Full name Igor Rossi Branco Playing position Years Team Role Footballer Weight 77 kg | Place of birth Campinas, Brazil Number 18 Name Igor Branco Height 1.89 m Career start 2009 | |
 | ||
Date of birth (1989-03-10) March 10, 1989 (age 26) Current team Heart of Midlothian F.C. (#18 / Defender) | ||
Igor Rossi Branco or Igor Rossi for short (born 10 March 1989 in Campinas, Sao Paulo) is a Brazilian professional footballer, who plays for Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian, as a centre-back. In addition of playing in the centre-back, Rossi also plays in the left-back position as well. He has previously played for Internacional and Maritimo.
Contents
Maritimo
Igor Rossi began his career in Internacional. In 2010, moved to Maritimo, and started to play in the Maritimo's B team. At the end of the 2010–11 season, Igor Rossi was promoted to the first team.
After included as an un-used substitute in the opening game of the season against Beira-Mar, Igor Rossi made his debut for the senior team in the Primeira Liga on 11 December 2011, in a 1–0 against Benfica. Rossi later made five appearance in the 2011–12 season.
In the 2012–13 season, Igor was included in the 25 man squad. Igor then scored his first goal in a game against Benfica. In his final season before being released, he played only four matches – two as a starter – and ten for the reserves in Segunda Liga.
Heart of Midlothian
On 22 July 2015, he signed a one-year deal at Heart of Midlothian, newly returned to the Scottish Premiership.
He made his debut eight days later in the first round of the season's Scottish League Cup at home against Arbroath, replacing double goalscorer Osman Sow for the final 13 minutes of a 4–2 victory. On 2 August he played the full 90 minutes of his first league game, a 4–3 win against St. Johnstone.
Personal life
He is the older brother of Raphael Rossi Branco, who is also a defender, for Swindon Town in England.
Igor Rossi has an Italian passport, allowing him to play in the United Kingdom without a work permit.
