Career
He also holds Portuguese citizenship, and spent his entire professional career in Portugal and Spain, mainly with Ponferradina. Born in Maceió, Alagoas, Yuri arrived in Portugal still in his teens, joining F.C. Maia in the second division. His performances there attracted the attention of another club in the north, Primeira Liga"s Boavista Football Club, for which he signed in January 2003.
However, Yuri could never impose himself at the Checquereds, going on to serve two loans in the process: he helped Gil Vicente F.C. avoid top flight relegation in his five-month spell, not being able to repeat it with G.D. Estoril Praia in the following season.
In the 2005 summer, Yuri moved to Iberian neighbours Spain, representing lowly Pontevedra CF. He also had a loan spell at UD Las Palmas in division two, but only appeared in 12 matches out of 42 without scoring. In the 2012-2013 campaign he ranked third in the second division scorers" list at 21, helping his team to the seventh position.