Minnesota United Adds Familiar Face With Brazilian Forward Geison Moura

Minnesota United announced the signing of Brazilian forward Geison Moura on Wednesday. Moura is a familiar face for Minnesota soccer fans having played for the team from 2010 through 2013. Moura has been training with United throughout the preseason and traveled with the team to Brazil.
 
“Geison is a Minnesotan, he’s been here for at least six or seven year now, so I look at Geison as someone who has been a service member of this club in the past – it just lines up with his family being here and this atmosphere that’s good for both sides,” United head coach Manny Lagos said. “We’re bringing in someone who we know really well and knows what we’re trying to do here, who has been a part of this family in the past and has deep roots here.”
 
The 28-year-old has been mainly used as a substitute during his career but his most recent stint with Hougang United in Singapore saw him take a starting role.

Moura began his career in 2004 with Bahia in Brazil. After a year he went to Portuguesa Santista, another Brazilian side, for two seasons before coming to the United States.
 
“I’m pretty aggressive with the ball – I try to look forward and score,” Moura said. “All of the time I’m trying to play forward.”
 
He began his stateside career playing indoor for several years starting with the New Jersey Ironmen and then with the Rockford Rampage.
 
Moura made the transition back to the outdoor game by joining Minnesota in 2010. He featured regularly in the Stars lineup making seven starts in 11 appearances plus netting a goal for the squad. He faded out as a starter over the three years, starting only four times in that period and scoring one goal.
 
“Geison’s quality, he’s very skillful, he has the ability to raise the tempo of the game through his touches offensively,” Lagos said. “He has so many qualities in terms of understanding what we’re trying to do and accomplish on the field. He’s another player that gets me excited about our roster because we’ve had him in the past and we know what he can do on the field.”

Moura left Minnesota during the 2013 season to join Hougang. The Brazilian started in all of his 27 league appearances and was able to tally 21 goals in his time with the club.
 
“This is home for me. This is definitely my first house. My wife lives here, and I’ve been here since 2010,” Moura said. “I lived in Brazil for 20 years, but ever since I moved here I play and then come back, and I just feel like Minnesota is my home. It feels good to be back, it feels like coming home.”