Cristiane

Cristiane
Personal information
Full name Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva
Date of birth May 15, 1985 (1985-05-15) (age 26)
Place of birth Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current club WFC Rossiyanka
Number 11
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
São Bernardo
Clube Atlético Juventus
2005–2006 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam 19 (7)
2006–2007 VfL Wolfsburg 14 (6)
2008 Linköpings FC
2008–2009 Corinthians
2009 Chicago Red Stars 18 (7)
2009–2011 Santos (27)
2011– WFC Rossiyanka
National team
2003– Brazil 45 (31)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of December 11, 2009.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 June 2011

Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva (born May 15, 1985 in Osasco, São Paulo), better known as Cristiane, is a Brazilian association football player. She currently plays for Santos of Copa do Brasil on loan from Women's Professional Soccer side Chicago Red Stars.

Contents

Career

Early beginnings

Cristiane started her career at the local football clubs São Bernardo and Clube Atlético Juventus in São Paulo. At the age of 15, she debuted for the Brazil Under-19 team and took part in both the 2002 U-19 Women's World Championship in Canada and the 2004 U-19 Women's World Championship in Thailand; Brazil finished fourth in both tournaments.[1] In 2003, Cristiane scored one goal during one appearance as a substitute, when Brazil successfully defended their title at the Sudamericano Femenino.[2] She was also part of the squad for the 2003 Women's World Cup, appearing as a substitute in all four of Brazil's matches.[1]

Breakthrough

Cristiane had her international breakthrough at the Olympic football tournament in Athens 2004.[3] Brazil reached the final, which they lost to the United States, but still achieved their biggest international success until then, by winning the Olympic silver medal. With five goals, Cristiane was honored as the tournament’s top scorer along with Germany's Birgit Prinz.[1]

In February 2005, Cristiane transferred from Atlético Juventus to the German women's Bundesliga club 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam.[1] During the 2005-06 season she won the Bundesliga title and the German cup competition with Potsdam, although she was often used as a substitute and had difficulties to adjust to the physical play in Germany. In the following season she was transferred to the league rival VfL Wolfsburg, where she scored seven goals during the 2006-07 season,[4] but her problems to adapt to the style of play in Germany continued.[1] In August 2007, Cristiane did not renew her contract in Wolfsburg and returned to Brazil to support the newly created Brazilian cup competition, the Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino.[5]

Cristiane was the top scorer at the 2006 Sudamericano Femenino with 12 goals, even though Brazil competed with a weakened team and only finished second behind Argentina for the first time after four consecutive title defenses.[1] In 2007, she scored eight goals at the Pan American Games, hosted by Brazil. In the final, the Brazilian national team defeated the United States Under-20 squad before a crowd of 68,000 at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.[6]

At the 2007 Women's World Cup Cristiane was voted the third-best player of the tournament. She scored five goals and she was the second best scorer of her team next to her strike partner, Marta.[1] She also took a dive to earn an undeserved red card for Shannon Boxx of the United States in the semifinal. Brazil reached the Women's World Cup final for the first time which they lost to defending champions Germany. Cristiane came in third for the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award.[7]

In February 2008, she signed a five months contract until the Summer Olympics with the Swedish Damallsvenskan club Linköpings FC.[8]

On August 21, 2008 in the Beijing Olympics, Cristiane was substituted in what looked like a repeat of the 2004 Olympics Women's Football final in that Brazil once again lost to the USA team in the final to end up with the silver. The match ended 1 - 0 after extra time. For the second straight Olympics, she scored 5 goals and was the tournament's leading scorer; unlike the 2004 tournament, Cristiane was by herself as leading scorer.

On August 28, 2008, Cristiane joined Corinthians to play in Campeonato Paulista.[9] On August 30, 2008, during her debut as a Corinthians player, she scored her first goal for the club, helping her team beat São José 3-1 for the Campeonato Paulista.[10]

To the United States

On September 24, 2008, the Women's Professional Soccer rights to Cristiane were acquired by the Chicago Red Stars.[11]

On February 27, 2009, Cristiane signed with the Chicago Red Stars.[12]

On July 12, 2009, Cristiane scored the first hat trick in WPS history, leading the Chicago Red Stars[12] to a 3-1 victory against FC Gold Pride.

2009–

She signed a three-month loan contract with Santos on August 14, 2009 to play in the Copa Libertadores.[13] Cristiane helped her club win both competitions, and scored a goal in the Copa do Brasil final.[14]

In September 2011 she joined Russian Champions League contestant WFC Rossiyanka.

Honours

Santos (2009)

National team

Club football

Personal achievements

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Cristiane: Power and commitment. FIFA.com. November 29, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  2. ^ Sudamericano Femenino - 2003. Conmebol.com. April 27, 2003. Retrieved February 20,she hit my mum 2008.
  3. ^ Cristiane, the angel who came off the bench. FIFA.com. August 23, 2004. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  4. ^ Gelingt der Anschluss an die Spitzengruppe?. VfL Wolfsburg. Retrieved February 19, 2008. (German)
  5. ^ Cristiane: It's an honour. FIFA.com. December 17, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  6. ^ Pele congratulates Brazilian Pan Ams star Marta. USA Today. July 28, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  7. ^ "King Kaka and Marta crowned". FIFA.com. 2007-12-17. Archived from the original on 2008-01-19. http://web.archive.org/web/20080119052335/http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=663255.html. Retrieved 2008-02-19. 
  8. ^ Linköping signs Cristiane and Daniela. Damallsvenskan Newsblog. February 12, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  9. ^ "Corinthians contrata Cristiane para time feminino" (in Portuguese). Estadão. 2008-08-28. http://www.estadao.com.br/esportes/not_esp232554,0.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-30. 
  10. ^ "Cristiane marca na estréia pelo Corinthians" (in Portuguese). O Globo Online. 2008-08-30. http://oglobo.globo.com/esportes/mat/2008/08/30/cristiane_marca_na_estreia_pelo_corinthians-548022510.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-30. 
  11. ^ Red Stars draft 4; will they sign?
  12. ^ a b [1]
  13. ^ "Santos contrata Cristiane para jogar ao lado de Marta" (in Portuguese). Estadão. August 14, 2009. http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/esportes,santos-contrata-cristiane-para-jogar-ao-lado-de-marta,419039,0.htm. Retrieved August 21, 2009. 
  14. ^ "Santos bate Botucatu e conquista a Copa do Brasil feminina" (in Portuguese). Estadão. December 1, 2009. http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/esportes,santos-bate-botucatu-e-fatura-a-copa-do-brasil-feminina,475189,0.htm. Retrieved December 2, 2009. 

External links