, a Corinthians youth product, left the club in 2016 for Remo before moving on to other teams. At Chapecoense since July last year, he became a key player throughout the campaign, playing in 34 games, with four goals and three assists.

Mailson, a 20-year-old forward, played for Corinthians’ U-17s before leaving in 2021 to join Chapecoense’s youth setup. In the Série B promotion, he played in 15 matches, starting in two, and provided one assist.

Rounding out the list, goalkeeper Rafael Santos started at Corinthians back in 2004, was part of the professional squad until 2011, and played just 12 games for the club. Loaned by Portuguesa-SP, he played 15 matches for Chape in Série B, conceding 11 goals.

Remo – Cantillo, Janderson, and Régis

Cantillo arrived at Corinthians in 2020 surrounded by expectations due to his style similar to Freddy Rincón. Despite positive moments, his trajectory was irregular and he left in early 2024. He played 118 games and scored two goals for the black-and-white shirt. At Remo since July, he played eight matches, six as a starter.

Janderson, developed at Parque São Jorge, made his professional debut in 2019, but lost space due to competition and was loaned out until being sold to Ceará in 2023. At Remo, he played 27 games, starting in 13, and contributed four assists.

Régis, scouted by Fábio Carille, arrived on loan in 2019, but did not stay at Timão after returning to Bahia. At the Pará club since April, he played in 17 games, only one as a starter, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

Now, the 13 former Corinthians players are preparing to compete in the top tier in 2026. Timão, meanwhile, is fighting to remain in Série A and possibly face them again. With only a 0.0074% risk of relegation, according to UFMG, Dorival Júnior’s team is still chasing a spot in the Libertadores in the final rounds, when they face Botafogo, Fortaleza, and Juventude.

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