Eric de Oliveira

Early career, Gaz Metan Mediaș and Karpaty Lviv

Eric was born on 5 December 1985 in Nova Iguaçu, Brazil and began playing futsal for his school's team. Subsequently, he played for the town's team, winning the Rio de Janeiro state tournament. He was the best player and top-scorer, and his picture appeared in a local newspaper, which was read by the director of Flamengo. The director brought him to the club's junior center in 2002. In 2004 he went to play senior-level football in Série C for CFZ de Brasília. In 2005, Eric was on an unsuccessful trial in Mexico with Alacranes de Durango, but in 2006 he was signed by Série A club, Paraná, but did not get a chance to play due to an injury. He moved back to Série C, signing with Metropolitano. Eric's performance during Metropolitano's 2007 tournament in Austria attracted the attention of Romanian Liga II club Gaz Metan Mediaș. The club loaned him for one season at a cost of $80,000, and he was presented to the public alongside fellow Brazilian players Cairo Lima and Grillo Edson. He made his Liga II debut in a 3–1 victory against CSM Reșița. The team earned promotion to the first league by the end of the season under coach Cristian Pustai, Eric contributing with 10 goals scored, forming a successful trio in the offence with Claudiu Boaru and Ciprian Prodan. He was permanently transferred by Gaz Metan from Metropolitano for $122,500. Subsequently, he made his Liga I debut on 27 July 2008 in the first round of the season in…

In July 2011, Eric and Romanian handball player Cosmina Dancu had their first son, whom they named Deric. He married Cosmina two years later and their second son, Anthony, was born in 2015. Eric's cousin, Vitinho, was also a professional footballer, and they played together for a while at Gaz Metan Mediaș. After ending his playing career, Eric settled in Romania. He was very attached to the country, stating in a 2021 interview:"I am 50% Brazilian, 50% Romanian, actually Transylvanian. I'm Eric from Mediaș, not from somewhere else. I don't have citizenship yet, but I can apply, I will do it as soon as possible, now it is clear that I will spend my life here."

Al-Ahli

King Cup runner-up: 2014 Pandurii Târgu Jiu

Cupa Ligii runner-up: 2014–15 Viitorul Constanța

Cupa României: 2018–19 Supercupa României: 2019 Individual

Gazeta Sporturilor Foreign Player of the Year in Romania: 2010, 2013 Liga I Player of the Month: September 2013, October 2013 Records

Foreign top-scorer in Liga I: 66 goals