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POSITION: Central Defender
FULL NAME: Luiz Carlos Ferreira
DATE OF BIRTH: 22-10-1958
PLACE OF BIRTH: Villa Nova (MG)
CAREER DETAILS:
Atlético Mineiro: 1978-88, Sporting Lisbon (Portugal): 1988-1993, Cruzeiro: 1993
ATLETICO HONOURS:
8 Mineiro State Championships (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987)
PERSONAL HONOURS:
Brazilian Championship Team of the Year (1980, 1987)
36 International Caps for Brazil (2 goals)
WANNABE STRIKER TURNED LEGENDARY DEFENDER
Brazil has seldom produced quality defenders. The country’s natural enthusiasm towards flair and trickery, coupled with their addiction to goals, has meant that almost all Brazilians aspire to be attacking players. Luizinho was no exception. As a child growing up in the Villa Nova region of Belo Horizonte, Luizinho played as a forward, dreaming of one day emulating the Galo goal-getters of the era. His offensive play was good enough to grant him a trial with Atlético and it was that trial which proved paramount to Luizinho enjoying a long and prosperous career with the Mineiro giants – as a central defender. After having what in his own words he described as “a nightmare”, he was told to go and play at the heart of the defence. Luizinho adapted to the positional change, with the aptitude of a player destined to become a legend of a defender.
In his first season, the then 20 year old helped the club to the Mineiro State Title. In doing so, he established himself as a regular in a side which also featured international stars such as Toninho Cerezzo and the great Reinaldo. During the next few seasons – all of which proved to be State Championship winning ones – Luizinho’s stock rose and he was fittingly called up to represent the Brazilian National Team. Once occupant of the famous yellow jersey, Luizinho was not about to give it up and despite intense competition from Edinho, retained his place within the Brazilian rearguard for the 1982 World Cup finals.
Luizinho’s game incorporated all the necessary attributes of great defenders – tackling, positioning, marking and heading – but he had so much more to his game. Luizinho was renowned for his composure on the ball, his unique instinct to turn defence into attack. It was perhaps, this defining feature that set him apart from other great Brazilian defenders as arguably the finest of them all.
He retired from football in 1993 after spending five years in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon, and regrettably returning to Brazil for a short period with Cruzeiro. In total, he played 537 times for Atlético, scoring 21 goals. Nowadays he is responsible for coaching the youth sides, at the club he served so worthily as a player.
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Rankings prepared by Mark Lowdon based on criteria including length of service, achievements and performances. Players have been judged on the period they spent at the club only.
Last page update: Jan 27 2005
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