Cafu

Cafu

Personal information
Full name	Marcos Evangelista de Moraes
Date of birth	June 7, 1970 (1970-06-07) (age 40)
Place of birth	São Paulo, Brazil
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Right back
Youth career
1988–1990	São Paulo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1989–1994	São Paulo	115	(7)
1995	Juventude	0	(0)
1995	Zaragoza	16	(0)
1996–1997	Palmeiras	35	(0)
1997–2003	Roma	163	(5)
2003–2008	Milan	119	(4)
Total		448	(16)
National team
1990–2006	Brazil	142	(5[1])
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Marcos Evangelista de Moraes (born 7 June 1970), better known as Cafu, is a former Brazilian footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest right-backs ever. He was given this nickname due to his speed up and down the right flank which was reminiscent of Cafuringa, a Brazilian forward from the 1970s.^[2]

Cafu was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He is best known for his tireless overlapping runs. On reflection of his career, top football pundit Yusuke Okamoto believes that Cafu had so much talent and attacking flair, that he made "Dani Alves look like Gary Neville."

Early life

One of six children, Cafu was raised in the Jardim Irene favela of São Paulo. He was an average student as he soon discovered his love for football and preferred playing over studying. At the tender age of seven, he was able to attend a football academy and soon moved up to the junior sides of Nacional-SP, Portuguesa and Itaquaquecetuba. He also played futsal for two years.

In the early 1980s, he could not get his foot in the door as he was rejected from the youth squads of Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos, Atlético Mineiro, and Portuguesa. It was not until 1988 that he made the youth squad of hometown club São Paulo, and subsequently won the Copa São Paulo youth tournament that year, but he warmed the bench the next season as São Paulo won the 1989 Campeonato Paulista.

Club career

It was during this time, however, that São Paulo youth coach Telê Santana became Cafu's mentor. He suggested that Cafu move from the midfield to wingback, a spot into which Cafu made the transition with ease despite never previously playing the position. He had soon anchored onto the first team, as São Paulo won back-to-back Copa Libertadores in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he was named the South American Footballer of the Year. Cafu began the 1995 season with Brazil squad Juventude but finished in Spain with Real Zaragoza, winning the 1995 Cup Winner's Cup with the latter.

After a brief stint back in Brazil with Palmeiras in 1996, Cafu returned to Europe once again the next year, this time with Roma, and won the Scudetto in 2001. It was during his tenure at Roma that Cafu earned the nickname Il Pendolino ("The Express Train" or "The Commuter"). Despite making the Coppa Italia final in 2003 with Roma, he moved to Milan after turning down a move to Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos. With the Rossoneri, he won his second career Scudetto in 2004, and played in his first UEFA Champions League final in 2005.

Despite his success with Milan, he continued to hold fond memories of his Roma years, and it was for that reason that on 4 March 2007 — the day after Milan eliminated Celtic in the first knockout round of the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League — he candidly revealed in a UEFA.com chat that he did not want Milan to be drawn against the Giallorossi in the quarterfinal round. He got his wish, as Milan were drawn against Bayern Munich. Milan's successful Champions League campaign saw Cafu finally pick up a long-awaited winners' medal.

Cafu signed a contract extension in May 2007 that would keep him with Milan until the end of the 2007–08 season. On 16 May 2008, it was announced that Cafu and compatriot Serginho would be leaving Milan at the end of the season. In Cafu's last game of his Milan career, and maybe his footballing career, he scored a goal in their 4–1 victory over Udinese. Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani has opened the doors to him to return to work for the club.

On 14 December 2008, it was reported by several major news agencies that Cafu was allegedly, to sign for Northern Premier League Division One North team Garforth Town in 2009. Garforth owner Simon Clifford told to Sky Sports that Cafu is "likely to be coming in April and just playing a few games for us".^[3][4][5] The transfer did not materialise however.

Passport controversy

Cafu was accused along with several other Serie A players, including Roma team-mate Fábio Júnior and Gustavo Bartelt, countryman and later Milan team-mate Dida, for using forged passport in their attempt to dodge regulations regarding the number of non-European players allowed on Italian club rosters. However, the charge was cleared by FIGC as Cafu's Italian passport is real and issued by Italian officials but 13 other including Dida were banned.^[6] But Cafu faced another controversy that similar to Juan Sebastián Verón, accused that Cafu's wife, Regina used falsified documents to claim Italian nationality through Italian descent.^[7] Cafu acquired Italian nationality through marriage. In 2004, Cafu and Roma president Franco Sensi went to court.^[8][9]

On 12 June 2006, less than 24 hours before Brazil were to begin their 2006 World Cup campaign against Croatia, Rome prosecutor Angelantonio Racanelli called for the imprisonment of Cafu, his wife Regina de Morales, and his agent for nine months following the resurfacing of a false-passport scandal.^[10] The very next day, however, Cafu, his wife, and agent were acquitted of all charges.^[11]

International career

Cafu playing for Brazil.

Cafu is the most-capped Brazilian player of all time with 143, including 21 World Cup finals appearances. He has won two World Cups in 1994 and 2002, and is one of the few players that have participated in four consecutive tournaments, as well as being the first and to this day the only player to participate in three WC final matches. He earned his first cap in a friendly against Spain on 12 September 1990, and played sparingly for Brazil in the early 90s, making the 1994 World Cup roster as a substitute. He appeared in the final against Italy, following an injury to Jorginho in the 22nd minute. After that, Cafu was soon a regular in the starting eleven as Brazil won the Copa América in 1997 and 1999, and reached the 1998 FIFA World Cup final.

Brazil endured a rocky qualification for the 2002 tournament, during which Cafu came under heavy criticism from coach Wanderley Luxemburgo, who stripped him of the team captaincy after he was sent off in a qualifier against Paraguay. Shortly after that, though, Luxemburgo was out of a job, and replacement Luiz Felipe Scolari made Emerson his new choice for captain. However, Emerson missed the cut after he dislocated his shoulder in training, which allowed Cafu to regain the armband. After Brazil defeated Germany 2–0 in the final match, he stood on the victory podium during the postmatch celebration and, as he raised the trophy, shouted to his wife, "Regina, eu te amo!" ("Regina, I love you!").

Cafu and Brazil fell short of high expectations placed on the squad four years later in 2006, as the Seleção meekly exited in the quarterfinals after a 1–0 defeat by France. Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira was criticized for featuring fading veterans, most notably the 36-year-old Cafu and 33-year-old Roberto Carlos, in the starting eleven in lieu of younger players. Cafu was one of only a few Brazil players who spoke to the press in the midst of a hailstorm of criticism from Brazilian fans and media alike following the team's return home. He nonetheless expressed interest in participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he would be 40 years old. However, he has since retired from football altogether.

Cafu was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.

Career statistics

^[12]

Honours

São Paulo

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1
  

1991

• Campeonato Paulista: 2
  

1991, 1992

• Copa Libertadores: 2
  

1992, 1993

• Copa Conmebol: 1
  

1994

• Recopa Sudamericana: 2
  

1993, 1994

• Supercopa Sudamericana: 1
  

1993

• Intercontinental Cup: 2
  

1992, 1993

Palmeiras

• Torneio Maria Quitéria: 1
  

1997

Campeonato Paulista: 1

1996

Zaragoza

• UEFA Cup Winner's Cup: 1
  

1995

Roma

• Serie A: 1
  

2000–01

• Supercoppa Italiana: 1
  

2001

Milan

• Serie A: 1
  

2003–04

• Supercoppa Italiana: 1
  

2004

• UEFA Champions League: 1
  

2007

• UEFA Super Cup: 1
  

2007

• FIFA Club World Cup: 1
  

2007

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 2
  

1994, 2002

• FIFA Confederations Cup: 1
  

1997

• Copa América: 2
  

1997, 1999

Individual

• South American Footballer of the Year: 1
  

1994

• Officer of the Order of Rio Branco: 1
  

2008

References

• Roma clinch Italian title - BBC Sport, 6/17/01
• "Commuter" Cafu finally arrives at his destination - Reuters, 5/23/05
• Cafu: I've lived in hell - Deutschland 2006, 2/8/06
• Surprise, sadness and anger following Brazil's World Cup exit - People's Daily Online, 7/4/06
• Chat session - UEFA.com, 3/4/07

External links

• Cafu - FIFA competition record
• Official Cafu Foundation site (Portuguese)
• Cafu profile by Aaron Marcus - acmilan-online.com
• Career stats - acmilan.com
• Cafu statistics and biography at FootballDatabase.com
• Champions League profile - UEFA.com

Brazil squad Brazil squad – Copa América 1991 Runners-up 1 Taffarel • 2 Mazinho • 3 Cléber • 4 Ricardo Rocha • 5 Mauro Silva • 6 Branco • 7 Renato Gaúcho • 8 Valdir • 9 Careca Bianchesi • 10 Neto • 11 João Paulo • 12 Sérgio • 13 Cafu • 14 Gottardo • 15 Márcio Santos • 16 Lira • 17 Márcio • 18 Raí • 19 Luís Henrique • 20 Mazinho Oliveira • 21 Silvio • 22 Ronaldo • Coach: Falcão Brazil squad – Copa América 1993 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Antônio Carlos • 4 Válber • 5 César Sampaio • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Edmundo • 8 Boiadeiro • 9 Müller • 10 Palhinha • 11 Zinho • 12 Carlos • 13 Winck • 14 Luís Henrique • 15 Paulão • 16 Elivélton • 17 Luisinho • 18 Marquinhos • 19 Edílson • 20 Almir • 21 Viola • 22 Zetti • Coach: Parreira Brazil squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup Winners (4th Title) 1 Taffarel • 2 Jorginho • 3 Ricardo Rocha • 4 Ronaldão • 5 Mauro Silva • 6 Branco • 7 Bebeto • 8 Dunga • 9 Zinho • 10 Raí • 11 Romário • 12 Zetti • 13 Aldair • 14 Cafu • 15 Márcio Santos • 16 Leonardo • 17 Mazinho • 18 Paulo Sérgio • 19 Müller • 20 Ronaldo • 21 Viola • 22 Gilmar • Coach: Parreira Brazil squad – Copa América 1997 Winners (5th Title) 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 Márcio Santos • 5 Mauro Silva • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Giovanni • 8 Dunga • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Leonardo • 11 Romário • 12 Carlos Germano • 13 Djalminha • 14 Zé Maria • 15 Célio Silva • 16 Gonçalves • 17 Zé Roberto • 18 César Sampaio • 19 Flávio Conceição • 20 Denílson • 21 Edmundo • 22 Paulo Nunes • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Dida • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 Júnior Baiano • 5 Dunga • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Bebeto • 8 Flávio Conceição • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Leonardo • 11 Romário • 12 Rogério Ceni • 13 Zé Maria • 14 Gonçalves • 15 Zé Roberto • 16 César Sampaio • 17 Doriva • 18 Denílson • 19 Juninho • 20 Rivaldo • 21 Rodrigo • 22 Russo • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 J. Baiano • 5 C. Sampaio • 6 R. Carlos • 7 Giovanni • 8 Dunga (c) • 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 Brazil squad – Copa América 1999 Winners (6th Title) 1 Dida • 2 Cafu • 3 Odvan • 4 Antônio Carlos • 5 Emerson • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Amoroso • 8 Vampeta • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Alex • 12 Marcos • 13 Evanílson • 14 César Belli • 15 João Carlos • 16 Serginho • 17 Marcos Paulo • 18 Flávio Conceição • 19 Beto • 20 Christian • 21 Ronaldinho • 22 Zé Roberto • Coach: Luxemburgo Brazil squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup winners (5th title) 1 Marcos • 2 Cafu (c) • 3 Lúcio • 4 Roque Jr. • 5 Edmílson • 6 R. Carlos • 7 Ricardinho • 8 Gilberto • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Ronaldinho • 12 Dida • 13 Belletti • 14 Polga • 15 Kléberson • 16 Júnior • 17 Denílson • 18 Vampeta • 19 J. Paulista • 20 Edílson • 21 Luizão • 22 Rogério • 23 Kaká • Coach: Scolari Brazil squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Dida • 2 Cafu (c) • 3 Lúcio • 4 Juan • 5 Emerson • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Adriano • 8 Kaká • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Ronaldinho • 11 Zé Roberto • 12 Rogério Ceni • 13 Cicinho • 14 Luisão • 15 Cris • 16 Gilberto • 17 Gilberto Silva • 18 Mineiro • 19 Juninho • 20 Ricardinho • 21 Fred • 22 Júlio César • 23 Robinho • Coach: Parreira