Cafu

Marcos Evangelista de Morais (born 7 June 1970), known as Cafu [kaˈfu] is a Brazilian former professional footballer. With 142 appearances for the Brazil national team, he is the most internationally capped Brazilian player of all time. Known for his pace and energetic attacking runs along the right flank, he is regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, one of the best defenders ever to play in the Italian Serie A,[4][5][6] and as one of the greatest Brazilian and South American players of his generation.[7][8]

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Evangelista and the second or paternal family name is Morais.

Cafu
Cafu in 2017
Personal information
Full name Marcos Evangelista de Morais[1]
Date of birth (1970-06-07) 7 June 1970[2]
Place of birth Itaquaquecetuba, São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[3]
Position(s) Right-back
Youth career
Nacional-SP
Portuguesa
1988–1990 São Paulo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1995 São Paulo 95 (6)
1995 Real Zaragoza 16 (0)
1995 Juventude 2 (0)
1995–1997 Palmeiras 35 (0)
1997–2003 Roma 163 (5)
2003–2008 AC Milan 119 (4)
Total 428 (15)
National team
1990–2006 Brazil 142 (5)
Honours
Men's Football
Representing  Brazil
FIFA World Cup
Winner1994 USA
Winner2002 Korea & Japan
Runner-up1998 France
FIFA Confederations Cup
Winner1997 Saudi Arabia
Copa América
Winner1997 Bolivia
Winner1999 Paraguay
Runner-up1991 Chile
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

At club level, Cafu won several domestic and international titles while playing in Brazil, Spain and Italy; he is best known for his spells at São Paulo, Roma and AC Milan, teams with which he made history, although he also played for Zaragoza, Juventude and Palmeiras throughout his career. In 1994, Cafu was crowned South American Footballer of the Year, and in 2004, was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[9] He was additionally named to the FIFPro World XI in 2005, and in 2020 was included in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team.

Cafu represented his nation in four FIFA World Cups between 1994 and 2006, and is the only player in history to have appeared in three consecutive World Cup finals, winning the 1994 and 2002 editions of the tournament, the latter as his team's captain where he lifted the World Cup trophy. With Brazil, he also took part in four editions of the Copa América, winning the title twice, in 1997 and 1999; he was also a member of the national side that won the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Early life

One of six children, Cafu was raised in the Jardim Irene favela of São Paulo. At the 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 was rejected from the youth squads of Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos, Atlético Mineiro and Portuguesa, but it wasn't 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 did not play during 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 wingback to midfield, 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 and World Championships in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he was named the South American Footballer of the Year. Halfway through the 1994–95 season Cafu joined Spanish side Real Zaragoza, winning the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup with them (though he had injury issues and didn't play in the final).[10][11] He then left Zaragoza to join Brazilian club Juventude.

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, followed by the Supercoppa Italiana. 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 AC Milan after turning down a move to Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos. With the Rossoneri, he won his second career Scudetto in 2004, followed by his second Supercoppa Italiana, and he played in his first UEFA Champions League final in 2005.

Cafu playing for AC Milan

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 quarter-final 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, in a rematch of the 2005 final.

Cafu signed a contract extension in May 2007 that would keep him with Milan until the end of the 2007–08 season, during which he won another UEFA Supercup, and his third World Title at Club level and now his first FIFA Club World Cup. 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 vice-president Adriano Galliani has opened the doors to him to return to work for the club.

He is a member of the AC Milan and the Roma Hall of Fames.

Passport controversy

Cafu was accused along with several other Serie A players, including Roma teammate Fábio Júnior and Gustavo Bartelt, countryman and later Milan teammate Dida, of using a 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 the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) as Cafu's Italian passport was real and issued by Italian officials, but 13 others – including Dida – were banned.[12] 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.[13] Cafu acquired Italian nationality through marriage. In 2004, Cafu and Roma club president Franco Sensi went to court.[14][15]

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 Morais and his agent for nine months following the resurfacing of a false-passport scandal.[16] The very next day, however, Cafu, his wife and agent were acquitted of all charges.[17]

International career
Cafu training with Brazil before the 2006 World Cup

Cafu is the most-capped Brazilian men's player of all time with 142 appearances, including a record 20 World Cup games. He has won two World Cups in 1994 and 2002, as well as being the only player to participate in three World Cup final matches. Cafu also held the record of winning the most matches in World Cups with 15 (along with two games Brazil won on penalties), before being surpassed by Germany's Miroslav Klose in the 2014 World Cup.

He earned his first cap in a friendly against Spain on 12 September 1990, and played sparingly for Brazil in the early 1990s, 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, the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, and reached the 1998 World Cup final.

Cafu at a Gillette promotion with Brazil in 2010

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, however, 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 (Cafu's third consecutive World Cup final), he stood on the victory podium during the postmatch celebration and, as he raised the World Cup trophy, shouted to his wife, "Regina, eu te amo!" ("Regina, I love you!").[18]

Cafu at the 2019 Copa América

Cafu and Brazil fell short of high expectations placed on the squad four years later in 2006, as Brazil meekly exited in the quarter-finals after a 1–0 defeat by France.[19] 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 XI 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 World Cup; however he did not, as he retired completely from football in 2008.

Style of play
Cafu (pictured with Milan in 2007) was known for his great ability to attack and defend as a right back

Regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, one of the best footballers of his generation, and as one of Brazil's best ever players,[4] Cafu was a dynamic, hard-working, offensive-minded, and energetic right-sided wing-back who is mostly remembered for his great pace, stamina, tactical intelligence, distribution, and technical skills, as well as his ability to make overlapping attacking runs down the right flank and provide accurate crosses to teammates in the area.[20][21][22][23][24]

In addition to his footballing ability, he was also known for his discipline, leadership and his characteristically cheerful demeanour.[25][26][27] Although he usually played as an attacking right-back, he was also capable of playing as a centre back, due to his defensive skills, or in more advanced positions, and was often deployed as a right winger. During his time in Italy, he was given the nickname Pendolino, after the country's express trains.[28][29][30][31][32][33]

Personal life

Cafu is married to Regina Feliciano de Moraes, they have two sons together, Wellington and the late Danilo Feliciano de Moraes.

In September 2019, Danilo suffered a heart attack whilst playing football at his family home after complaining about feeling unwell. Danilo was taken to hospital, where he later died on 4 September 2019.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
São Paulo 1990 Série A 201——201
1991 201——201
1992 211——211
1993 181——181
1994 162——162
Total 956——956
Zaragoza 1994–95 La Liga 160—10170
Palmeiras 1995 Série A 190——190
1996 160——160
1997 00——00
Total 350——350
Roma 1997–98 Serie A 31150—361
1998–99 201—50251
1999–2000 2824050372
2000–01 3112070401
2001–02 27010102382
2002–03 26031120411
Total 16351513922178
AC Milan 2003–04 Serie A 2811090381
2004–05 331—120451
2005–06 1911050251
2006–07 2403080350
2007–08 1512010181
Total 1194703501614
Career total 4281522175252518

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[34][35]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Brazil 199030
199190
199220
1993120
199471
199550
199630
1997200
1998122
1999121
2000101
200160
2002120
200370
200490
200580
200650
Total1425
Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cafu goal.
List of international goals scored by Cafu
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
18 June 1994Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, United States Honduras6–28–2Friendly
23 June 1998Stade de Paris, Saint-Ouen, France Andorra3–03–0Friendly
314 October 1998Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States Ecuador3–15–1Friendly
49 October 1999Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands Netherlands2–22–2Friendly
523 May 2000Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales Wales2–03–0Friendly

Honours

São Paulo[36]

  • Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1991
  • Campeonato Paulista: 1991, 1992
  • Copa CONMEBOL: 1994
  • Copa Libertadores: 1992, 1993
  • Supercopa Sudamericana: 1993
  • Recopa Sudamericana: 1993, 1994
  • Intercontinental Cup: 1992, 1993

Real Zaragoza[36]

Palmeiras[36]

  • Campeonato Paulista: 1996

Roma[36]

  • Serie A: 2000–01

AC Milan[36][37]

Brazil[36][38]

Individual

  • South American Team of the Year: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995[39]
  • South American Footballer of the Year: 1994[40]
  • FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002 (Reserve)[41]
  • FIFA 100[42]
  • UEFA Team of the Year: 2004, 2005[38]
  • FIFPro World XI: 2005[43]
  • Sports Illustrated Team of the Decade: 2009[44]
  • ESPN World Team of the Decade: 2009[45]
  • A.S. Roma Hall of Fame: 2012[46]
  • World Soccer Greatest XI of all time: 2013[47]
  • AC Milan Hall of Fame[37]
  • World XI: Team of the 21st Century[48]
  • Ballon d'Or Dream Team: 2020[49]
  • IFFHS All-time Men's Dream Team: 2021[50]
  • IFFHS South America Men's Team of All Time: 2021[51]

Orders
  • Officer of the Order of Rio Branco: 2008

See also
  • List of footballers with 100 or more caps

References
General
  1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. "Cafu". soccerway.com. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  3. "Cafu". A.C. Milan. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  4. "Maldini and Cafu included in World Soccer's all-time XI – Rossoneri Blog – A.C. Milan News". www.rossoneriblog.com. 4 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  5. "World's greatest XI: the best ever football team in pictures". The Daily Telegraph. London. 28 April 2011. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017.
  6. "Cafu, stop 20 giorni Zeman ottimista". La Repubblica (in Italian). 21 November 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  7. "Cafu cacciato via dallo spogliatoio". Il Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 9 July 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  8. Valerio Clari (4 July 2015). "La top50 dell'Equipe: Pelé meglio di Diego. Cafu 12°!". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  9. "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  10. "FOOTBALL Defence is central to Arsenal's hopes". Independent. 10 May 1995. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  11. "Cafu: "It's true that Milan were celebrating at half-time against Liverpool in Istanbul"". fourfourtwo.com. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  12. Kennedy, Frances (28 June 2001). "Players banned over false passport scandal". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 6 February 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  13. "CNNSI.com's Marcotti: End foreign-player limits". CNNSI.com. 6 February 2001. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  14. "Cafu and Sensi could go to court over passport charges". (The Star Online). Reuters. 6 March 2004. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  15. "Cafu and Sensi could go to court over passport charges". (encyclopedia.com Archive). Australian Associated Press. 5 March 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  16. "Cafu could face prison over false passport affair". World Cup Soccer. 12 June 2006. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  17. "Cafu acquitted". Calcutta, India: The Telegraph. 14 June 2006. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  18. "A riot of colour, emotion and memories: the World Cup stands alone in the field of sport". The Independent. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  19. "Brazil 0-1 France". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2018
  20. Jonathan Wilson (25 March 2009). "The Question: why is full-back the most important position on the pitch?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  21. "Brazil's greatest defenders". Sky Sports. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  22. "Roma – Squad profiles". ESPN. 13 February 2003. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  23. "Pendolino Cafu: il campione che non perdeva mai…il sorriso" (in Italian). ICampioniDelloSport.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  24. "Cafu: The double World Cup winner with 'two hearts'". CNN. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  25. "Il saluto di CAFU': " In Italia ho dato tanto"" (in Italian). MilanNews.it. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  26. "Milan: due punte, zero gol". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 24 February 2004. Archived from the original on 24 December 2004. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  27. "Milan, bene un tempo, ma non segna e Dida, nel finale, lo salva dai francesi". La Repubblica (in Italian). 26 September 2006. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  28. MASSIMO VINCENZI (15 December 2000). "Sandreani gioca il derby "Deciderà la fantasia"". La Repubblica (in Italian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  29. "Super Cafu per la Roma Nesta e Nedved non bastano". La Repubblica (in Italian). 17 December 2000. Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  30. Emilio Piervincenzi (21 July 1997). "LE CERTEZZE DI ZEMAN 'PER ORA CAFU E VAGNER'". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  31. Enrico Currò (7 February 2005). "Shevchenko e Crespo San Siro tra brividi e gioia". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  32. "Cafu è l' attaccante aggiunto Rui Costa e Tomasson in ombra". La Repubblica (in Italian). 1 March 2004. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  33. Paul Doyle (21 October 2010). "Your greatest ever football XI: defenders". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  34. "Marcos Evangelista de Morais "CAFU" – Century of International Appearances". www.rsssf.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  35. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  36. "Cafu". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 30 December 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  37. "A.C. Milan Hall of Fame: Marcos Evangelista de Morais (Cafu)". acmilan.com. A.C. Milan. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  38. "Cafu". UEFA. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  39. "South American Team of the Year". 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  40. José Luis Pierrend (21 January 2016). "South American Player of the Year". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  41. "2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan: Report and Statistics" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  42. "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  43. "FIFPro WOrld XI 2004/2005". FIFPro. 20 August 2005. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  44. Wahl, Grant (21 December 2009). "2000s: The Decade in Sports; All-Decade Team: Soccer". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  45. Brewin, John (25 December 2009). "World Team of the Decade". ESPNsoccernet. ESPN. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  46. "A.S. Roma Hall of Fame: 2013". A.S. Roma. 22 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  47. Rainbow, Jamie (2 July 2013). "The Greatest". World Soccer. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  48. "World XI: Team of the 21st Century". givemesport.com. 5 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  49. Crépin, Timothé (14 December 2020). "Ballon d'Or Dream Team : Découvrez les révélations de ce onze de légende !". France Football (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  50. "IFFHS ALL TIME WORLD MEN'S DREAM TEAM". IFFHS. 22 May 2021.
  51. "Iffhs All Time South America Men's Dream Team". IFFHS. 22 May 2021.
Bibliography
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cafu.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.