Maicon Araújo dos Santos (born 26 April 2000), known as Maicon Esquerdinha[1] or just Maicon, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Bulgarian First League club Levski Sofia.
 Maicon with Levski Sofia in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maicon Araújo dos Santos | ||
| Date of birth | 26 April 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Itabuna, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Levski Sofia | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Serra | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2022 | Serra | 34 | (3) |
| 2022–2023 | Nova Venécia | 28 | (1) |
| 2023 | Vitória-ES | 13 | (1) |
| 2024 | Nova Iguaçu | 13 | (1) |
| 2024– | Levski Sofia | 63 | (5) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:57, 25 May 2026 (UTC) | |||
Career
editBorn in Itabuna, Maicon grew up in Sequeiro Grande, a neighborhood of Itajuípe, also in the state of Bahia, before moving to Cariacica, Espírito Santo at the age of eight.[2] He began his career with Serra in the 2019 Copa Espírito Santo,[3] and subsequently established as a regular starter for the club, being named the best left-back of the 2022 Campeonato Capixaba.[4]
On 6 May 2022, Maicon signed for Nova Venécia for the 2022 Série D.[5] On 11 May 2023, he joined Vitória-ES also for the fourth tier.[6]
On 24 November 2023, Maicon agreed to a contract with Nova Iguaçu for the 2024 season.[7] Initially a backup to Italo Silva, he became a starter as Italo left the club, and helped the Carrossel da Baixada to reach the 2024 Campeonato Carioca finals for the first time ever.
In May 2024, Maicon joined Bulgarian club Levski Sofia, signing a three-year contract with the team.[8]
Career statistics
edit- As of 31 August 2025[9]
| Club | Season | League | State league | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Serra | 2019 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8[b] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2020 | Capixaba | — | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||||
| 2021 | Capixaba | — | 11 | 1 | — | — | 9[b] | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||||
| 2022 | Capixaba | — | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 51 | 3 | ||
| Nova Venécia | 2022 | Série D | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 7[b] | 0 | 21 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | Capixaba | — | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 35 | 1 | ||
| Vitória-ES | 2023 | Série D | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Nova Iguaçu | 2024 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 13[c] | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| Levski Sofia | 2024–25 | First League | 30 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| 2025–26 | First League | 6 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 7[d] | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| Total | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 63 | 1 | 61 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 159 | 7 | ||
- ↑ Includes Copa do Brasil, Bulgarian Cup
- 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Copa Espírito Santo
- ↑ Appearances in Campeonato Carioca
- ↑ Three appearances in UEFA Europa League, four appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
editLevski Sofia
References
edit- ↑ "Cássio tem Maicon Esquerdinha como solução para o ataque do Nova Venécia" [Cássio has Maicon Esquerdinha as the solution for the attack of Nova Venécia] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "As batalhas na vida de Maicon, herói da classificação do Nova Iguaçu para a semifinal do Carioca" [The battles in the life of Maicon, hero of Nova Iguaçu's qualification to the semifinals of the Carioca] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ↑ "Maicon valoriza experiência no "time de cima" antes do jogo com Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil sub-20" [Maicon values experience in the "main team" before the match against Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil sub-20] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "Conheça a seleção dos melhores do Campeonato Capixaba 2022" [Know the best XI of the 2022 Campeonato Capixaba] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "Nova Venécia fecha com lateral Maicon Esquerdinha, prodígio do Serra, para a Série D do Brasileiro" [Nova Venécia sign with full-back Maicon Esquerdinha, Serra's pearl, for the Brasileiro Série D] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "Vitória-ES acerta contratação de Maicon Esquerdinha para a Série D" [Vitória-ES sign Maicon Esquerdinha for the Série D] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "Nova Iguaçu acerta a contratação do lateral-esquerdo Maicon para a temporada 2024" [Nova Iguaçu sign left-back Maicon for the 2024 season] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Nova Iguaçu FC. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "Левски" подписа тригодишен договор със защитника Майкон" (in Bulgarian). bntnews.bg. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ↑ Maicon at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ↑ "Levski Sofia crowned Bulgarian champions to end Ludogorets's long reign". reuters.com. 3 May 2026. Retrieved 4 May 2026.