Who is Kauã Santos? | OneFootball

Kauã Santos: Who is Eintracht Frankfurt's Brazilian goalkeeper who has been called 'world class' for his UEFA Europa League heroics?

He idolises Manchester City and Brazil goalkeeper Ederson and first showed his talent with Rio de Janeiro heavyweights Flamengo – who is Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kauã Santos, the Brazilian goalkeeper aiming to inspire the Eagles to Bundesliga and UEFA Europa League success?

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bundesliga.com shines a light on a fledgling talent who has been in formidable form in the Frankfurt goal during injury-enforced absences of Kevin Trapp.

*Stats correct as of 11 April 2025

Kauã Santos

Age: 22 (born 11 April 2003)Club: Eintracht FrankfurtPosition: GoalkeeperCountry: Brazil U20 (2 caps)

Key stats

Frankfurt’s Brazilian goalkeeper is only the second shotstopper from the South American nation to play in the Bundesliga following Heurelho Gomes’ loan cameo at Hoffenheim in 2013.

Santos made an instant impact on his debut, when he came off the bench to replace the injured Trapp at half-time of the Matchday 3 win at Wolfsburg in 20224/25. Santos is no stranger to the limelight, having joined one of Brazil’s and South America’s biggest clubs, Flamengo, as a 16-year-old and going on to captain the Rio de Janeiro giant's U20 side.

Standing at an imposing 6’4”, he certainly has the physical stature to be a commanding presence, and Frankfurt’s decision to sign him after just a handful of games for Flamengo’s U20 team - and also not send him on loan this season following just 13 matches for their reserve side last term - showed the club had every faith in his talent. That has been vindicated by a number of superb saves in his first season of Bundesliga football - including a clean sheet in his first start for Frankfurt, a 2-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 4, and another shutout in a key 1-0 win over VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 27.

The Stuttgart clean sheet came after another injury to Trapp allowed the youngster between the sticks - and he seized the chance to also shine in Frankfurt's 2024/25 UEFA Europa League campaign. A dazzling display as the Eagles returned from Tottenham with a 1-1 draw in the first-leg of the quarter-final - on the evening before he turned 22 - gained him attention far and wide, with German football legend Lothar Matthäus terming several key saves in the encounter "world class".

Plays a bit like: Ederson

“I've always liked Ederson, because he has that characteristic of playing with his feet,” said Santos of the Manchester City goalkeeper. “I play with my feet and with my speed. Big goalkeepers are usually slow, but in my case, it's different. Having worked a lot on this, I consider myself a fast goalkeeper.”

That in-built speed of hand and foot has been something Frankfurt have fine-tuned since Santos’ summer 2023 arrival in Germany.

Did you know?

Santos had to overcome tragedy in his childhood. His mother passed away when he was nine, and he was brought up by his grandmother and aunt. “Obviously, this is a very bad thing, but my grandmother and aunt have always been very present, even when my mother was alive,” he explained to Flamengo’s TV channel. “I always called my grandmother 'Mother' too. I’ve always said that I had three mothers.”

What they’re saying

“I always played up front and in goal. There came a time when I needed to make the decision about what I wanted.” - Santos on deciding as a youngster where he would play

“He gives off such an aura of calm and comes out well for crosses. It was a very good performance for a first game. He has a Brazilian self-confidence that radiates from him.” - Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche after Santos's debut against Wolfsburg in 2024/25

“Kaua did very well and showed what we have seen from him in training over the last few weeks and months. He’s a very courageous goalkeeper.” Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller after his debut

“He’s got a bit of something special." - Frankfurt teammate Robin Koch

“Kaua showed talent well above the average as a kid. He was a very focused athlete and always sought perfection.” - Santos’ first coach in his hometown Vassouras, James Bernardes

“In the end, what counts is what excites me about every goalkeeper: he stops shots.” - Frankfurt goalkeeping coach Jan Zimmermann

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