Khensane
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Khensane Mpusane Eustaquio Machel[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 January 2009 | ||
| Place of birth | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Coritiba | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cruzeiro | |||
| 2023–2025 | Coritiba | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Coritiba | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:04, 22 May 2025 (UTC) | |||
Khensane Mpusane Eustaquio Machel (born 30 January 2009), known as Khensane, is a Brazilian footballer currently playing as a defensive midfielder for Coritiba.
Early and personal life
[edit]Born in Belo Horizonte to Brazilian parents, his father is of Mozambican descent.[2] His name, picked by his father, translates to Grateful Warrior.[3]
As a child, he was registered to an acting and modelling agency.[4]
Club career
[edit]Khensane began playing football with his grandfather in their back garden.[3] He played on the dirt fields of Minas Gerais, where he played at a number of footballing schools, and joined the academy of Cruzeiro as a child.[3] Starting out as a defender, he also played in goal, before settling as a defensive midfielder due to his height.[4]
Having progressed through the academy of Cruzeiro, he trialled with Athletico Paranaense at the age of fourteen, but would instead join Coritiba.[3] He won the Best Player award at the under-15 Copa Limonta Vitarit Grass in December 2024.[5] Clips of him at the tournament drew national attention, and in January of the following year he signed his first professional contract with the club, a deal running until the end of 2028.[2][6]
On 2 February 2025 he made his professional debut against Cianorte in the Campeonato Paranaense. With the score at 1–1, he replaced Geovane Meurer, but was unable to prevent Coritiba slipping to a 4–1 defeat.[2] In making his debut, he became the second-youngest player in the history of the club, bettered only by Carlos Leopoldo Glaser, who made his debut in 1915.[2]
International career
[edit]Eligible to represent Brazil and Mozambique, the Mozambican Football Federation contacted Khensane in May 2025 in the hope of convincing him to represent them at international level.[7]
Style of play
[edit]A defensive midfielder, Khensane has drawn comparisons to French international footballer Paul Pogba, due to their similar technique and ball control.[3] Khensane himself has said that, while he "liked watching Pogba" at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he takes inspiration from former Brazilian international Ronaldinho, stating "I watch his videos and I like to try to replicate him".[3] He has also listed Neymar and Vinícius Júnior as two of his footballing idols.[4]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 22 May 2025.[8]
| Club | Season | League | State League | Cup[a] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coritiba | 2025 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
- Notes
- ^ Includes Copa do Brasil
- ^ Appearances in the Campeonato Paranaense
References
[edit]- ^ a b Khensane at WorldFootball.net
- ^ a b c d Marchiori, Guto (3 February 2025). "Conheça Khensane, o jovem "Pogba brasileiro" que estreou pelo Coritiba" [Meet Khensane, the young "Brazilian Pogba" who debuted for Coritiba]. ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Mauad, Nadja (25 February 2025). ""Pogba brasileiro" tem raízes moçambicanas e se inspira em Ronaldinho: conheça Khensane" ["Brazilian Pogba" has Mozambican roots and is inspired by Ronaldinho: meet Khensane]. ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "Pogba brasileiro: A história da mais nova joia do Coritiba e a recusa do Athletico" [Brazilian Pogba: The story of Coritiba's newest jewel and Athletico's rejection]. umdoisesportes.com.br (in Portuguese). 20 February 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Volante do Coritiba é eleito o melhor jogador da Copa Limonta Vitarit Grass" [Coritiba midfielder is elected the best player of the Limonta Vitarit Grass Cup]. noticiaja.com (in Portuguese). 9 December 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Mauad, Nadja (31 January 2025). "Nova joia do Coritiba, Khensane assina contrato profissional até o fim de 2028; conheça o jogador" [Coritiba's new gem, Khensane signs professional contract until the end of 2028; meet the player]. ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Federação Moçambicana de Futebol interage com Khensane Machel, o "Pogba de Curitiba"" [Mozambican Football Federation interacts with Khensane Machel, the “Pogba of Curitiba”]. integritymagazine.co.mz (in Portuguese). 18 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Khensane at Soccerway