K-League 1, the first division of the South Korean national championship, has had a young Brazilian striker as one of its main highlights this season. Nicknamed Tanque (Tank) – due to his great physical shape – Yuri has 10 goals and four assists for Jeju United in 2023, numbers that place him among the top six scorers in the league.
With only two games remaining in the country’s season, Yuri has become a key player for Jeju United in the K-League 1 and Korean Cup disputes. It was through his goals that the team from the city of Jeju achieved its objective of remaining in the first division and, at the same time, advanced to the semi-finals of the Cup.
Not only because of the numbers, but his idolatry also includes the Brazilian’s celebration of scoring (which alludes to a battle tank and has been a trademark since the Guarani days), earning the affection of Korean fans.
“I am very grateful to God for everything I have experienced this year. Ever since I accepted the proposal to come to Korea, I knew it would be a year of change and adaptation, and that I would have to work hard to correspond. However, I was blessed and was able to play good games and put up good numbers too, so I believe that 2023 is a year of a lot of personal growth and a promising start in a country in which I grew very fond of the way they always treated me”, said the 25-year-old forward.
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For Jeju United, Yuri Tanque has his third experience in international football. This is because, previously, he had already defended Gainare Tottori, from Japan, in 2019, and Leixões, from Portugal, in 2022. This, however, is the period in which the Brazilian collected the highest minutes, number of goals and assists. In total, there are 35 matches for Jeju United, 14 for Gainare Tottori and 7 for Leixões, totaling 56 outside the country and 49 in Asia.
“I attribute this evolution first to the favor of God, who guides my steps and shows me the path I should follow. Then, the process during all these years of my football career, which made me learn many things and grow in several areas of my life, including professionally. Therefore, I am happy to see this personal evolution, but at the same time I maintain focus and determination to continue growing”, he concluded.
In Brazil, Tanque played for teams such as Ponte Preta, Coimbra, Ferroviária, Capivariano and Guarani. In 2022, he was the top scorer in the Campeonato Paulista A3, with 10 goals in 20 games for Capivariano, and, in the second half of the year, one of the main names in Guarani’s start in the second round of the Brasileirão, leaving the relegation zone to tenth place in the table. For Bugre, Yuri contributed with seven goals and two assists in 17 games.
