Renan Lodi

The Atlético Madrid full-back is notorious for his acceleration and sprint speed; his teammates often compare him to 'DC' superhero Flash, who likes to use his feet rather than a pair of wheels to get from one place to the next!

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he joined the youth system of Athletico Paranaense in 2012 as a 14-year old. Over the next five-years he would progress through various youth ranks; the teenager was handed his debut in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A on 14 October 2016, in a 1-0 defeat to Grêmio. Between 2016-2019 he represented Furacão da Baixada in 50 competitive outings; playing as an attacking full-back, he found the back of the net on 4 occasions, and provided 8 assists for his teammates. He featured twice in the 2018 Copa Sudamericana, as Athletico PR edged out Colombian side Junior 4-3 on penalties to lift their maiden Copa Sudamericana championship. On 28 June 2019, the flying Brazilian left-back signed a six-year contract with La Liga powerhouse Atlético Madrid. The defender’s blend of attacking qualities and defensive awareness made him the perfect candidate for Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid after the departure of long-term servant and compatriot Filipe Luís. The 21-year old will have big shoes to fill at left-back; he will be responsible for effectively transitioning the ball from defence to offence, which requires a great confidence and composure on the ball; in addition to providing crosses into the opposition box during his team’s attacking phase of play. The youngster is also expected to break into the national team in the near future, taking over from the legendary Marcelo.