Sérgio Araújo

Sérgio Araújo
Personal information
Full nameSérgio Araújo de Melo
Date of birthSeptember 12, 1963
Place of birthTimóteo, Brazil
Playing positionWinger
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1980–1988Atlético Mineiro
1988–1989Flamengo39(9)
1989Fluminense
1990Vasco
1991Grêmio
1992Guarani
1993Ponte Preta
1994Vitória Setúbal
1995XV de Piracicaba
1996–1997América (SP)
1998Internacional de Limeira
1999Villa Nova
2000Serra
National team
1987Brazil10(1)
Teams managed
2007–2008Operário (VG)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Sérgio Araújo de Melo, usually known as Sérgio Araújo (born September 12, 1963 in Timóteo, Minas Gerais),[1] was an association football winger. He is currently a farmer in Brazil.

Playing career

Having been born and raised in the region of Minas Gerais it was in the famous club Atlético Mineiro that Sérgio Araújo started to show his speed and moves, scoring goals and assisting his team mates. Naturally Sérgio was picked by Brazilian manager to play for his national team, playing his first international match (a friendly) against Uruguay (March 1987). On the following month he scored his first goal for Brazil against Bolivia (2–2 was the final result). His final international match was in December 1987 against West Germany (another friendly). During this short period he played 10 international matches, playing aside well known players such as Douglas, Bebeto, Valdo, Raí, Müller and Ricardo Gomes. At Atlético Mineiro he, as well as Aílton, was part of the team that won the Conmebol Cup in 1992. Between 1988 and 1989, he played 39 games and scored nine goals for Flamengo.[2]

In late 1993, Sérgio Araújo moved to Portuguese club Vitória Setúbal, joining a team where Yekini was the star. He played his first match against Benfica in an astonishing 5–2 win, scoring one goal in his debut. Araújo played around 20 games that season, only scoring for 3 times. Just before the 1994–1995 season, the Nigerian striker Yekini moved to Olimpiakos, and the team was severely weakened. Vitória Setúbal only won three games, and was relegated. Sérgio Araújo, due to several injuries could not be of great help to the club, and was dismissed in the end of the season. He ended his career in Brazil, returning to Minas Gerais to be a successful farm owner.

Besides having played for Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo and Vitória de Setúbal, he has also played for Fluminense, Vasco, Grêmio, Guarani, Ponte Preta, XV de Piracicaba, América (SP), Internacional de Limeira, Villa Nova, and Serra.[3]

Managerial career

After retiring, he worked for two years as Operário (VG)'s manager, leaving the club in 2008 to work as Villa Nova's youth squad manager.[4]

Honours

References

  1. Napoleão, Antônio Carlos; Roberto Assaf (2001). Seleção Brasileira 1914–2006. Rio de Janeiro: Mauad X. p. 299. ISBN 85-7478-186-X.
  2. "Sérgio Araújo (ex-ponta do Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo e Guarani)" (in Portuguese). Milton Neves. July 23, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  3. "Sérgio Araújo". Sambafoot. May 7, 2005. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
  4. "Sérgio Araújo quer se consolidar como treinador" (in Portuguese). Pelé.net. March 18, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2008.