Rodrigo Defendi

Rodrigo Defendi

Personal information
Date of birth	(1986-06-16) 16 June 1986
Place of birth	Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Botafogo
Number	23
Youth career
2004	Cruzeiro
2004–2005	Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Tottenham Hotspur	0	(0)
2006	→ Udinese (loan)	2	(0)
2006–2007	→ Roma (loan)	0	(0)
2007–2009	Avellino	16	(0)
2010	Palmeiras B	0	(0)
2011	Paraná	0	(0)
2011–2012	Vitória SC	0	(0)
2013–	Botafogo		(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rodrigo Defendi (born 16 June 1986), is a Brazilian-Italian footballer who plays as a central defender for Botafogo.

A young centre-half signed from the Brazilian club Cruzeiro, the appropriately named Defendi is renowned for a deft left foot and a dominance in the air. He was first spotted as a 16-year-old by the then Tottenham Hotspur Director of Sport Frank Arnesen.

He became the first player signed under the ill-fated Frank Arnesen and Jacques Santini era at Spurs from Cruzeiro for a fee of £600,000 on July 3, 2004, although he had to wait for his passport to arrive in August for the deal to be officially completed. He failed to make a first team appearance for Tottenham but featured in a number of reserve team matches.

He was deemed surplus to requirements by Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol, as he was first allowed to travel back to Brazil to seek a contract with a new club which proved unsuccessful, before he was farmed out on loan to Udinese Calcio in January 2006. He made two league appearances before leaving for A.S. Roma in August 2006, again on loan. He made an appearance in the Champions League and in the Coppa Italia for the capital club, but didn't manage to play a league game in Serie A.

Defendi returned to Tottenham Hotpur from AS Roma after his loan period ended. On August 9, 2007 Tottenham announced his departure to the Italian Serie B club U.S. Avellino on a permanent transfer.

Defendi became free agent after the bankruptcy of Avellino and returned Brazil. He joined Palmeiras reserves in March 2010.

18 May 2011, Defendi signed a contract with Portuguese Primeira Liga side Vitória Guimarães.

On January 10, 2013, Defendi, after nine years playing in Europe, was presented by Botafogo, his new side.

External links

• http://www.tuttocalciatori.net/Defendi_Rodrigo