Ederson Santana de Moraes (born 17 August 1993), known as Ederson, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Manchester City and the Brazil national team.
Ederson started his career at Sao Paulo in 2008 before joining Portuguese side Benfica one year later, where he would spend two seasons. In 2012, he transferred from Ribeirao to Primeira Liga side Rio Ave and became a regular starter there. He rejoined Benfica in 2015 and was assigned to the reserves before debuting for the first team, with whom he would win four major titles in two seasons. For the 2017–18 season, Ederson joined English club Manchester City for £35 million and became the most expensive goalkeeper of all-time in terms of the nominal value of pound sterling at the time of his transfer. He went on to win the Premier League and EFL Cup in his first season in England, and won a domestic treble the following season.
Ederson made his senior debut for Brazil in 2017 after previously being capped at under-23 level. He was chosen in Brazil's squad for the 2018 World Cup and both the 2019 and 2021 Copa America, winning the 2019 tournament.
Ederson has been described as an agile, commanding, and physically imposing keeper, who possesses both physical strength and good reflexes and shot-stopping abilities between the posts. However, he is mostly highly regarded for his distribution and skill with the ball at his feet than for his abilities as shot-stopper: his control and confidence on the ball enables him to retain possession and quickly play the ball out from the back on the ground with his hands or either foot – even when put under pressure – or launch an attack with long kicks. Although naturally left-footed, he is capable of using either foot. Regarding his distribution, former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given described Ederson as "the best goalkeeper in the world with his feet" in 2018; his range of passing has also led to him be described as a playmaker in the media.
He is also very quick when rushing off his line, and often functions as a sweeper-keeper. Regarded as a highly promising prospect in his formative years, he stood out for his decision making, consistency, and composure in goal, as well as his ability to organise his defence, and has also become an intelligent reader of the game; as such, some in the sport consider him to be one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and in world football. |
