Chrystian Amaral Barletta de Almeida

Chrystian Barletta's path to becoming Sport Recife's top forward ran through six clubs and a courtroom. He came up through Renovicente and Joinville's academy, making his senior debut for Joinville in October 2019 after an unsuccessful trial at Sporting CP that same month. A loan to Bahia followed, where he collected a Copa do Nordeste winner's medal in 2021. Chapecoense gave him his first real run of goals in Série B, and a strong spell at São Bernardo in early 2023 earned him a move to Corinthians, who paid around R$6 million for half of his economic rights. That switch did not work out: under Vanderlei Luxemburgo he barely featured, making just three appearances in Série A and three in the Copa do Brasil.

A loan to Ceará turned messier still. Barletta scored three goals in eleven Série B matches there, but became entangled in a legal dispute over unpaid wages tied to a debt Ceará owed São Bernardo — a case that went to court and was ultimately decided in the player's favour.

Sport Recife picked him up on a free transfer in February 2024, signing him to a long-term contract through July 2029, and it is there that his career has taken off. He finished 2024 as the club's vice-top scorer across all competitions with 13 goals, contributing eight in Série B, two in the Copa do Brasil and three in the Copa do Nordeste. He added the 2025 Campeonato Pernambucano title to his honours. Injuries have interrupted him along the way — a calf problem in late 2023 and a knee injury in May 2024, each costing him four matches — but at club level he has become a fixture. At international level, his recognition so far stops at a call-up to Brazil's under-15 side.