# Wendel (footballer, born 1997)

Marcus Wendel Valle da Silva (born 28 September 1997), commonly known as Wendel, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg. He is set to move to Botafogo at the end of the 2024–25 Russian season. He plays as a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder or a left midfielder.

## Club career
### Fluminense

He started his career at Tigres do Brasil's youth team, and then in 2015, he moved to Fluminense. He made his debut in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A on 14 May 2017, in a match against Santos. He scored his first goal in the league on 18 June 2017, in a match against Flamengo. In the 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A season, Wendel played 33 matches and scored 5 goals.

### Sporting CP

He signed a contract with Sporting Clube de Portugal in January 2018, valid until 2023, with a termination clause, with Fluminense receiving 10% of the money. Wendel initially had difficulty adapting to the tempo and tactics of European football which led to low playing time during the early campaign. However, after the appointment of Marcel Keizer as manager of the club, Wendel became a usual starter. In the beginning of December, Wendel suffered a left knee sprain which sidelined him for 2 months.

### Zenit Saint Petersburg

On 6 October 2020, Wendel joined Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg on a five-year contract. On 21 July 2022, Wendel extended his contract with Zenit until 2027. On 11 September 2022, Wendel scored the first hat-trick of his career in a 8–0 victory against FC Orenburg. In August 2024, he extended his contract with Zenit to June 2028.

### Botafogo

On 20 January 2025, Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg announced the transfer of Luiz Henrique to Zenit, with Artur moving in the opposite direction, following by Wendel also moving to Botafogo at the end of the 2024–25 Russian season in June 2025.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 8 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Fluminense | 2017 | Série A | 33 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 55 | 7 |
| Sporting | 2017–18 | Primeira Liga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Sporting | 2018–19 | Primeira Liga | 21 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 3 |
| Sporting | 2019–20 | Primeira Liga | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 3 |
| Sporting | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Sporting | Total | Total | 54 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 79 | 6 |
| Zenit | 2020–21 | Russian Premier League | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 2 |
| Zenit | 2021–22 | Russian Premier League | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 4 |
| Zenit | 2022–23 | Russian Premier League | 24 | 8 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 31 | 9 |
| Zenit | 2023–24 | Russian Premier League | 28 | 4 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 36 | 4 |
| Zenit | 2024–25 | Russian Premier League | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 20 | 2 |
| Zenit | Total | Total | 108 | 18 | 19 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 142 | 21 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 195 | 27 | 29 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 31 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 276 | 34 |
* ↑ Includes Copa do Brasil, Taça de Portugal, Russian Cup
* ↑ Includes Taça da Liga
* ↑ Appearances in Campeonato Carioca
* ↑ Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
* 1 2 3 Appearance in Russian Super Cup

## Honours

Sporting
* Primeira Liga: 2020–21
* Taça de Portugal: 2018–19
* Taça da Liga: 2018–19
Zenit Saint Petersburg
* Russian Premier League: 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
* Russian Cup: 2023–24
* Russian Super Cup: 2021, 2022, 2024

### Individual

* Russian Premier League Team of the Season: 2022–23