Bitello

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is de Souza and the second or paternal family name is Mares.

João Paulo de Souza Mares (born 7 January 2000), commonly known as Bitello, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and winger for Russian club Dynamo Moscow.

Bitello

Bitello with Dynamo Moscow in 2024
Personal information
Full name	João Paulo de Souza Mares
Date of birth	(2000-01-07) 7 January 2000 (age 25)
Place of birth	Formosa do Oeste, Brazil
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Dynamo Moscow
Number	10
Youth career
2017–2018	Cascavel
2018–2021	Grêmio
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2018	Cascavel	3	(0)
2021–2023	Grêmio	93	(19)
2023–	Dynamo Moscow	52	(11)
International career‡
2023	Brazil U23	1	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 7 September 2023

Career

Born in Formosa do Oeste, Brazil, Bitello joined the Grêmio's Academy at the age of 18 in 2018. In 2023, after promising performances in the 2022 Series B (Second Division of the Brazilian Football Championship) for Gremio, Bitello returned in 2023, being one of the pillars of the team, one of the players who played the most games for Gremio in the year. On 12 September 2023, Bitello accepts a proposal of 10 million euros from Dynamo Moscow.^[1]

On 14 September 2023, Bitello signed a five-year contract with Dynamo Moscow.^[2] In the 2024–25 season, Bitello was voted Player of the Season by Dynamo fans.^[3]

Career statistics

As of match played on 13 August 2025^[4]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			State League		National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cascavel	2017	Paranaense	—		0	0	—		—		3[a]	0	3	0
	2018	Paranaense	—		3[b]	0	—		—		—		3	0
	Total		—		3	0	—		—		3	0	6	0
Grêmio	2021	Série A	0	0	1[c]	0	0	0	1[d]	0	—		2	0
	2022	Série B	36	8	11[c]	2	1	0	—		—		48	10
	2023	Série A	19	4	13[c]	3	10	1	—		1[e]	1	43	9
	Total		55	12	25	5	11	1	1	0	1	1	93	19
Dynamo Moscow	2023–24	Russian Premier League	23	8	—		7	2	—		—		30	10
	2024–25	Russian Premier League	26	3	—		9	0	—		—		35	3
	2025–26	Russian Premier League	3	0	—		1	0	—		—		4	0
	Total		52	11	—		17	2	—		—		69	13
Career total			107	23	28	5	28	3	1	0	4	1	168	32

1. Appearance(s) in Taça FPF.
2. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Paranaense.
3. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Gaúcho.
4. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana.
5. Appearance(s) in Recopa Gaúcha.

Honours

Club

Grêmio

• Campeonato Gaúcho: 2021, 2022, 2023
• Recopa Gaúcha: 2021, 2022, 2023

Individual

• Campeonato Gaúcho best player: 2023