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Jorginho is a professional football player for Italy, and he currently plays for Arsenal FC of England. He is a one-time UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea. He was also part of Italy’s winning team at Euro 2020. Despite his successful football career that has spanned across Italy and England, the most fascinating bit of the midfielder’s story is why he opted to play for Italy despite being a Brazilian. Here is everything you need to know about Jorginho.
Jorginho profile summary
Full name: Jorge Luiz Frello Filho
Gender: Male
Date of birth: December 20, 1991
Age: 31 years (as of October 2023)
Place of birth: Imbituba, Brazil
Current residence: London, United Kingdom
Nationality: Brazilian
Ethnicity: Brazilian [Portuguese, Italian, possibly other]
Religion: Christianity
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight: 65 kg (143 lbs)
Hair color: Dark Brown
Eye color: Dark Brown
Father: Mr. Filho
Mother: Maria Tereza Freizas
Marital status: Married
Position: Defensive midfielder/central midfielder
Jersey number: 20
Current team: Arsenal FC of England
Net worth: $20 million
What is Jorginho's full name?
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His full name is Jorge Luiz Frello Filho, but he is widely known as Jorginho. His childhood friends called him Haginho after his idol, the legendary Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi. In the Italian national team, he is called 'Il Professore' (The Professor) or 'Radio Jorginho', due to his leadership and organizational skills, as well as his continuous communication during games.
Jorginho age
Jorginho was born on December 20, 1991, in Imbituba, Brazil, and is 31 years old as of October 2023.
Where is Jorginho from?
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Jorginho is from Brazil and was born in Imbituba, in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, before moving to Italy at the age of 15.
How is Jorginho Italian?
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Jorginho is Italian through his paternal great-grandfather, Giacomo Frello, who is from Lusiana, Veneto, and this helped him earn Italian citizenship after moving there from Brazil.
Can Jorginho speak Italian?
Yes, Jorginho can speak Italian. He moved to Italy at a young age, and Imbituba’s population (his place of birth) is largely occupied by people of Portuguese, Italian, and German descent.
Why Jorginho plays for Italy
Jorginho chose to play for Italy because they helped him become the player he is. Speaking on his decision to play for Italy, he said, “Choosing Italy was easy. Brazil never gave me the chance to fulfill my dream. Italy chose me to play for them, even though I was born in another country. When I needed help, Italy helped me.”
What is Jorginho's position?
Jorginho plays as a central midfielder or defensive midfielder for English Premier League club Arsenal and the Italy national team. He specializes in linking defense to midfield, as he often operates as a deep-lying playmaker.
Jorginho transfer
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Jorginho trialed with three of Brazil’s biggest clubs: Sao Paulo, Palmeiras, and Internacional, but all were unsuccessful. However, he was scouted at age 13 to join a soccer school in Guabiruba, moving from there to Italy two years later to join Verona’s academy.
After helping Verona reach Serie A for the first time in 11 years in 2014 and subsequently achieving the top four, the midfielder moved to Napoli on January 18, 2014, where Maurizio Sarri developed him into a star.
After four years at Napoli, Jorginho signed a five-year deal with Chelsea on July 14, 2018, the same day Sarri signed for the same side.
Jorginho had a successful spell at Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup. He left Chelsea to join Arsenal on January 31, 2023, for a fee of £12 million, signing a one-and-a-half-year deal with the option of a further year.
Why Jorginho left Chelsea
Jorginho left Chelsea because he felt he was no longer part of their plans.
Speaking about his departure, he said, 'I had spoken to Chelsea, and I knew I was no longer part of their plans. I wanted to progress in my career, and the Arsenal project suits me.' It's a young team that plays good football and fits my characteristics. I considered every scenario and made the decision.
When did Jorginho join Arsenal?
Jorginho joined Arsenal during the 2022–23 winter transfer window on January 31, 2023, for a fee of £12 million, signing a one-and-a-half-year deal with the option of a further year.
Will Jorginho leave Arsenal?
There were rumors that Jorginho would leave Arsenal at the end of the 2022–23 season. However, his agent, Joao Santos, confirmed that the player remains committed to Arsenal.
Jorginho for Chelsea
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Jorginho racked up 213 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 29 goals and assisting eight for others. He won the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup with the West London club.
On August 26, 2021, he was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year, edging out his Chelsea teammate and UEFA Men's Midfielder of the Year, N'Golo Kanté. He was also one of five Chelsea players included in the final 30-man shortlist for the 2021 Ballon d'Or.
Jorginho for Arsenal
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Since moving across London to join Chelsea’s city rivals, Arsenal, in January 2023, Jorginho has played a bit-part role for the Gunners. The midfielder has yet to score a goal for Arsenal but has provided one assist.
Jorginho number
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Jorginho wears the number 20 jersey for Arsenal and the number 5 jersey for Italy.
Jorginho family
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Jorginho got married to Natalia Leteri in 2017, with the union bearing two children. The first child is his son, Vitor, whom they had before getting married. Natalia gave birth to their second child, a daughter, Alicia, in 2018. However, their marriage ended in 2019.
After his divorce in 2019, Jorginho got into a relationship with former The Voice contestant Catherine Harding in 2020. They have a son named Jax.
Jorginho’s contract
He has one year left on his contract with Arsenal, to end in the summer of 2023–24. There are reports that he would leave at the end of his current deal, with no talk about a renewal at the time of writing.
Jorginho’s stats
He has 48 caps for Italy, scoring five goals. He also won the 2020 UEFA European Championship. He had 96 appearances, 11 goals, and eight assists for Hellas Verona. 160 appearances, 6 goals, and 14 assists for Napoli 213 appearances, 29 goals, and 8 assists for Chelsea
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