João Leite da Silva Neto

João Leite da Silva Neto
Personal information
Date of birthOctober 13, 1955
Place of birthPitangui
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1976–1988, 1991–1992Atlético Mineiro
1980—1981Seleção Brasileira
1988–1989Vitória de Guimarães
1989Guarani de Campinas
1990América Mineiro
National team
Brazil
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

João Leite da Silva Neto, or simply João Leite (Pitangui, October 13, 1955), is a former Brazilian football goalkeeper who played for Clube Atlético Mineiro in the decades of 1970, 1980 and 1990.

Career

João Leite is the player that played the most games for Clube Atlético Mineiro, and the one with the record for the most championships won. In the 17 years that he played for the CAM, João Leite played a total of 684 matches,[1] won 12 Campeonatos Mineiros and 1 Copa Conmebol.[2][3]

João Leite first played for Atlético in 1977, substituting Ortiz. He also played in the Campeonato Brasileiro, with his team finishing the championship at second place after losing to São Paulo in the finals.[3]

He played for the Brazil national team during the 1980 Mundialito[4][5][6] and the 1979 Copa América.[7]

João Leite was one of the precursors of the Atletas de Cristo ("Christ's Athletes") movement, and he used to give bibles to the opposing players, becoming known as Goleiro de Deus ("God's Goalkeeper").[3]

Nowadays João Leite is state deputy in Minas Gerais, and has been since 1995.[8]

Clubs

References

  1. ↑ "Recordistas do Clube Atlético Mineiro". Atlético.com.br. (Google translation). Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Ídolo do Galo, João Leite relembra título da Conmebol 92: 'Uma batalha'". SporTV.com. (Google translation). Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "João Leite". UOL. (Google translation). Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Confederação Brasileira de Futebol - Mundialito 1980". leballondrond.fr. (Google translation). Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "João Leite - En Sélection Nationale". leballondrond.fr. (Google translation). Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Mundialito 1980 (Montevideo, Uruguay)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Copa América 1979". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Conheça os Deputados da 17ª legislatura" [Meet the Members of the 17th Legislature]. almg.gov.br. (Google translation). Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais. Retrieved 5 January 2014.