Marcelo de Araújo Pitaluga Filho (born 20 December 2002) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Scottish Championship club Livingston, on loan from Premier League club Liverpool.

Marcelo Pitaluga
Personal information
Full name Marcelo de Araújo Pitaluga Filho[1]
Date of birth (2002-12-20) 20 December 2002 (age 22)[1]
Place of birth Niterói, Brazil
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Livingston (on loan from Liverpool)
Number 14
Youth career
2009–2010 Vasco da Gama
2011–2020 Fluminense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Fluminense 0 (0)
2020– Liverpool 0 (0)
2022–2023Macclesfield (loan) 19 (0)
2024St Patrick's Athletic (loan) 4 (0)
2024–Livingston (loan) 0 (0)
International career
Brazil U15
Brazil U16
Brazil U17
Medal record
Representing  Brazil
FIFA U-17 World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2019 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:07, 30 June 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:23, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Career

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Fluminense

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Pitaluga started his career with Brazilian side Fluminense.[2][3][4][5] He was an unused substitute with the first team on 4 occasions during his time with the club.[6]

Liverpool

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In 2020, he signed for Premier League club Liverpool, for a fee in the region of £2 million.[7][8][9][10] After sporadically being involved in the first team squad as an unused substitute in Premier League and EFL Cup games, Pitaluga made his first appearance at first team level on 25 July 2023, in a 4–4 draw against German side Greuther Fürth in a pre-season friendly.[11]

Loan to Macclesfield

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In July 2022, Pitaluga was sent on loan to English eighth-tier club Macclesfield.[12][13] He made 18 league appearances for the club before an ankle injury suffered in November saw him out of action until April 2023.[14] He made a total of 26 appearances in all competitions for the club as they won the 2022–23 Northern Premier League Division One West.[15][16]

Loan to St Patrick's Athletic

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On 5 January 2024, Pitaluga signed a new contract with Liverpool and was loaned out to League of Ireland Premier Division side St Patrick's Athletic.[17][18][19] His spell at the club proved difficult, with high profile errors in the 2024 President of Ireland's Cup as well as a league game away to Waterford seeing him dropped by manager Jon Daly in favour of Danny Rogers after playing the first 4 league games of the season.[20][21] On 29 June 2024, newly appointed manager Stephen Kenny confirmed that Pitaluga's loan spell with the club had been cut short after making 7 appearances in all competitions in the club's first 29 games of the season.[22]

Loan to Livingston

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On 30 August 2024, Pitaluga signed for Scottish Championship side Livingston on loan.[23][24]

International career

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As well as his native Brazil, Pitaluga also holds a German passport, making him eligible to play for the Germany national team.[25] He has played for the Brazil under-15, under-16 and under-17 teams.[25] He was part of the squad for Brazil U17's 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup win.[26]

Career statistics

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As of match played 12 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Fluminense 2019[6] Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 0 0 0 0 0[c] 0 0 0
2020[6] 0 0 0 0 0[c] 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Liverpool U21 2021–22[6] 2[d] 0 2 0
2023–24[6] 2[d] 0 2 0
Total 4 0 4 0
Liverpool 2021–22[6] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[e] 0 0 0
2022–23[6] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[e] 0 0[f] 0 0 0
2023–24[6] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[g] 0 0 0
2024–25[6] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[e] 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Macclesfield (loan) 2022–23[27] NPL Division One West 19 0 4 0 3[h] 0 26 0
St Patrick's Athletic (loan) 2024[6] LOI Premier Division 4 0 0 0 0[i] 0 3[j] 0 7 0
Livingston (loan) 2024–25[6] Scottish Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 2[k] 0 2 0
Career total 23 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 39 0
  1. ^ Includes Copa do Brasil, FA Cup, FAI Cup & Scottish Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup & Scottish League Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearances in the Campeonato Carioca
  4. ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
  5. ^ a b c Appearances in the UEFA Champions League
  6. ^ Appearance in the FA Community Shield
  7. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
  8. ^ Appearances in the FA Trophy
  9. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Conference League
  10. ^ 1 appearance in the President of Ireland's Cup & 2 appearances in the Leinster Senior Cup
  11. ^ Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup

Honours

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Macclesfield

Brazil U17

References

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  1. ^ a b c "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 18 October 2019. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Quem é Marcelo Pitaluga, goleiro que o Liverpool comprou do Fluminense?" [Who is Marcelo Pitaluga, goalkeeper that Liverpool bought from Fluminense?]. Goal (in Portuguese). 8 October 2020.
  3. ^ Beesley, Chris (14 September 2020). "Liverpool new signing part of long term plan and has big advantage". Liverpool Echo.
  4. ^ O'Neill, Caoimhe; Lang, Jack (2 February 2021). "Pitaluga's under-23 'baptism of fire' is step towards becoming the next Alisson". The Athletic.
  5. ^ Squires, Theo (6 October 2021). "Alisson helped Liverpool sign 18-year-old prospect as next steps explained". Liverpool Echo.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Brazil - Marcelo Pitaluga - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  7. ^ Blow, Tom (26 December 2021). "Alisson talks up "really special" young Liverpool goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga". Daily Mirror.
  8. ^ "Liverpool to sign Brazilian teenage goalkeeper Pitaluga from Fluminense". Liverpool FC. 14 September 2020.
  9. ^ Sposito, Lucas (11 September 2020). "Marcelo Pitaluga, who is he? – A look at Liverpool's expected signing". Sport Witness.
  10. ^ "Ex-Fluminense, Marcelo Pitaluga recebe sequência entre o sub-18 e sub-23 e ganha moral no Liverpool". ge.globo.com. 31 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Greuther Furth 4–4 Liverpool: Mohamed Salah scores late leveller to claim draw in pre-season friendly". Sky Sports.
  12. ^ Squires, Theo (1 July 2022). "Alisson helped Liverpool sign 19-year-old prospect as next steps explained". Liverpool Echo.
  13. ^ Dawes, Olly (24 July 2022). "Liverpool teenager praised by non-league club". HITC.
  14. ^ "Inside story of Liverpool £1m starlet's latest transfer as Robbie Savage dealt unwanted blow". liverpoolecho.co.uk. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Macclesfield – Appearances – Marcelo Pitaluga". footballwebpages.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  16. ^ Greensmith, Alex (13 March 2022). "Macclesfield FC promoted as champions in comfy win over Ashton Athletic". Macclesfield Nub News.
  17. ^ "Marcelo Pitaluga signs new LFC deal and joins St Patrick's Athletic on loan - Liverpool FC". www.liverpoolfc.com. 5 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Pitaluga Joins On Loan From Liverpool". www.stpatsfc.com.
  19. ^ "St Patrick's Athletic sign Brazilian keeper Marcelo Pitaluga on loan from Liverpool". Independent.ie. 5 January 2024.
  20. ^ Sneyd, David (11 March 2024). "'If you're not performing you don't play regardless of where you've come from'". The 42.
  21. ^ Fenton, James (5 March 2024). "St Pat's Fans Concerned After Howler From Liverpool Loanee Marcelo Pitaluga". Balls.ie.
  22. ^ Fennessy, Paul (29 June 2024). "Liverpool loanee leaves Pat's after disappointing spell". The 42.
  23. ^ "Marcelo Pitaluga seals loan switch to Livingston - Liverpool FC". 30 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Brazilian goalkeeper Pitaluga leaves Liverpool for third loan". 30 August 2024.
  25. ^ a b Football, Planet (8 October 2020). "Everything you need to know about Liverpool-bound Marcelo Pitaluga". Planet Football.
  26. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2019.
  27. ^ "Macclesfield | Appearances | Marcelo Pitaluga | 2022-2023 | Football Web Pages". www.footballwebpages.co.uk.
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