Erik Jorgens de Menezes

Erik Jorgens de Menezes (; born 18 February 2001), simply known as Erik, is a professional footballer who plays as left-back for UAE Pro League club Al Ain. Born in Brazil, he plays for the United Arab Emirates national team.

Early life and career A product of SC Internacional youth system, the left-back did not receive many opportunities in the main team. He only played two games in the professional team. In the 2020/21 season, still at 19 years old, the youngster transferred to Al Ain FC, where he became a regular starter.

International career Erik is a Brazilian citizen who was granted an Emirati passport in September 2023, making him eligible to represent the United Arab Emirates national team through residency. He made his debut for the UAE in September 2025, starting in a friendly match against Syria. His first official appearance came in October 2025 during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Qatar, when he entered the match as a substitute in the 68th minute, permanently committing him to the UAE national team and making him ineligible to represent Brazil in the future.

Club Career Stats

Honours Al Ain AFC Champions League: 2023-24 UAE Pro League: 2021–22 UAE League Cup: 2021–22

Individual UAE Pro League Golden Boy Best Young Resident player of the Year: 2021–22, 2022–23