Neto (footballer)

Not to be confused with Neto (footballer, born 1985).
Neto

Neto (centre) with ex-president Lula (right) and the retired footballer Marcelinho Carioca (left)
Personal information
Full name José Ferreira Neto
Date of birth (1966-09-09) 9 September 1966
Place of birth Santo Antônio de Posse, Brazil
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Playmaker, Second striker, Winger
Youth career
1979–1980 Ponte Preta
1980–1984 Guarani
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1986 Guarani 73 (59)
1986 Bangu 9 (1)
1987 São Paulo 33 (7)
1988 Guarani
1988 Palmeiras 25 (9)
1989–1993 Corinthians 227 (80)
1993 Millonarios
1993 Atlético Mineiro 9 (5)
1994 Santos 18 (3)
1994 Matsubara
1995 Guarani 13 (2)
1995 Araçatuba 13 (13)
1996–1997 Corinthians 17 (14)
1997 Osan Indaiatuba 22 (15)
1998 Paulista 11 (3)
1998–1999 Deportivo Italia
National team
1988–1993 Brazil 26 (7)
Honours
Men's football
Representing  Brazil
Olympic Games
1988 Seoul Team competition

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


José Ferreira Neto (born 9 September 1966 in Santo Antônio de Posse, São Paulo), commonly known as Neto, and known as "Craque" Neto after his retirement, is a Brazilian former football player, and currently a football commentator for Rede Bandeirantes.

In Brazil he is commonly considered one of the greatest free kick takers ever[1][2] and one of the best Brazilian players of the early 1990s.[2] Besides his accurate foul shots, he had a great long pass and was a leader for his teammates on the field. He played 470 games and scored 184 goals, in his entire career.

Biography

Neto was born in Santo Antônio de Posse, a small town near Campinas, in the State of São Paulo.

He began his career very early, playing for Campinas-based team Guarani. In the mid-1980s he also played for Bangu (in Rio de Janeiro) and São Paulo before returning to Guarani once again. In 1988 he brought more attention upon himself by scoring a goal from a bicycle-kick in the São Paulo State Championship finals against Corinthians. In this same year he was also part of the Brazilian national team that went to Seoul to play in the Olympic Games. Neto's was the corner kick who enabled Romário to score Brazil's first goal against Soviet Union in the final game (however, the Soviets overcame Brazil, with a 2-1 win in the extra-time).

In 1989 he played for Palmeiras and then he was transferred to Corinthians, where he was an idol in the beginning of the nineties. With his precise game and strong personality, he was the key player during the 1990 National Championship in Brazil, when Corinthians won the finals against São Paulo.

After almost five years and 114 goals for Corinthians, his cycle in the club was over. Still, even today Neto is remembered as one of the player who most identified himself with the black-and-white club. After Corinthians he played in many other clubs, in Brazil (Araçatuba, Atlético Mineiro, Matsubara, Santos) and abroad (Millonarios of Colombia).

Neto's career was always plagued by weight problems and divergences with referees and club managers. His most famous episode was when he spat in referee José Aparecido de Oliveira's face, earning himself a 4-month suspension from the games. Neto says this is the only regrettable thing he did in his career.[3]

Neto stopped playing at the end of the nineties. He was briefly the manager of Guarani.

After the end of his footballing career, Neto became a commentator and sports pundit for TV Bandeirantes. Neto's simple way of speaking, and his blunt, "ogre-like" behavior have made him a famous broadcaster in Brazil.[4] Working alongside names such as José Luiz Datena and Milton Neves, Neto has, however, clashed against fellow sports journalists such as Tiago Leifert and various footballers.[5]

Personal life

The son of a former military policeman, Neto is a father of two children. After his retirement from professional football, Neto underwent a gastric bypass surgery to help with his excess weight. The surgery was a success, and the footballer, who was once plagued by weight problems, has since ran in marathons.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Archived 12 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 "Pelé.Net". Noticias.uol.com.br.
  3. ↑ http://www.istoe.com.br/reportagens/136800_TEM+DE+SABER+CAUSAR+PARA+SER+COMENTARISTA+DE+FUTEBOL
  4. ↑ "Neto, o ogro divertido | Blog UOL Esporte vê TV". Uolesportevetv.blogosfera.uol.com.br.
  5. ↑ "Ex-jogador Neto arruma brigas e faz barulho como comentarista – VEJA SP". Vejasp.abril.com.br.
  6. ↑ "Após cirurgia para emagrecer, Neto corre maratona em SP | Blog UOL Esporte vê TV". Uolesportevetv.blogosfera.uol.com.br. 18 September 2011.
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