Career
Club career
Wendell started his career at Goiás and was the Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20 top scorer in 2006 and was promoted to the senior squad in the following year. He made professional debut in a 0-2 away defeat to São Paulo in the Campeonato Brasileiro on May 12, 2007. Came on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Fabrício Carvalho.
In June 2010, he was loaned to Fortaleza to play the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C.
A free agent at the time of the announcement, he was signed by Vila Nova weeks after.
Wendell Lira got 46.7% of votes, against 33.3% of second place, Lionel Messi. International career
Wendell Lira played in the 2006 Copa Sendai for the Brazil national under-20 football team, having scored once in the competition against Tokohu XI. He received an offer by Milan, which was rejected by Goiás due to his 5-year contract.