Edmílson (footballer born 1976)

Edmílson

Edmílson in training with Barcelona
Personal information
Full name José Edmílson Gomes Moraes
Date of birth 10 July 1976 (1976-07-10) (age 35)
Place of birth Taquaritinga, Brazil
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder / Centre back
Club information
Current club Ceará
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–2000 São Paulo 72 (1)
2000–2004 Lyon 104 (3)
2004–2008 Barcelona 71 (0)
2008 Villarreal 6 (0)
2009 Palmeiras 22 (0)
2010–2011 Zaragoza 29 (1)
2011– Ceará 11 (2)
National team
2000–2007 Brazil 42 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 December 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).

José Edmílson Gomes de Moraes (born 10 July 1976), simply Edmílson, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Ceará Sporting Club.

Either a defensive midfielder or a central defender, he played in three different countries in his professional career, representing with team and individual success São Paulo, Lyon and Barcelona (four seasons each in the last two clubs).

Having won more than 40 caps with Brazil, Edmilson represented the nation at the 2002 World Cup, helping it win the tournament.

Contents

Club career

São Paulo/Lyon

Born in Taquaritinga, São Paulo, Edmílson signed for São Paulo FC in 1994, winning the São Paulo State titles in 1998 and 2000, adding the 1994 CONMEBOL Cup and the subsequent Recopa Sudamericana.

In the summer of 2000, he signed for Olympique Lyonnais in France, at the same time as compatriot Caçapa, also a stopper, both being important as the club won the League Cup in his first season. In the ensuing off-season, Juninho Pernambucano joined the team, and often partnered Edmílson in central midfield, with the Rhône-Alpes side going on to win three consecutive Ligue 1 titles.

Barcelona

Edmílson signed for FC Barcelona for a reported €10 million, in July 2004.[1] He made his La Liga debut on 19 September, in a 1–1 away draw against Atlético Madrid, and finished his debut season with only six matches, as the Catalans won the national championship: on 3 October, after having replaced Samuel Eto'o during a home fixture against CD Numancia, he himself had to be substituted after only five minutes on the pitch.[2]

Edmílson recovered fully for 2005–06, playing an important part in Frank Rijkaard's side, as it won the league and the season's UEFA Champions League. In the latter competition, he appeared in nine matches – six complete – including the first half of the final against Arsenal.

After a poor 2007–08 season, both individually and collectively, 32-year old Edmílson left Barcelona, as his contract was not renewed.

Later years

On 23 May 2008, Edmílson signed a one-year contract with Villarreal CF. After only a couple of months, however, he returned to his country, joining Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras on a two-year deal, and scoring his first goal in the season's Libertadores Cup against Club Bamin Real Potosí, on 29 January 2009, just eight days after his arrival.

After not having appeared in the São Paulo State League in 2010, Edmílson cancelled his contract with Palmeiras and, on 31 January, returned to Spain, signing a five-month contract with struggling Real Zaragoza – at that time, he was already the bearer of an Italian passport, thus not counting as a foreign player.[3] He appeared regularly during the remainder of the season, as the Aragonese managed to finish out of the relegation zone, and saw his link being extended for another year.

On 12 September 2010, Edmílson scored his first goal for Zaragoza, who lost 3–5 at home against Málaga CF.[4] In June 2011, after having contributed with only 12 games to the club's final escape from relegation, the 35-year old returned to his country and joined Ceará Sporting Club.[5]

International career

Edmílson won his first cap for the Brazilian national team on 18 July 2000, against Paraguay. Selected to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea, he helped the Seleção win its fifth tournament, appearing in six out of seven games, and scoring his first – and only – international goal in the 5–2 group stage win against Costa Rica.[6]

Originally selected to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Edmílson was forced to withdraw from the squad, after sustaining a knee injury in training before the tournament.[7]

Honours

Club

São Paulo

Lyon

Barcelona

Country

References

External links