# Júnior Caiçara

Uilson de Souza Paula Júnior (born 27 April 1989), commonly known as Júnior Caiçara, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a right-back for Santo André.

## Career
### Santo André and loans

Caiçara's first professional club is Santo André. In 2009, after making his senior debut with their B-team in the previous year's Copa Paulista, he was loaned out to Brazilian team CSA.
Back to Santo André in May 2009, Júnior Caiçara made his Série A debut on 16 May, starting and being sent off in a 4–2 away win over Coritiba. In 2010, he was sent on loan to América-SP, where he featured in four Campeonato Paulista Série A2 matches before being released on 10 February.
In June 2010, Caiçara goes to Portugal team Gil Vicente again on loan from Santo André. He made his debut on 29 August against Trofense in the second Portugal league. He helped his team to gain promotion in the Primeira Liga and played with the team in their return in Primeira Liga.

### Ludogorets Razgrad

After playing two seasons for Gil Vicente in Portugal, Júnior Caiçara joined Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad on 5 June 2012. He signed a three-year contract and was given the number 80 jersey.
On 11 July, Caiçara marked his debut for Ludogorets with a goal and first trophy. He opened the scoring in the 2012 Bulgarian Supercup against Lokomotiv Plovdiv, the match ended 3–1 to Ludogorets. On 18 July, he made his European debut against Dinamo Zagreb in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. Then he made his Bulgarian A Group debut, playing full 90 minutes in a 3–0 away win over Cherno More Varna on 11 August. Caiçara quickly established himself as Ludogorets's first choice right-back, making 28 league appearances during his debut campaign in Bulgaria. He collected his first A group title winner's medal at the end of the 2012–13 season.
On 21 August 2013, Caiçara was sent off against Basel in a 4–2 home defeat in the play-off round of the Champions League, his first red card in a Ludogorets shirt.
On 12 December 2014, Ludogorets announced that Caiçara had extended his contract with a new two-year deal that will keep him at the club until 2017.

### Schalke 04

On 25 June 2015, Caiçara signed with German club Schalke 04 on a three-year deal for a fee of €4.5 million. He made his Bundesliga debut in a 1–1 draw with Darmstadt 98.

### İstanbul Başakşehir

On 16 January 2017, Caiçara signed with Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir F.K. on a 3.5-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Three days later he made his debut for the team in the Turkish Cup coming as a substitute in the 61 minute in a match against Yeni Amasyaspor. On 22 January, he completed his debut for the team coming as a substitute again in a match against Fenerbahçe in the Süper Lig.
On 19 February 2023, Caiçara terminated his contract with the club.

### Santos

On 21 August 2023, Caiçara returned to his home country after signing a contract with Santos in the top tier until the end of the year.

### Santo André return

On 3 January 2024, Caiçara returned to Santo André for the season.

## International career

Caicara is eligible for both Brazil and Bulgaria since on 1 July 2014 he got a Bulgarian passport and became able to play for Bulgaria from 2017. He said that he would be happy to represent Bulgaria on the international level. On 25 February 2017, he mentioned again that he would represent Bulgaria if he got an invite since the old manager, Ivaylo Petev, wanted him, and he is waiting for a call from Petar Hubchev.

## Career statistics

    As of 14 November 2023
| Club performance | Club performance | Club performance | League | League | State League | State League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Santo André | 2008 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Santo André | 2009 | Série A | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Santo André | Total | Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| CSA (loan) | 2009 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| América-SP (loan) | 2010 | Paulista A2 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Gil Vicente (loan) | 2010–11 | Segunda Liga | 28 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 2 |
| Gil Vicente (loan) | 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 28 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 1 |
| Gil Vicente (loan) | Total | Total | 56 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 70 | 3 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad | 2012–13 | A Group | 28 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 1 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad | 2013–14 | A Group | 29 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 0 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad | 2014–15 | A Group | 26 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad | Total | Total | 83 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 128 | 1 |
| Schalke 04 | 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 23 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 |
| Schalke 04 | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 3 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | 9 | 1 |
| Schalke 04 | Total | Total | 26 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2016–17 | Süper Lig | 14 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 31 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | — | — | 42 | 0 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 33 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 33 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 0 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 8 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 27 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 2 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 10 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 2 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | Total | Total | 156 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 197 | 2 |
| Santos | 2023 | Série A | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Santo André | 2024 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 327 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 72 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 464 | 7 |
* ↑ Includes Campeonato Alagoano and Campeonato Paulista Série A2
* ↑ Includes Copa do Brasil, Taça de Portugal, DFB-Pokal, Bulgarian Cup and Turkish Cup
* ↑ Includes Taça da Liga
* ↑ Includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League
* ↑ Includes Copa Paulista and Bulgarian Supercup

## Honours
### Club

Gil Vicente
* Liga de Honra: 2010–11
* Taça da Liga Runner-up: 2011–12
Ludogorets Razgrad
* Bulgarian A Group: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
* Bulgarian Cup: 2013–14
* Bulgarian Supercup: 2012
İstanbul Başakşehir
* Süper Lig: 2019–20