# Murilo Cerqueira

Murilo Cerqueira Paim (born 27 March 1997) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a central defender or defensive midfielder for Brazilian club Palmeiras.

## Club career
### Cruzeiro

Cerqueira played for the Cruzeiro Youth Teams since 2012. In 2017, he was promoted to the senior team. On March 21, 2017 he made his professional debut for Cruzeiro in the match against Joinville Esporte Clube at the Primeira Liga.

### Lokomotiv

On 18 June 2019, Murilo signed a 5-year contract with the Russian Premier League club FC Lokomotiv Moscow. On 12 May 2021, he scored the last goal in a 3–1 victory over PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara in the 2020–21 Russian Cup final.

### Palmeiras

On 12 January 2022, Cerqueira signed a five-season contract with Série A club Palmeiras.

## International career

Cerqueira represented Brazil U20 at youth level. He was one of the sparring players for the Brazil 2016 Olympic team. He was also part of the Brazil U-23 team which won the 2019 Toulon Tournament. He was present for the 2020 Summer Olympics qualifying cycle, but ended up not being called up to the final list for the tournament.
He was called up for the first time to the senior Brazil national team in March 2024 for friendlies against England and Spain, but remained on the bench in both games.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 3 December 2023
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Cruzeiro | 2017 | Série A | 24 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2018 | Série A | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2019 | Série A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | Total | Total | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2019–20 | Russian Premier League | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2020–21 | Russian Premier League | 22 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 5 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2021–22 | Russian Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | Total | Total | 52 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 71 | 5 |
| Palmeiras | 2022 | Série A | 32 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 57 | 11 |
| Palmeiras | 2023 | Série A | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 47 | 5 |
| Palmeiras | Total | Total | 56 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 27 | 5 | 104 | 16 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 142 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 30 | 3 | 46 | 5 | 232 | 21 |
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Primeira Liga (Brazil)
* 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in Campeonato Mineiro
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Russian Super Cup
* ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Eleven appearances and three goals in Campeonato Paulista, two appearances in Recopa Sudamericana
* ↑ Thirteen appearances and two goals in Campeonato Paulista, one appearance in Supercopa do Brasil

## Honours
### Club

Cruzeiro
* Copa do Brasil: 2017, 2018
* Campeonato Mineiro: 2018, 2019
Lokomotiv Moscow
* Russian Cup: 2020–21
* Russian Super Cup: 2019
Palmeiras
* Recopa Sudamericana: 2022
* Campeonato Paulista: 2022, 2023, 2024
* Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2022, 2023
* Supercopa do Brasil: 2023
* FIFA Club World Cup Runner Up: 2021

### International

Brazil U23
* Toulon Tournament: 2019

### Individual

* Bola de Prata: 2022
* Best Centre back in Brazil: 2023
* Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2022, 2023
* Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2024