Austin Bold FC Signs Striker Andre Lima
January 24, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) - Austin Bold FC News Release
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Bold FC announced today the signing of Brazilian striker André Lima for the 2019 USL Championship season, pending league and federation approval.
"André is well known in Brazil for his quality of play and his ability to finish inside the box," said Austin Bold FC Head Coach Marcelo Serrano. "I coached against André many times in Brazil - his attitude as a person and a player shows that he will be a great fit for our squad."
Lima arrives in Austin after playing the previous two seasons with Esporte Clube Vitória in Brazil's Campeonato Série A, scoring 15 goals in 44 matches. A two-time Campeonato Brasileiro Série A champion, with São Paulo FC in 2008 and Fluminense in 2010, Lima has spent 13 seasons playing in Brazil's premier division, including spells with Gremio and Atlético Paranaense. The 33-year-old has scored 88 goals and registered 28 assists in 284 professional appearances, and was the top scorer in the 2007 Copa de Brasil, netting five goals for Botafogo to guide the club to the semifinals.
A native of Rio de Janeiro, Lima began his youth career with Vasco da Gama, joining the senior team in 2004. Lima moved to Beerschot AC of the Belgian Pro League in 2005, helping the team to a Belgium Cup championship, before joining Brazilian club Madureira Esporte Clube in 2006. In addition to his time in Brazil, the striker has played in the Bundesliga with Hertha BSC and the Chinese Super League with Beijing Sinobo Guoan F.C.
With the addition of Lima, Austin Bold FC has announced a total of 20 players (Faris Abdi, Xavier Báez, Edson Braafheid, DarÃo Conca, Thomas de Villardi, Fabien Garcia, Kléber Gladiator, Sonny Guadarrama, Promise Isaac, Calum Mallace, Sean McFarlane, Diego Restrepo, Marcelo Saragosa, Valeri Saramutin, Jermaine Taylor, Ryan Thompson, Jorge Troncoso, Kris Tyrpak, London Woodberry) for the 2019 inaugural season. The club will announce additional player signings in the coming weeks.
On Oct. 24, the club broke ground on Bold Stadium, a 5,036-seat soccer-specific stadium to be located adjacent to the Grand Plaza at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), the premier destination for entertainment and motorsports in the United States. The stadium is the first soccer-specific stadium built in Central Texas and has been engineered to provide an outstanding experience for both fans and players ahead of the Bold's inaugural Spring 2019 season.
Austin Bold FC is preparing for its inaugural USL Championship season in 2019. Preseason activities are underway and the regular season will kick off on March 9. Fans can purchase 2019 season and match tickets by calling the Austin Bold FC sales office at 512-655-6300 or by visiting AustinBoldFC.com. For more information about the Bold, supporters can follow the club on Twitter (@AustinBoldFC) and Instagram (@AustinBoldFC) and like Austin Bold FC on Facebook.
• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...
United Soccer League Championship Stories from January 24, 2019
- Foxes Announce 2019 Preseason Schedule - Fresno FC
- Coach Smith Announces Changes to Staff for 2019 Season - Fresno FC
- Austin Bold FC Signs Striker Andre Lima - Austin Bold FC
- Real Monarchs SLC Acquire Ricardo Avila on Loan for 2019 Season - Real Monarchs
- Energy FC Make Big Signings with French Duo - OKC Energy FC
- Indy Eleven Announces Ownership Group - Indy Eleven
- Playmaker Ben Speas Joins North Carolina FC - North Carolina FC
- Indy Eleven Send Midfielder Ben Speas to North Carolina FC on Season-Long Loan - Indy Eleven
- Fury FC Signs Ottawa Jadon Vilfort to 'Homegrown' Contract - Ottawa Fury FC
- North Carolina Football Club Hires Veteran Executive Fred Matthes as Senior Vice President of Tickets and Premium Sales - North Carolina FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Austin Bold FC Stories
- Casey Walls Gets Called up to U-20 USMNT
- Thank You, Giles Barnes, for Spending Time with Austin Bold FC
- Austin Bold FC Pays Tribute to Promise Isaac and Claims Victory over Tacoma Defiance
- Austin's Own Sonny G Returns to Austin Bold FC
- Fabien Garcia Selected for USL Team of the Week