Meet Mateus Xavier, Santos’ rising star shining in the Copinha | OneFootball

Santos started the 2026 Copinha with two wins in two games. The standout player in both matches was Mateus Xavier. The forward has already scored four goals in the competition.

He found the net twice in the opener, a 3-0 victory over Real Brasília, and scored two more in the 2-1 win against União Cacoalense.

Mateus Xavier is only 18 years old, but he was promoted to the under-20 team back in 2024. Last season, he played 30 matches, scoring eight goals and providing six assists for the category.

Despite his young age, the forward has already made five appearances for the senior team, one in the year before last and four in 2025. The Menino da Vila, however, has yet to be given opportunities by Juan Pablo Vojvoda.

Meet Mateus Xavier

Mateus Xavier joined Peixe in October 2021. Before that, he played at a soccer school in Ibicarai, Bahia, his hometown.

The forward entered the world of football influenced by his father, who was an amateur player. The Santos gem used to accompany his father to training sessions and matches as a child and would kick the ball around. People started to notice the boy had a knack for the sport and decided to take him to the soccer school.

Already at Santos, he stood out in the under-16 competitions in 2023. In April, he was the star of the Copa Brasileirinho Internacional title, having scored both goals for Alvinegro Praiano in the grand final. In July, he was the top scorer of the Brasil Soccer Cup with six goals in six games.

Mateus Xavier was integrated into the under-20 squad in 2024. He played 28 matches and scored seven goals. His good performance caught the attention of coach Fábio Carille, who called him up to train with the senior team at the end of June that year.

On July 1st, the winger made his debut for the senior team. He played about 20 minutes in the 1-0 win over Chapecoense, in the 13th round of the Série B of the Brazilian Championship.

In 2025, he played against Red Bull Bragantino, Grêmio, and Corinthians in the Brasileirão, and CRB in the Copa do Brasil. In all of them, he came off the bench.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.