Joel (footballer, born 1980)


Joel Bertoti Padilha, commonly known as Joel, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

Career

Tai Po

Joel joined Tai Po in September 2006. He established himself as an important first team player immediately and scored a debut goal in Tai Po's first home game, against South China. He became an immediate solution of the team's weakness in defending header and also added a lot of quality in attacking. Besides his passing and run from deep position ability, Joel's attacking header and free kick skills made him the top scorer of the team with six goals in 2006–07, along with striker Christian Annan.
Joel changed his jersey number from 28 to 6 in season 2007–08, which he scored seven times and became the third top scorer in the team, and the top scoring defender among the Hong Kong First Division League.

South China

Joel joined South China at the beginning of the 2010 season. On 18 December 2011, he scored two goals, one with a header and the other with a penalty kick, to inflict the first defeat of Kitchee's league season. In January 2012, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2011-12 Hong Kong First Division League for December 2011 by the Hong Kong Sports Press Association.