Fabiana Simões

Fabiana's career began aged 15, when she moved from Bahia to Rio to play for the women's section of America RJ. After a brief spell at CEPE-Caxias, she was signed by Spanish relegation-battlers Sporting de Huelva. In the 2008 WPS International Draft, Fabiana was selected by Boston Breakers. The US club's coach Tony DiCicco picked England's Kelly Smith in the first round and Fabiana in the second. DiCicco described his Brazilian acquisition as: "very fast and fits that quick Brazilian mold with lot of flair". An existing anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained while playing for Corinthians kept Fabiana out of the Breakers' team until the last seven games of 2009, all of which she started. Two games on loan to Boston Aztec in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) had formed part of Fabiana's recuperation. She was given another contract for 2010 and started 14 of her 21 appearances, adding a goal against Chicago Red Stars. Ahead of season 2011, Boston made Fabiana a free agent, then made an unsuccessful attempt to sign her on reduced terms. In August 2011 she joined Russian UEFA Women's Champions League contestant WFC Rossiyanka from Santos. After another brief return to Brazil with São José, Fabiana transferred to Tyresö FF in January 2014, one of four Brazilians joining their compatriot Marta at the Swedish club. Tyresö were insolvent and on 9 April 2014 the Swedish immigration bureau refused Fabiana a work permit, so she returned to Brazil. She played for Centro…

At the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship, FIFA.com reported that Fabiana contributed vital "skill and speed" to the Brazilian team which finished third. In November 2006 Fabiana made her senior international debut in Brazil's 2–0 South American Women's Football Championship win over Peru at Estadio José María Minella, Mar del Plata.

She trained with the senior team ahead of the 2007 Pan American Games, but was not selected for the final squad. Good form with Corinthians saw Fabiana break into the squad ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics. She was restored to the team for a 2–1 win over Italy at Suwon Sports Complex in the 2008 Peace Queen Cup. Fabiana was included in Brazil's 18-player squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and made substitute appearances in the semi-final and final. She won a silver medal when Brazil lost the final 1–0 after extra time to the United States. At the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, Fabiana's Brazil beat Australia, Norway and Equatorial Guinea to qualify in first place from their group. They then lost a controversial quarter-final on penalties to the United States after a 2–2 draw. Fabiana went to her second Olympic football tournament at London 2012. Amidst allegations of a broken down bus plot, Brazil lost their final group E game 1–0 to hosts Great Britain before a record crowd of 70,584 at Wembley Stadium. Fabiana had been dropped from the team for the Great Britain match. The defeat consigned Brazil to a quarter-final meeting…