{{short description|Brazilian footballer (born 1993)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Portuguese name|Lima|Cruz}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Mateus Lima | image = 20170621 Admira Wacker vs Vardar Skopje Mateus Lima Cruz DSC 6131.jpg | full_name = Mateus Lima Cruz | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|1|18|df=yes}} | birth_place = Iturama, Brazil | height = 1.87 m | currentclub = Nakhon Ratchasima | clubnumber = 11 | position = Forward | youthyears1 = 2008–2012 | youthclubs1 = Grêmio Barueri | years1 = 2012–2013 | clubs1 = Grêmio Barueri | caps1 = 5 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2012 | clubs2 = → Sport Barueri (loan) | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2013 | clubs3 = Sport Recife | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2014 | clubs4 = Guarani | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2014 | clubs5 = Luverdense | caps5 = 4 | goals5 = 2 | years6 = 2015 | clubs6 = Operário Ferroviário | caps6 = 3 | goals6 = 1 | years7 = 2015–2016 | clubs7 = Kukësi | caps7 = 27 | goals7 = 7 | years8 = 2016–2017 | clubs8 = Santos | caps8 = 0 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2017–2018 | clubs9 = Borac Čačak | caps9 = 30 | goals9 = 8 | years10 = 2018–2020 | clubs10 = Slaven Belupo | caps10 = 51 | goals10 = 7 | years11 = 2020–2021 | clubs11 = Hapoel Nof HaGalil | caps11 = 29 | goals11 = 9 | years12 = 2021–2022 | clubs12 = Hapoel Rishon LeZion | caps12 = 34 | goals12 = 7 | years13 = 2022–2023 | clubs13= Nasaf | caps13 = 34 | goals13 = 6 | years14 = 2024 | clubs14= Ratchaburi | caps14 = 12 | goals14 = 5 | years15 = 2024 | clubs15= Sukhothai | caps15 = 13 | goals15 = 1 | years16 = 2025 | clubs16= Guangxi Pingguo Haliao | caps16 = 15 | goals16 = 5 | years17 = 2026– | clubs17 = Nakhon Ratchasima F.C. | caps17 = 0 | goals17 = 0 | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | pcupdate = 5 July 2025 | ntupdate = }} '''Mateus Lima Cruz''' (born 18 January 1993), known as '''Mateus''', is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward for Thai League 1 side Nakhon Ratchasima.
==Club career== Born in Iturama, Minas Gerais, Mateus Lima was a Grêmio Barueri youth graduate. After a short loan spell at Sport Barueri, he made his professional debut on 17 November 2012, starting in a 2–0 home win against Avaí for the Série B championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.futebolinterior.com.br/futebol/Brasileiro/Serie-B/2012/noticias/2012-11/Gremio-Barueri-2-x-0-Avai---Molecada-garante-vitoria-da-Abelha|title=Grêmio Barueri 2 x 0 Avaí – Molecada garante vitória da Abelha|trans-title=Grêmio Barueri 2–0 Avaí – Youngster assure victory of the Bee|publisher=Futebol Interior|language=pt|date=17 November 2012|accessdate=11 September 2016}}</ref>
On 4 February 2013, Mateus Lima moved to Sport Recife.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/pe/futebol/times/sport/noticia/2013/02/sport-contra-matheus-lima-que-jogou-serie-b-pelo-gremio-barueri.html|title=Sport contrata {{sic|nolink=y|Matheus}} Lima, que jogou Série B pelo Grêmio Barueri|trans-title=Sport sign Mateus Lima, who played the Série B for Grêmio Barueri|publisher=Globo Esporte|language=pt|date=4 February 2013|accessdate=11 September 2016}}</ref> After only appearing for the club in the Campeonato Pernambucano, he joined Guarani on 10 December.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esportes.terra.com.br/futebol/guarani-confirma-a-contratacao-do-atacante-mateus-lima-ex-sport,898930b3e9dd2410VgnCLD2000000ec6eb0aRCRD.html|title=Guarani confirma a contratação do atacante Mateus Lima, ex-Sport|trans-title=Guarani confirm the signing of forward Mateus Lima, formerly of Sport|publisher=Terra|language=pt|date=10 December 2013|accessdate=11 September 2016}}</ref>
On 16 January 2014, Mateus Lima signed for Luverdense.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/mt/noticia/2014/01/diretoria-do-luverdense-contrata-atacante-mateus-lima-ex-sport.html|title=Diretoria do Luverdense contrata atacante Mateus Lima, ex-Sport|trans-title=Luverdense's board sign forward Mateus Lima, formerly of Sport|publisher=Globo Esporte|language=pt|date=16 January 2014|accessdate=11 September 2016}}</ref> He scored his first professional goal on 19 November, but in a 1–2 home loss against América Mineiro; he added another ten days later, netting the game's only in a home success over Ceará.
On 20 February 2015, Mateus Lima agreed to a contract with Operário Ferroviário.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arede.info/paranaense/4738/operario-anuncia-dois-reforcos-para-o-paranaense|title=Operário anuncia dois reforços para o Paranaense|trans-title=Operário announce two signings for the Paranaense|publisher=A Rede|language=pt|date=20 February 2015|accessdate=11 September 2016}}</ref> He was crowned champions of the year's Campeonato Paranaense, but appeared rarely.
In June 2015, Mateus Lima signed with Albanian Champions Skënderbeu Korçë as a reinforcement for the club's campaign in Champions League after the departures of Aco Stojkov, Dhiego Martins and Fatjon Sefa.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://telesport.al/mateus-lima-cruz-nje-sulmues-brazilian-per-skenderbeun/|title=Mateus Lima Cruz, një sulmues Brazilian për Skënderbeun|work=Telesport.al|language=sq|author=Alfred Lleshi|date=9 June 2015|accessdate=20 November 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075033/http://telesport.al/mateus-lima-cruz-nje-sulmues-brazilian-per-skenderbeun/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Brazilian striker was also a target of FK Kukësi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama-sport.com/lima-kukesi-me-donte-por-une-zgjodha-kampionet-jam-ambientuar-shume-mire/|title=Lima: Kukësi më donte, por unë zgjodha kampionët, jam ambientuar shumë mirë|work=Panorama Sport|language=sq|author=Llazi Saro|date=22 June 2015|accessdate=20 November 2015}}</ref> In his unofficial debut on 16 June, Lima scored in his debut after 29 minutes in an eventual 2–1 win against Romanian side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama-sport.com/fiton-skenderbeu-shenon-lima-spikat-shkodrani-dema-dhe-sulmuesi-brazilian/|title=Fiton Skënderbeu, shënon Lima, spikat shkodrani Dema dhe sulmuesi brazilian|work=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=16 June 2015|accessdate=20 November 2015}}</ref> Despite scoring in his debut, however, he was not named in Skënderbeu's squad list for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League because he did not convince his coach Mirel Josa in his appearances.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://telesport.al/skenderbeu-lulaj-dhe-lima-drejt-huazimit/|title=Skënderbeu, Lulaj dhe Lima drejt huazimit|work=Telesport.al|language=sq|author=Erjon Hamitaj|date=12 July 2015|accessdate=20 November 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304133149/http://telesport.al/skenderbeu-lulaj-dhe-lima-drejt-huazimit/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In July 2015, after just one month with Skënderbeu Korçë, Mateus Lima left the club and signed with Kukesi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama-sport.com/nje-brazilian-pasuesi-i-pejicit/|title=Një brazilian, pasuesi i Pejiçit|date=26 July 2015|accessdate=5 September 2015|work=Panorama Sport}}</ref> In the 2015–16 campaign, he scored seven league goals in 27 league appearances, along with three goals in the Albanian Cup.
In July 2016, Mateus Lima joined Santos, and was assigned to the B-team squad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/sp/santos-e-regiao/futebol/times/santos/noticia/2016/07/santos-b-contrata-atacante-que-estava-na-albania-para-copa-paulista.html|title=Santos B contrata atacante que estava na Albânia para a Copa Paulista|trans-title=Santos B sign forward who was in Albania for the Copa Paulista|publisher=Globo Esporte|language=pt|date=29 July 2016|accessdate=9 August 2016}}</ref>
On the last day of the summer transfer window 2017, Mateus Lima signed with the Serbian SuperLiga side Borac Čačak.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zurnal.rs/fudbal/super-liga/52912/brazilac-mateus-u-borcu-jovanovic-u-novom-pazaru-adamovic-na-brdu|title=Бразилац Матеус у Борцу, Јовановић у Новом Пазару, Адамовић на Брду|trans-title=Brazilian Mateus in Borac, Jovanovic in Novi Pazar, Adamovic on Banovo Brdo|publisher=Sportski žurnal|language=sr|date=2 September 2017|accessdate=7 October 2017}}</ref>
In the summer of 2018, Mateus Lima signed a two-year contract with the Croatian First Football League side Slaven Belupo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nk-slaven-belupo.hr/mateus-lima-cruz-od-iduce-sezone-nosit-ce-dres-slaven-belupa/|title=Mateus Lima Cruz od iduće sezone nosit će dres Slaven Belupa!|trans-title=Mateus Lima Cruz will wear Slaven Belupo shirt next season|publisher=Slaven Belupo|language=hr|date=11 July 2018|accessdate=11 July 2018|archive-date=11 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911120849/https://nk-slaven-belupo.hr/mateus-lima-cruz-od-iduce-sezone-nosit-ce-dres-slaven-belupa/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 17 August 2020 he signed with Hapoel Nof HaGalil.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blinker.co.il/%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9C-%D7%95%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%98-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9C-%D7%95%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A2%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%A2/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A3-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%A5-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%96%D7%99%D7%9C/262291/|title=הפועל נוף הגליל החתימה את החלוץ הברזילאי מתיאוס לימה|first=Itzhak|last=Solomon|publisher=blinker|language=he|date=17 August 2020|accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 5 July 2025}}<ref>{{Soccerway|mateus-lima-cruz/277538|Mateus Lima|accessdate=9 August 2016}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|State League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3" valign="center"|Grêmio Barueri |2012 |Série B |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |2013 |Série C |0||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||3||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !2!!0!!3!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!5!!0 |- |valign="center"|Sport Barueri (loan) |2012 |Paulista Série B |colspan="2"|—||27||7||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||27||7 |- |valign="center"|Sport |2013 |Série B |0||0||10||3||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||13||3 |- |valign="center"|Guarani |2014 |Série C |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |valign="center"|Luverdense |2014 |Série B |4||2||11||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||5 |- |valign="center"|Operário Ferroviário |2015 |Série D |0||0||3||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||3||1 |- |valign="center"|Kukësi |2015–16 |Albanian Superliga |27||7||colspan="2"|—||4||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||10 |- |valign="center"|Santos |2016 |Série A |0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||6<ref group="lower-alpha" name="COP">Appearance(s) in Copa Paulista</ref>||0||6||0 |- |valign="center"|Borac Čačak |2017–18 |Serbian SuperLiga |30||8||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||32||8 |- |valign="center" rowspan="3"|Slaven Belupo |2018–19 |rowspan="2"|Croatian First Football League |21||5||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||23||5 |- |2019–20 |30||2||colspan="2"|—||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||34||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !51!!7!!colspan="2"|—!!6!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!57!!7 |- |valign="center" rowspan="1"|Hapoel Nof HaGalil |2020–21 |Liga Leumit |29||9||colspan="2"|—||1||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||34||9 |- |valign="center" rowspan="1"|Hapoel Rishon LeZion |2021–22 |Liga Leumit |34||7||colspan="2"|—||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||36||7 |- |valign="center" rowspan="3"|Nasaf |2022 |rowspan="2"|Uzbekistan Super League |13||2||colspan="2"|—||3||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||16||3 |- |2023 |21||4||colspan="2"|—||6||1||colspan="2"|—||5||1||1||0||33||6 |- !colspan="2"|Total !34!!6!!colspan="2"|—!!9!!2!!colspan="2"|—!!5!!1!!1!!0!!49!!6 |- |valign="center" rowspan="1"|Ratchaburi |2023–24 |Thai League 1 |12||5||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||14||5 |- |valign="center" rowspan="1"|Sukhothai |2024–25 |Thai League 1 |13||1||colspan="2"|—||1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||1 |- |valign="center" rowspan="1"|Guangxi Pingguo |2025 |China League One |15||5||colspan="2"|—||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||16||5 |- !colspan="3"|'''Total''' !251!!57!!54!!14!!22!!5!!7!!0!!5!!1!!8!!0!!353!!74 |} {{reflist|group="lower-alpha"}}
==Honours== ;Operário Ferroviário *Campeonato Paranaense: 2015
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{WorldFootball.net|mateus-lima}} * {{Soccerbase|108236}}
{{Nakhon Ratchasima F.C. squad}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lima, Mateus}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:Brazilian men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Grêmio Barueri Futebol players Category:Sport Club do Recife players Category:Guarani FC players Category:Operário Ferroviário Esporte Clube players Category:Santos FC players Category:KF Skënderbeu players Category:FK Kukësi players Category:FK Borac Čačak players Category:NK Slaven Belupo players Category:Hapoel Nof HaGalil F.C. players Category:Hapoel Rishon LeZion F.C. players Category:FC Nasaf players Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série B players Category:Kategoria Superiore players Category:Serbian SuperLiga players Category:Croatian Football League players Category:Liga Leumit players Category:Uzbekistan Super League players Mateus Lima Mateus Lima Mateus Lima Category:Guangxi Pingguo F.C. players Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Albania Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Serbia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Croatia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Israel Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uzbekistan Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Thailand Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Albania Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Serbia Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Croatia Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Israel Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Uzbekistan Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Thailand Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in China Category:People from Iturama Category:Footballers from Minas Gerais Category:21st-century Brazilian sportsmen