Zinho

Lore & Background

Zinho is best known for his spells with Flamengo and Palmeiras. He won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A four times with Flamengo, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro, as well as the 1999 Copa Libertadores with Palmeiras. At international level, he was a regular member of the Brazil side that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup, starting all seven matches.

In Their Own Story

Tokyo's night air was crisp under the floodlights as Flamengo stepped onto the pitch, carrying the weight of South American glory against Liverpool. In the center circle, Zinho adjusted his socks, his gaze calm amidst the storm of expectation. The ball found his feet; he turned with a fluidity that mocked two defenders closing in and unleashed a pass so precise it seemed to slice through time itself. The crowd's collective breath hitched, then exploded into a roar as the play unfolded into history. In that fleeting second, Zinho wasn't just playing football; he was conducting a symphony of victory, turning a match into an eternal memory for the red-and-black faithful.

Reader's Guide

Zinho played club football in Brazil with Flamengo, Palmeiras, Grêmio, Cruzeiro and Nova Iguaçu. He also had spells abroad with Yokohama Flügels and Miami FC. He won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A four times (twice with Palmeiras, once with Flamengo and once with Cruzeiro) and won the Campeonato Carioca three times (all with Flamengo).

Did You Know?

• Zinho was capped 55 times for Brazil between March 1989 and February 1998, scoring 7 goals.
• He won the Campeonato Carioca with Flamengo in 1986, 1991, and 2004.
• Zinho was ranked 23rd in the USL First Division Top 25 of the Decade on 20 January 2010.
• He won the Placar Bola de Prata individual award in 1988, 1992, 1994, and 1997.