Giovanni Silva de Oliveira

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Giovanni
Personal information
Date of birth February 4, 1972
Place of birth Belem, Brazil
Height 190 cm (6.2 ft)
Nickname Gio or Magos("magician")
Position Attacking Midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current club Ethnikos Piraeus
Youth clubs
1989-1991 Tuna Luso
Professional clubs*
Years Club Apps (goals)
1990-1991
1991-1992
1993-1993
1994-1994
1994-1994
1994-1996
1996-1999
1999-2005
2005-2006
2006
2006-		 Taça Luz
Tuna Luso
Clube do Remo
Paysandu Sport Club
Sãocarlense
Santos Futebol Clube
FC Barcelona
Olympiakos CFP
Santos Futebol Clube
Al Hilal
Ethnikos Piraeus		 {{{caps(goals)}}}
National team**
1993-2003 Brazil 20 (6)

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 2006.
** National team caps and goals correct
as of 1999.


Giovanni Silva de Oliveira (born February 4, 1972), better known as Giovanni, is a football player from Brazil. He plays as a forward for Ethnikos Pireaus -A.O. Manis in the Greek National B Division and he was also capped in the Brazilian national team, Born in Abaetetuba, Giovanni started his career in 1991 at Tuna Luso. In 1993, he scored 24 goals, before joining Remo and Sãocarlense before moving to Brazilian top club Santos in 1995. Pele paid himself for his transfer, and proclaimed him as the "new Pele". In his first season he scored in half of the games he played, while in his second he claimed 25 goals in 19 games. After Santos FC, he moved to Spanish FC Barcelona in 1996. He was a first team regular for two seasons and scored 18 goals overall. Barcelona fans still remember him for his ability to score game winning goals against Real Madrid.

He moved to Olympiacos in the summer of 1999 and soon established himself as one of the best players in the history of the Greek league.

A flamboyant and temperamental player, he was known for his great dribbling and his ability to hang the goalkeeper and pass the ball through defender's legs. His technique and the variety of fascinating moves made Olympiakos' fans think of him as the most talented player passed from their team and loved him as a gifted hero. His skills earned him the nickname "magos"(wizard) in Greece.

He was the leading goalscorer in Greece in the 2003-2004 season with 21 goals. After six seasons he left the Piraeus club in 2005 to return to São Paulo and Santos FC.

In the beginning of 2006, he signed a one year contract with Saudi Arabia leading team Al Hilal Club in what was thought to be the last stop of his career. However, on August 15, 2006, Giovanni signed a one-year contract with 2nd division Greek club Ethnikos Piraeus for 400,000 Euros, deciding to end his career in the stadium primarily known as the Olympiacos home turf, the Karaiskakis Stadium.

Giovanni received the "Brazilian Golden Ball" in 1995. In 2000 he was nominated "Best foreign footballer in Greek championship".

[edit] Clubs

[edit] National team

Giovanni has 20 caps with the Brazilian national team (6 goals).

He played during the Football World Cup 1998.

[edit] Honours


Brazil Brazil squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup Runners-up Brazil

1 Taffarel | 2 Cafu | 3 Aldair | 4 Júnior Baiano | 5 César Sampaio | 6 Roberto Carlos | 7 Giovanni | 8 Dunga | 9 Ronaldo | 10 Rivaldo | 11 Emerson | 12 Carlos Germano | 13 Zé Carlos | 14 Gonçalves | 15 André Cruz | 16 Zé Roberto | 17 Doriva | 18 Leonardo | 19 Denílson | 20 Bebeto | 21 Edmundo | 22 Dida | Coach: Zagallo
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