João Victor Saraiva (born 22 January 1977), better known as Madjer, is a Portuguese retired beach soccer player. He played in the forward position, and has won numerous awards at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups for his goalscoring abilities. He took the nickname Madjer because his idol is the former Algerian player Rabah Madjer. He has often been hailed as the best-ever beach soccer player. He became the first player to score 1000 international beach soccer career goals in an 8–1 win against England in September 2016.

In 2019, he was considered, by the prestigious magazine France Football, to be the best beach soccer player of all time.

Madjer

International career

Madjer has an extraordinary agility and dribbling talent in contrast to his height (194 cm). Besides, he is very capable in acrobatic finishes such as volleys, over-head kicks and bicycle kicks. His skills provide a vital contribution for his team while competing in EBSL, Mundialito, and above all the Beach Soccer World Championship.

Madjer

At the 2005, 2006, and 2008 World Cups Madjer won the golden boot for most goals scored in the tournament, and, he also was the MVP of EBSL last season in 1999, 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Madjer

He retired from the sport after winning the 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in a victory over Italy.

Statistics

Honours

Club

Cavalieri del Mare Beach Soccer

Scudetto: 2005

Sporting Clube de Portugal

Circuito Nacional de Futebol de Praia: 2010, 2016

FC Lokomotiv Moscow

Russian National Beach Soccer Championship: 2011; Euro Winners Cup: 2013 Alanya Turkish National Beach Soccer Championship: 2011 Al-Ahli Club UAE National Beach Soccer Championship: 2012, 2013, 2014 UAE President's Cup: 2014 UAE Supercup: 2014 Beşiktaş J.K. Turkish National Beach Soccer Championship: 2013

Country

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (3): 2001, 2015, 2019

Euro Beach Soccer League (6): 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2019

Euro Beach Soccer Cup (6): 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006

European Games (Gold Medal): 2019

BSWW Mundialito (4): 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012

Copa Latina (1): 2000

Individual

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Golden Ball (2): 2005, 2006

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Silver Ball (2): 2007, 2009

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bronze Ball (1): 2015

Beach Soccer World Championships Top Scorer (2): 2002, 2004

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Golden Shoe (3): 2005, 2006, 2008

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Silver Shoe (3): 2009, 2011, 2015

Beach Soccer MVP (3): 2003, 2005, 2006

Beach Soccer Best Player of the Year (2): 2015, 2016

Beach Soccer Goal of the Year (1): 2015

Beach Soccer Team of the Year (2): 2015, 2016

Euro Beach Soccer League MVP (5): 1999, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010

Euro Beach Soccer League Top Scorer (6): 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009

Euro Beach Soccer League Fair Play Award (1): 2005

Euro Beach Soccer League Portuguese Event Top Scorer (1): 2007

Euro Beach Soccer League French Event Top Scorer (1): 2007

Euro Beach Soccer League Spanish Event Top Scorer (1): 2004

Euro Beach Soccer Cup Top Scorer (4): 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA) Top Scorer (1): 2011

Mundialito MVP (6): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012

Mundialito Top Scorer (5): 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012

Copa Latina MVP (2): 1999, 2000

Capocannoniere Serie A (2): 2008, 2009

Capocannoniere Coppa Italia (1): 2008

Russian National Beach Soccer Championship MVP (1): 2011

Turkish National Beach Soccer Championship MVP (2): 2012, 2013

UAE National Beach Soccer Championship Top Scorer (1): 2012

Mundialito de Clubes Top Scorer (1): 2012

References

External links

Biography

Madjer Blogue

Milano Beach Soccer

1977 births

Living people

Men's association football forwards

Portuguese men's footballers

Portuguese beach soccer players

European Games bronze medalists for Portugal

Beach soccer players at the 2015 European Games

European Games medalists in beach soccer

Beach soccer players at the 2019 European Games

European Games gold medalists for Portugal