- The Brazilian goalkeeper played a crucial role in RB Bragantino’s Playoff victory over Sporting Cristal and their qualification for the Round of 16.
- The ‘Massa Bruta’ leader has kept four clean sheets in seven matches in the current edition of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
Born in Descanso, in the state of Santa Catarina, Cleiton was one of the key figures behind the São Paulo side’s qualification for the Round of 16 of La Gran Conquista. Decisive in the first leg and one of the standout performers in the return, the goalkeeper once again showed that continental competition brings out the best in him: with Bragantino, he reached the final in 2021.
Fate will once again bring Cleiton face to face with Atlético Mineiro. The São Paulo side’s goalkeeper came through the youth ranks at Galo, Bragantino’s next opponent in the Round of 16 of the continental competition.
He made 40 appearances for the Belo Horizonte club before moving to his current team at the start of 2020, with little idea of the bond he would go on to forge with Bragança’s side, where he would eventually become both an idol and a leader.
In Lima, in the first leg of the tie, Cleiton delivered whenever he was called upon. It was the third match in the current competition in which he finished with five or more saves. Thanks to his assured performance, Vágner Mancini’s side returned to São Paulo with the tie still firmly within reach.
Cleiton was called into action only sparingly in the return leg, but each of his interventions proved vital — especially late in the match, when he came out on top in a difficult one-on-one against Maxloren Castro. The 1-0 aggregate victory meant Bragantino had now advanced from each of their last six knockout ties against non-Brazilian opponents in CONMEBOL competitions. It was also only the second time during that run that they progressed without conceding a goal, the previous occasion coming in the 2024 qualifying phase against Águilas Doradas, when the tie finished 0-0 on aggregate before Bragantino prevailed 4-3 on penalties.
Atlético Mineiro, a familiar opponent from Cleiton’s past — with whom he reached the semifinals of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana in 2019 — now stand in the way as Bragantino’s next challenge. Cleiton already knows what it takes to produce memorable runs and big moments on the CONMEBOL Sudamericana stage, and he will be looking to add another chapter to his story.
