Jair Cunha

Personal information
Full name	Jair Paula da Cunha Filho
Date of birth	7 March 2005 (age 20)
Place of birth	Orlândia, Brazil
Height	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Nottingham Forest
Number	23
Youth career
2016–2024	Santos
Senior career*
Years	Team
2023–2025	Santos
2025	Botafogo
2025–	Nottingham Forest
International career‡
2025–	Brazil U20
Medal record
Men's football
Representing Brazil
South American U-20 Championship
Men's football
Representing Brazil
South American U-20 Championship
	* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:10, 5 June 2025 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals as of 16:25, 17 February 2025 (UTC)
	Show more

Jair Paula da Cunha Filho (born 7 March 2005), known as Jair Cunha^[2] or just Jair, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Premier League club Nottingham Forest.

Club career

Santos

Born in Orlândia, São Paulo, Jair joined Santos' youth setup in 2016, aged ten.^[3] On 19 June 2021, he signed his first professional contract with the club, agreeing to a deal until 2024.^[4]

On 22 June 2022, Jair renewed his link with Peixe until June 2025,^[5] and started to train with the first team squad in August.^[6] On 12 January of the following year, he suffered a knee injury while playing for the under-20s in the 2023 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior.^[7]

Jair returned to trainings in August 2023, while entering the final stages of his recovery.^[8] He was declared fit to play in October,^[9] and made his professional – and Série A – debut on 9 November, coming on as a late substitute for fellow youth graduate Marcos Leonardo in a 1–0 away win over Goiás.^[10]

On 23 April 2024, after becoming an immediate backup to starters Gil and Joaquim, Jair renewed his contract with Santos until December 2026.^[11]

Botafogo

On 10 February 2025, Botafogo announced the signing of Jair on a four-year contract.^[12]

Nottingham Forest

On 11 July 2025, Jair signed a five-year deal with Premier League side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed transfer fee.^[13]

International career

On 17 May 2024, Jair and Santos teammates JP Chermont and Souza were called up to the Brazil national under-20 team for a period of training.^[14] On 20 December, he was included in the squad for the 2025 South American U-20 Championship.^[15]

Career statistics

As of 28 June 2025.^[16]

Club	Season	League			State League^[a]		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Santos	2023	Série A	2	0	—		0	0	0	0	—		2	0
	2024	Série B	20	0	2	0	—		—		—		22	0
	Total		22	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	—		24	0
Botafogo	2025	Série A	11	0	1	0	0	0	5^[b]	0	5^[c]	1	22	1
Nottingham Forest	2025-26	Premier League	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career total			33	0	3	0	0	0	5	0	5	1	46	1

^ Includes Campeonato Paulista, Campeonato Carioca
^ Appearances in Copa Libertadores
^ One appearance in Recopa Sudamericana, four appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup

Honours

Santos

Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 2024

Brazil U20

South American Youth Football Championship: 2025

References

^ "Jair Cunha diz que cresceu dois centímetros durante recuperação e sonha com promoção no Santos" [Jair Cunha says he grew two centimeters during recovery and dreams with promotion at Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Menino da Vila, zagueiro Jair Cunha segue no Santos FC" [Menino da Vila, stopper Jair Cunha remains at Santos FC] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
^ "Conheça o zagueiro Jair, revelação da base do Peixe" [Know the stopper Jair, spotlight of Peixe's youth setup] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Meu Peixão. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^ "Zagueiro Jair, de 16 anos, assina contrato milionário com o Santos" [Stopper Jair, aged 16, signs millionaire deal with Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
^ "Santos renova com Jair Cunha, joia da base; multa é de R$ 378 milhões" [Santos renew with Jair Cunha, spotlight of the youth setup; release clause is of R$ 378 million] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Jair Paula chama a atenção e briga por espaço com Lisca no Santos" [Jair Paula catches the eye and fights for a space with Lisca at Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Zagueiro Jair, do Santos, sofre duas lesões no joelho direito e passará por cirurgia" [Stopper Jair, from Santos, suffers two injuries on his right knee and will undergo surgery] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Conheça Jair, promissor zagueiro do Santos que voltou a treinar com o profissional" [Know Jair, promising stopper of Santos who returned to train with the first team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Santos: destaque da Copinha volta após nove meses e pode encarar Palmeiras" [Santos: spotlight of the Copinha returns after nine months and may face Palmeiras] (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL Esporte. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Jair Cunha celebra volta por cima e estreia como profissional do Santos: "Sonho realizado"" [Jair Cunha celebrates comeback and debut as a professional of Santos: "Dream fulfilled"] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^ "Joia da base, zagueiro Jair renova com o Santos FC até dezembro de 2026" [Pearl of the youth setup, Jair renews with Santos FC until December 2026] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
^ "Reforço na zaga" [Addition in the defense] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Botafogo FR. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
^ "Forest complete signing of Jair Cunha". 11 July 2025.
^ "Jair, Souza e JP Chermont são convocados para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-20" [Jair, Souza and JP Chermont are called up to the Brazil national under-20 team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário do Peixe. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
^ "JP Chermont e Jair são convocados para o Sul-Americano Sub-20" [JP Chermont and Jair are called up to the South American U-20 Championship] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário do Peixe. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
^ Jair Cunha at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[17] Includes Campeonato Paulista, Campeonato Carioca

[18] Appearances in Copa Libertadores

[19] One appearance in Recopa Sudamericana, four appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup

[1] "Jair Cunha diz que cresceu dois centímetros durante recuperação e sonha com promoção no Santos" [Jair Cunha says he grew two centimeters during recovery and dreams with promotion at Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[2] "Menino da Vila, zagueiro Jair Cunha segue no Santos FC" [Menino da Vila, stopper Jair Cunha remains at Santos FC] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

[3] "Conheça o zagueiro Jair, revelação da base do Peixe" [Know the stopper Jair, spotlight of Peixe's youth setup] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Meu Peixão. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.

[4] "Zagueiro Jair, de 16 anos, assina contrato milionário com o Santos" [Stopper Jair, aged 16, signs millionaire deal with Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.

[5] "Santos renova com Jair Cunha, joia da base; multa é de R$ 378 milhões" [Santos renew with Jair Cunha, spotlight of the youth setup; release clause is of R$ 378 million] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[6] "Jair Paula chama a atenção e briga por espaço com Lisca no Santos" [Jair Paula catches the eye and fights for a space with Lisca at Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[7] "Zagueiro Jair, do Santos, sofre duas lesões no joelho direito e passará por cirurgia" [Stopper Jair, from Santos, suffers two injuries on his right knee and will undergo surgery] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[8] "Conheça Jair, promissor zagueiro do Santos que voltou a treinar com o profissional" [Know Jair, promising stopper of Santos who returned to train with the first team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[9] "Santos: destaque da Copinha volta após nove meses e pode encarar Palmeiras" [Santos: spotlight of the Copinha returns after nine months and may face Palmeiras] (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL Esporte. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[10] "Jair Cunha celebra volta por cima e estreia como profissional do Santos: "Sonho realizado"" [Jair Cunha celebrates comeback and debut as a professional of Santos: "Dream fulfilled"] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

[11] "Joia da base, zagueiro Jair renova com o Santos FC até dezembro de 2026" [Pearl of the youth setup, Jair renews with Santos FC until December 2026] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.

[12] "Reforço na zaga" [Addition in the defense] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Botafogo FR. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2025.

[13] "Forest complete signing of Jair Cunha". 11 July 2025.

[14] "Jair, Souza e JP Chermont são convocados para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-20" [Jair, Souza and JP Chermont are called up to the Brazil national under-20 team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário do Peixe. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.

[15] "JP Chermont e Jair são convocados para o Sul-Americano Sub-20" [JP Chermont and Jair are called up to the South American U-20 Championship] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário do Peixe. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2025.

[16] Jair Cunha at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

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