Edmundo (footballer)

Edmundo Alves de Souza Neto (born 2 April 1971), better known simply as Edmundo, is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a forward.

This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Alves and the second or paternal family name is de Souza Neto.
Edmundo
Edmundo playing for Vasco da Gama in 2008
Personal information
Full name Edmundo Alves de Souza Neto
Date of birth (1971-04-02) 2 April 1971
Place of birth Niterói, Brazil
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Forward
Youth career
1982–1986 Vasco da Gama
1987–1989 Botafogo
1990–1991 Vasco da Gama
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1992 Vasco da Gama 23 (8)
1993–1995 Palmeiras 40 (20)
1995–1996 Flamengo 14 (2)
1996 → Corinthians (loan) 33 (23)
1996–1997 Vasco da Gama 44 (38)
1998–1999 Fiorentina 37 (12)
1999–2001 Vasco da Gama 17 (13)
2000 → Santos (loan) 20 (13)
2001 → Napoli (loan) 17 (4)
2001 Cruzeiro 12 (3)
2001–2002 Tokyo Verdy 31 (18)
2003 Urawa Reds 0 (0)
2003 Vasco da Gama 20 (7)
2004 Fluminense 19 (7)
2005 Nova Iguaçu 2 (1)
2005 Figueirense 31 (15)
2006–2007 Palmeiras 49 (14)
2008 Vasco da Gama 26 (13)
Total 263 (136)
National team
1992–2000 Brazil 39 (10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Nicknamed as Animal,[1] Edmundo played for Brazil national team in the victorious 1997 Copa América, and at the 1998 World Cup, where they finished in second place. With Brazilian side Palmeiras, he won the Brasileirão Série A twice in a row, in 1993 and 1994, while with Vasco da Gama he won the 1997 edition, scoring 29 goals; he also had spells in Italy and Japan.

A talented yet controversial footballing figure, he drew attention both for his skill, as well as for his volatile behaviour, both on and off the pitch.[2][3][4]

Club career

Vasco da Gama

Born in Niterói, Edmundo played for several clubs throughout his career, both in his native country of Brazil and abroad. However, the history of Edmundo, as a football player, is strongly intertwined with Vasco da Gama. He began his career with the club in the amateur divisions in 1982, also later playing for the Botafogo youth side before returning to the club. He went on to make his debut as professional with the Vasco da Gama senior side, where he remained until 1992.[5]

He returned to the club in 1996, and in 1997, when Vasco won the Brasileirão Série A, he was the season's top scorer, his 29 goals breaking a record set by Reinaldo of Atlético Mineiro 20 years earlier. In that same year, Vasco da Gama scored 69 goals. That season, Edmundo was named the league's player of the year.[6] He also scored 6 goals in a match against União São João. After moving between several clubs abroad, he returned to Vasco da Gama in 1999, where he joined his international team-mate Romário and was initially handed the captain's armband, reaching the final of the 2000 Club World Championship, defeating Manchester United in the process;[2] he was later kicked off the team in 2000 by vice-president Eurico Miranda for lack of discipline, however, after he left the dressing-room before a game.[5] He returned to Vasco da Gama again in 2003, where he remained until the end of the season when was released after scoring only 7 goals in 19 appearances.[2] He returned to Vasco da Gama in 2008, when he played the last season of his career. In total, he made 127 appearances with the club.

Regarding his attachment to the club, Edmundo stated that his love for Vasco da Gama was like that between a son and his mother. On 28 March 2012, he played his testimonial match when Vasco da Gama hosted Barcelona de Guayaquil in a friendly match. The game ended 9–1 with Edmundo scoring twice.[7]

Career in Brazil

In 1993, Edmundo left Vasco da Gama and transferred to Palmeiras, where he won the Brasileirão twice, in 1993 and 1994, scoring 34 goals in 89 appearances for the club. Despite his success, he had several disputes with his manager Wanderley Luxemburgo, and was involved in an altercation with his team-mate Antônio Carlos, which led to Edmundo being sacked by the club.[5] He later joined Flamengo for a season in 1995 (2 goals in 14 appearances), and subsequently signed for Corinthians in 1996, although he failed to make an appearance for the club, as he reportedly stormed out of a training session after an argument.[5] He later joined Santos on loan in 2000 (scoring 13 goals in 20 appearances),[5] and Cruzeiro in 2001 (3 goals in 13 appearances). After another spell at Vasco da Gama, he joined Fluminense in 2004, scoring 7 goals in 20 appearances,[2] and also scored 1 goal in 2 appearances whilst playing for Nova Iguaçu in 2005.[8]

Time in Italy and abroad

In 1997, Italian club Fiorentina purchased Edmundo for 13 billion lire, and he remained with the team until 1999. Despite putting on some spectacular performances during his tenure in Florence, which initially endeared him with the fans, his stint in Italy was also marked by inconsistency and controversy, which drew criticism from the press. One particular incident which drew much publicity occurred during the 1998–99 season, under manager Giovanni Trapattoni; Edmundo left the club midway through the season in order to attend the Rio Carnival. Although at that point Fiorentina were first in the league, due to his absence, as well as strike partner Gabriel Batistuta's injury, Fiorentina missed out on the league title at the end of the season, and as a result, Edmundo had a falling out with the club, his manager, and his team-mates.[1][5][9]

In January 2001, he was sent out on loan to Napoli, where he remained until June.[6][9] He was injured during his debut with the club against Udinese however, which kept him sidelined,[10] and was unable to prevent the club's relegation to Serie B at the end of the season.

Later that year, he joined J1 League club Tokyo Verdy, scoring 18 goals in 31 appearances, and remaining with the club until 2002. He joined Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds in 2003, but did not make a single appearance for the team.[6]

Later years

During the end of his career, Edmundo still managed to perform well, despite not being as physically strong or fit as he had been during his prime in the mid-90s, although his performances became increasingly less consistent with age. Nevertheless, his football skills and goalscoring proved to be fundamental in helping Figueirense avoid relegation in the 2005 Brasileirão Série A, as he managed 15 goals in 31 appearances. The following season, he also saved Palmeiras from relegation during the 2006 Brasileirão Série A.[11]

Along with Jorge Valdivia and Marcos, Edmundo was one of the most important footballers for Palmeiras during the 2007 season; however, his contract was not renewed at the end of the season. There are two versions of this fact: according to the "official" one, his salary was too high for his irregular performances. But it is more possible that the actual reason was that Caio Júnior, who was favorable to this permanence, was sacked and Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who has personal problems with Edmundo, was hired.[11]

In January 2008, Edmundo returned to Vasco da Gama,[11] although he was not able to prevent the club's relegation to the 2009 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B. Edmundo announced retirement from football on 30 May 2008,[6][12] but he returned to play until the end of 2008 season.[13]

International career

At international level Edmundo made 42 appearances for Brazil between 1992 and 2000, scoring 10 goals.[12][14] He was a member of the team that won the 1997 Copa América,[6] and also made two substitute appearances at the 1998 FIFA World Cup,[15] including the final where the team lost 3–0 to hosts France and finished in second place.[16] Additionally, Edmundo was a member of the Brazil squad that took part at the 1993 and 1995 Copa América tournaments, winning a runners-up medal in the latter edition; he also won a bronze medal at the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Furthermore, he took part in two exhibition tournaments with the Brazil national side, winning the 1995 Umbro Cup, and finishing second in the 1997 Tournoi de France. Despite his talent, however, Edmundo's turbulent lifestyle off the pitch, as well as extensive competition from several world-class Brazilian forwards at the time (including Bebeto, Romário, and Ronaldo), are thought to have limited his playing time at international level.[5]

Style of play

Edmundo was a quick, powerful, creative, and technically gifted player, who was known for his pace, strength, acceleration, and his outstanding dribbling skills, as well as his use of feints, including the Pelé runaround move; as a second striker, he was capable of both scoring and assisting many goals.[4][17] A versatile forward, Edmundo played primarily as a second striker, but was capable to play as a winger or even as a main striker or attacking midfielder. Despite his talent, he was also a tenacious and controversial footballer,[2] who was criticised for his poor work-rate and lack of consistency at times;[18][19] he was also known for his aggression and poor behaviour on the pitch, which often led him to pick up cards,[4] and earned him the nickname O Animal (The Animal, in Portuguese).[1][17][18]

Outside of football

In the middle of 2009, Edmundo became a football pundit for Rede TV!. In the beginning of 2010, Rede Bandeirantes hired him; he was part of the broadcaster's journalistics team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012 coverages.[2]

Controversy

Known for his tenacious style of play and aggressive behaviour, as well as his skill on the pitch, Edmundo was also involved in several incidents off the pitch throughout his career; he had several disagreements with his managers and officials, and was known for his "partying".[2] In 1999, he faced prosecution by animal welfare groups after hiring an entire circus to perform in his back garden to celebrate his son's first birthday. At the party, he was accused by some individuals of the press of having a chimpanzee called Pedrinho drunk on beer and whiskey.[5] Subsequent images of this appeared in the media (including the February 2004 issue of the UK version of FHM magazine) and have passed into a football legend.[3] Days later, Edmundo proved those accusations were false. The same year, during his turbulent time with Fiorentina, he also escaped a four year prison sentence for driving drunk and crashing his car during the Rio Carnival of 1995, resulting in the deaths of three people; for his behaviour he received a seven-day suspended sentence.[2][20] In 1998, due to his difficult relationship with the Florentine club,[19] he suddenly left for the Rio Carnival halfway through the season, and was two days late in returning to Florence according to the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera.[1][18][19][21]

Career statistics

Club

[22]

Club Season League Cup[nb 1] League Cup[nb 2] State[nb 3] Continental[nb 4] Other[nb 5] Total
DivisionAppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals DivisionAppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Brazil League Copa do Brasil State South America Other Total
Vasco da Gama1991Brasileirão Série A00Cariocão Série A
1992Brasileirão Série A2381Cariocão Série A514
Palmeiras1993Brasileirão Série A19112Paulistão Série A11123
1994Brasileirão Série A219Paulistão Série A1817
1995Brasileirão Série A2Paulistão Série A185[lower-alpha 1]15
Flamengo1995Brasileirão Série A142Cariocão Série A2[lower-alpha 2]4
Corinthians1996Brasileirão Série A3Paulistão Série A11410[lower-alpha 1]5[lower-alpha 1]22
Vasco da Gama1996Brasileirão Série A169Cariocão Série A2[lower-alpha 3]11
1997Brasileirão Série A2829Cariocão Série A92[lower-alpha 2]40
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Other Total
Fiorentina1997–98Serie A9410———104
1998–9928862——4[lower-alpha 4]2[lower-alpha 4]3812
Brazil League Copa do Brasil State South America Other Total
Vasco da Gama1999Brasileirão Série A1713Cariocão Série A316
2000Brasileirão Série A3Cariocão Série A92[lower-alpha 5]14
Santos2000Brasileirão Série A2013Paulistão Série A113
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Other Total
Napoli2000–01Serie A17400———174
Brazil League Copa do Brasil State South America Other Total
Cruzeiro2001Brasileirão Série A123—Mineiro Módulo I3[lower-alpha 6]6
Japan League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Asia Other Total
Tokyo Verdy2001J1 League523200——84
200226160065——3221
Urawa Reds2003J1 League000020——20
Brazil League Copa do Brasil State South America Other Total
Vasco da Gama2003Brasileirão Série A207Cariocão Série A7
Fluminense2004Brasileirão Série A197Cariocão Série A29
Nova Iguaçu2005Copa Rio—Cariocão Série B111
Figueirense2005Brasileirão Série A3115Catarinense Divisão Principal15
Palmeiras2006Brasileirão Série A2910—Paulistão Série A163[lower-alpha 1]19
2007204Paulistão Série A11216
Vasco da Gama2008Brasileirão Série A25136Cariocão Série A524
Total Brazil 292143
Italy 541672——426520
Japan 31183285——4225
Career total 377177
  1. Includes cup competitions: Copa do Brasil, Coppa Italia, Japan Emperor's Cup
  2. Includes cup competitions: J.League Cup
  3. Includes Brazilian states' tournaments leagues
  4. Includes continental competitions such as Copa Libertadores
  5. Includes also competitions such as national and intercontinental super cups and the Club World Cup
  1. Appearances and goals in Copa Libertadores
  2. Appearances and goals in Supercopa Libertadores
  3. Appearances and goals in Copa CONMEBOL
  4. Appearances and goals in UEFA Cup
  5. Appearances and goals in Club World Championship
  6. Appearances and goals in Copa Mercosur

International

[14]

Brazil national team
YearAppsGoals
199241
199351
199400
1995125
199610
199752
199881
199900
200020
Total3710

Honours

Club
Vasco da Gama
Palmeiras

International
Brazil

Individual

References and notes
  1. Leonardo Bardazzi (7 March 2015). "Edmundo, O Animal: l'uomo del carnevale" (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  2. Tom Beck (25 January 2015). "Romario and Edmundo, the bad boys from Brazil". World Soccer. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  3. "Common ground". observer.theguardian.com. 5 May 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  4. "Edmundo, una vita in dribbling" (in Italian). Mai Dire Calcio. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  5. Brian Homewood (1 August 2000). "Bad boy Edmundo joins Santos". ESPN FC. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  6. "Happy birthday to you!". FIFA.com. 27 March 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  7. "Edmundo marca duas vezes, ouve gritos de 'fica', e Vasco goleia: 9 a 1" (in Portuguese). globoesporte.globo.com. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  8. Henrique Santos (22 May 2015). "Figueirense sonha com Edmundo e traz Carlos Alberto" (in Portuguese). ESPN FC. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  9. "Animal magic inspires Napoli". BBC News. 7 January 2001. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  10. Gustavo Affinita; Claudio Gregori; Mimmo Malfitano (22 January 2001). "Edmundo esce, l' Udinese colpisce" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  11. Conrad Leach (29 January 2008). "Bad Boys back in tandem as the Animal returns to Vasco". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  12. "Edmundo retires after missing penalty". FIFA.com. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  13. "Edmundo affirms retirement at Sunday". UOL. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  14. "Edmundo". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  15. "World: Americas Soccer star Edmundo jailed". BBC News. 6 March 1999. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  16. Alex Bellos (29 June 2002). "The mystery of Paris that refuses to go away". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  17. Stéphanie Kohler (2 July 2015). "Edmundo, le dribble fou de l'Animal" (in French). L'Équipe. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  18. Furio Zara (2 April 2000). "Edmundo, "O Animal" che amava il Carneval" (in Italian). Il Corriere dello Sport. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  19. Alberto Costa (10 February 1999). "Batistuta espelle Edmundo e Cecchi Gori" (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  20. "Mandato d'arresto per Edmundo" (in Italian). Sport Mediaset. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  21. Raffaello Paloscia (19 February 1999). "Edmundo scappa da Firenze" (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  22. "futebol80.com.br/links/artilheiros/edmundo.htm" (in Portuguese). 21 November 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  23. "South American Team of the Year". 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
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