Cafu

Cafu
Personal information
Full name	Marcos Evangelista de Moraes
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Right Back / Right Wingback
Team information
Current team	A.C. Milan
	‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 12006

Marcos Evangelista de Moraes (born June 7, 1970 in São Paulo), better known as Cafu, is a Brazilian footballer, currently a defender for Italian giant A.C. Milan.

Career

He is the most capped Brazilian player in team history, with 142 as of July 1, 2006. He has played for two World Cup-winning Brazil sides, and, in 2002, became the first player to participate in three consecutive World Cup finals.

Cafu was born in the Jardim Irene neighborhood of São Paulo and started playing for his hometown club, São Paulo FC, in 1988, and with them he won the Copa Libertadores in 1992 and 1993. In 1995 he moved to Spanish side Real Zaragoza, and won the Cup Winners' Cup that year.

After a brief return to Brazil, moving to Palmeiras in 1996, Cafu joined Italian side AS Roma in 1997, and won the Serie A title in 2001. Cafu was firm favourite of the home crowd, earning the nickname Il Pendolino ("The Commuter"). He moved to Milan in 2003, after turning down a move to Yokohama F. Marinos.

Cafu had played sparingly for the Brazilian national side in the early 1990s, but only went to the 1994 FIFA World Cup as a squad player. After an injury to Jorginho in the final against Italy, Cafu came on as a substitute in the 22nd minute, forming part of the Brazilian defense in what was a turgid final. Brazil won 3-2 on a penalty shootout after the match finished goaless.

After that, Cafu became a regular in the Brazil team, winning the Copa América in 1997 and 1999, and taking the team to the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final. After a rocky qualification tournament, Cafu captained Brazil in the 2002 FIFA World Cup after an injury to regular captain Emerson, and helped his side triumph 2-0 over Germany. As he raised the cup, he shouted "Regina, eu te amo" ("Regina, I love you!") and immortalized his love for his wife. This act, of a very personal nature, was later criticized as it seemed to contradict the collective quality of the national victory.

Cafu loves to push forward from defence to help out his midfield just like fellow teammate, Roberto Carlos, which is often perceived as a weakness in Brazil's talented team of superstars. Cafu has shown an interest in participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when he will be 40 years old (most Brazilian players above 30 years declared their "retirements" from the national team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup).

He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.

Note on name

Cafu is correct (as opposed to Cafú). He was given this nickname because his style of play was reminiscent of that of Cafuringa, a legendary Brazilian forward who played in the 1970s.

Trivia

Cafu is fluent in Italian and Spanish.

References

^ "Player Page Profile - Cafu". fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. last update July 1, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Preceded by Carlos Valderrama	South American Footballer of the Year 1994	Succeeded by Enzo Francescoli
Preceded by Didier Deschamps (France)	FIFA World Cup winning captain 2002	Succeeded by Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)

[1] "Player Page Profile - Cafu". fifaworldcup.yahoo.com. last update July 1, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)