NY Red Bulls sign Juninho Pernambucano, former Brazilian international and free kick specialist

Juninho comes to the Red Bulls from Brazil's Vasco da Gama. — VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images
Juninho comes to the Red Bulls from Brazil’s Vasco da Gama.

PUBLISHED: December 17, 2012 at 3:20 p.m. | UPDATED: January 10, 2019 at 12:16 p.m.

HARRISON, N.J. — The New York Red Bulls have signed Brazilian midfielder Juninho Pernambucano.

The Major League Soccer club announced Monday that it had signed the 37-year-old who played on Brazil’s World Cup team in 2006. He had been with Brazilian First Division side Vasco da Gama, and scored 14 goals in 50 matches. He spent 2010 with the Qatari club Al-Gharafa, helping it win the league title while earning player of the year honors.

Juninho played a decade in Europe in the French First Division with Olympique Lyonnais, helping it win seven straight Ligue 1 titles from 2002-08. He had 100 goals in 344 matches in all competitions.

Juninho earned 47 caps playing for Brazil.

SEE FREE KICK MAESTRO JUNINHO PERNAMBUCANO IN ACTION