Sporting KC gets Igor Juliao back on loan from Brazilian club
Brazilian defender Igor Juliao is returning to Sporting Kansas City.
Juliao, who played with Sporting KC in 2014, begins a year-long stint with the club after being acquired on loan from Fluminense FC, a prestigious Brazilian club, through 2017. Juliao will occupy an international spot on the roster when his loan begins on Jan. 1.
"I am very happy to return to Sporting KC," Juliao said in a team press release. "I loved my time playing in this city in front of the great fans. I know Sporting KC has a strong team that can compete for championships, and I'm excited to be a part of it."
Juliao, 22, recorded three assists in 26 starts across all competitions during his loan from Fluminense FC in 2014. The right back made 23 MLS appearances and played three additional matches in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League group stage.
"Igor is a player we are very familiar with and eager to welcome back," Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said. "He showed a lot of promise with us in 2014, and we look forward to integrating him back to our team when he joins us next month for preseason."
Since returning to Fluminense FC at the end of 2014, Juliao has been loaned to three teams in his native Brazil. He split time in 2015 between ABC Futebol Clube and Macaé, appearing nine times in the Série B, then played 12 matches during the first half of 2016 with Ferroviária in the Campeonato Paulista.
Juliao rejoined Fluminense this summer, logging five Série A appearances in Brazil's top division. He has been a part of the club since 2003, when he joined Fluminense's academy as an 8-year-old. After nine years of development in its youth system, Juliao made his Série A debut in 2012 at age 17. He played three games during his first professional season as Fluminense FC won its fourth league title in the club's 114-year history.
In 2013, Juliao enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him make 22 total appearances for the reigning Série A champions. That same year, he was selected to Brazil's Under-20 Men's National Team and played three matches at the South American Youth Championship in Argentina.
Juliao's youth career at Fluminense was highlighted by back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013. In February 2014 he started four games for Fluminense FC's U-23s at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic in Florida, which included a defeat to Sporting Kansas City.
