Name: Ramires
Nationality: Brazilian
Date of Birth: 24/03/1987
Height: 5' 11" (180cm)
Weight: 11st 7lbs (73.0kg)
Previous
Clubs: Benfica
Position: Midfielder
Chelsea career
Ramires Santos do Nascimento joined Chelsea in the summer of 2010 on a four-year contract after one season with Benfica.
A Chelsea debut arrived in a 2-0 win against Stoke in late August, Ramires appearing for the final few minutes in place of Michael Essien, before a first start at West Ham and full games against Blackpool in the Premier League and Newcastle in the Carling Cup.
In total there were 22 starts in his first campaign, providing a committed presence during the side's winless two months between November and December, and winning a late penalty at White Hart Lane that gave us the chance to beat Spurs.
A first Chelsea goal arrived in the 4-0 demolition of Bolton Wanderers in late January, and the mobbing he received showed how popular the player is at Stamford Bridge.
In late March he scored his second Chelsea goal, dancing between two Manchester City defenders before firing high into the top corner. It was a strike deemed worthy of the club's Goal of the Season award by supporters.
Ramires missed our pre-season tour of Asia due to Copa America duty, but returned to England in sparkling form, and has proven a key component of Andre Villas-Boas's new Chelsea, figuring as a regular on the right of a midfield three, and contributing greater drive going forward. Two early season goals against Swansea suggest it is going to be a bright campaign.
Pre-Chelsea
Ramires spent one season with Benfica in which he helped them storm to the Liga Sagres title, five points clear of Braga in second place.
During that campaign, the 23-year-old midfielder made 26 league appearances, scoring four times including a last-minute winner against Vitoria Guimaraes on his debut.
Rio-born Ramires signed for Benfica from Cruzeiro, on the day he earned his first call-up to the full Brazil squad for the 2009 Confederations Cup, a tournament they easily won, and he went on to help them qualify for the World Cup.
Comfortable in either the centre or the right of midfield, he spent just over two seasons in Belo Horizonte with Cruzeiro, whom he joined from Joinville in 2007, and became a state champion appearing in 61 league matches and scoring 10 times.
International career
Ramires made his Brazil debut in the summer of 2009 and was an ever-present as they lifted the Confederations Cup in South Africa.
Picked in Dunga's 23-man squad for the World Cup a year later, he appeared in four of their five matches but was suspended for the 2-1 defeat to Holland in the quarter-finals after accumulating two yellow cards. His only start was against Chile in the first knockout round.
He also represented his country at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
