Zizinho (footballer, born 1962)

Zizinho
Personal information
Full name	Geraldo Francisco dos Santos
Date of birth	11 June 1962
Place of birth	São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death	29 July 2021 (aged 59)
Place of death	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
–1977	São Paulo
Senior career*
Years	Team
1978–1980	São Paulo
1980–1982	América
1982–1983	León
1983–1984	América
1984–1985	Necaxa
1986–1987	FAS
1987–1989	Monterrey
1990–1991	León
1993–1997	Monterrey La Raza (indoor)
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Geraldo Francisco dos Santos (11 June 1962 – 29 July 2021), nicknamed Zizinho, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a midfielder.^[1]

Career

Born in São Paulo,^[2] started his career with São Paulo FC, being the youngest player and goal scorer of the club in 1978, aged only 15 years and 311 days.^[3]^[4]

Began his professional career in Mexico in 1980 with América. He also played for León and Necaxa, making a total of 135 appearances, scoring 27 goals, in the Primera División de México.^[5]

Dos Santos played in MISL for Los Angeles Lazers for the 1986 and 1987 seasons.^[6]^[7]

He later played for Monterrey La Raza, an indoor team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, between 1993 and 1997.

Personal life

Dos Santos had three sons, who were also all footballers - Éder (born 1984), Giovani (born 1989) and Jonathan (born 1990).^[1]^[8]

He died from COVID-19 on 29 July 2021, at the age of 59.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "La familia Dos Santos, ante un partido que une raíces" [The Dos Santos family, before a match which unites roots] (in Spanish). Marca. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
^ "Player profile" (in Portuguese). Brazilian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
^ "Os principais recordes dos jogadores são-paulinos desde 1930". São Paulo FC (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
^ "Todos os Jogadores" (PDF). SPFCpédia (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
^ "Player profile" (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
^ "MISL career stats". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
^ https://www.thefinalball.com/jogador.php?id=206829 Zizinho
^ Arielle Castillo (15 July 2015). "Giovani Dos Santos 101: Everything you need to know about the LA Galaxy's new Designated Player". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
^ "'It's what his dad would've wanted' - Martino explains why Mexico star Dos Santos played hours after death of his father | Goal.com". www.goal.com.

[marca.com-1] "La familia Dos Santos, ante un partido que une raíces" [The Dos Santos family, before a match which unites roots] (in Spanish). Marca. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2015.

[2] "Player profile" (in Portuguese). Brazilian Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2010.

[3] "Os principais recordes dos jogadores são-paulinos desde 1930". São Paulo FC (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 August 2023.

[4] "Todos os Jogadores" (PDF). SPFCpédia (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 August 2023.

[5] "Player profile" (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2010.

[6] "MISL career stats". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2010.

[7] ttps://www.thefinalball.com/jogador.php?id=206829 Zizinho

[8] Arielle Castillo (15 July 2015). "Giovani Dos Santos 101: Everything you need to know about the LA Galaxy's new Designated Player". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 27 September 2015.

[9] "'It's what his dad would've wanted' - Martino explains why Mexico star Dos Santos played hours after death of his father | Goal.com". www.goal.com.

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