Zé Elias

Zé Elias
	Zé Elias in 2009
Personal information
Full name	José Elias Moedim Júnior
Date of birth	25 September 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Guarulhos, Brazil
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder; Central midfielder
Youth career
	Corinthians
Senior career*
Years	Team
1993–1996	Corinthians
1996–1997	Bayer Leverkusen
1997–1999	Internazionale
1999–2000	Bologna
2000–2003	Olympiakos
2003–2004	Genoa
2004–2005	Santos
2006	Metalurh Donetsk
2006	Guarani
2006–2007	Omonia
2008	Londrina
2008–2009	Rheindorf Altach
Total
International career
1995–1999	Brazil
Medal record
Representing Brazil
Men's Football
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

José Elias Moedim Júnior (born 25 September 1976), commonly known as Zé Elias, is a Brazilian football pundit and retired footballer. A defensive or central midfielder, he played for 12 teams in seven countries. He is a football analyst for ESPN Brasil.

Club career

Born in Guarulhos, Zé Elias was one of the youngest players to ever appear for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. He had already gained strong interest from PSV Eindhoven during his beginnings as a senior, which happened at the age of 17.

After becoming an undisputed starter at Corinthians, and first appearing for the Brazil national team at 19, Zé Elias went overseas, representing with moderate individual success Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Inter Milan, Bologna F.C. 1909, Olympiacos F.C. and Genoa CFC. He won three consecutive Superleague Greece championships with the fourth club, but appeared sparingly in the process (a maximum of 18 league appearances).

After a return to Brazil with Santos FC, Zé Elias had short-lived stints with FC Metalurh Donetsk, Guarani Futebol Clube, AC Omonia and Londrina Esporte Clube. He retired as a player in March 2008, and assumed a scouting role in Brazil for Inter Milan; however, in June, he signed a contract with SC Rheindorf Altach for the 2008–09 season, before announcing his retirement again.

International career

Zé Elias was capped ten times for Brazil. He received his first call-up on 29 March 1995, in a friendly with Honduras which ended 1–1.

Zé Elias represented the country at the 1996 Summer Olympics where he won bronze, and later at the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup in a runner-up finish, losing 0–2 in the final against Mexico.

Personal life

Elias' younger brother, Rubinho, is also a professional footballer. A goalkeeper, he played most of his career in Italy.^[1]

Honours

Club

Corinthians

Campeonato Paulista: 1995
Copa do Brasil: 1995

Inter

UEFA Cup: 1997–98

Olympiacos

Superleague Greece: 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03
Greek Football Cup: Runner-up 2000–01, 2001–02

Santos

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2004

International

Brazil

CONCACAF Gold Cup: Runner-up 1996
Summer Olympic Games: Bronze medal 1996

References

^ "Sorpresa: un portiere brasiliano è Rubinho, fratello di Ze Elias" [Surprise: a Brazilian goalkeeper is Rubinho, Ze Elias's brother]. La Repubblica (in Italian). 17 July 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2015.

External links

Zé Elias at Sambafoot (archived)
Zé Elias at National-Football-Teams.com
Zé Elias – FIFA competition record (archived)

[1] "Sorpresa: un portiere brasiliano è Rubinho, fratello di Ze Elias" [Surprise: a Brazilian goalkeeper is Rubinho, Ze Elias's brother]. La Repubblica (in Italian). 17 July 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2015.

[1]