 Leão in 1979 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Émerson Leão | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1949-07-11)11 July 1949 (age 75) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ribeirão Preto,Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1970 | Comercial | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1978 | Palmeiras | 163 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1980 | Vasco da Gama | 24 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1982 | Grêmio | 46 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983 | Corinthians | 13 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1986 | Palmeiras | 31 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987 | Sport Recife | 30 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 277 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1986 | Brazil | 80 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Sport Recife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Coritiba | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Palmeiras | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Portuguesa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | São José | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | XV de Piracicaba | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Shimizu S-Pulse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Juventude | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Atlético Paranaense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Verdy Kawasaki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Atlético Mineiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Internacional | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Grêmio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Sport Recife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Cruzeiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | São Paulo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Vissel Kobe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Palmeiras | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | São Caetano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Corinthians | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Atlético Mineiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Al-Sadd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Atlético Mineiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Sport Recife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Goiás | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | São Paulo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | São Caetano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Émerson Leão (Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈɛmeʁsõleˈɐ̃w]; born 11 July 1949) is a Brazilian former footballgoalkeeper and manager. He is regarded by pundits as one of best Brazilian goalkeepers of all time.[1][2] A documentary video produced byFIFA,FIFA Fever, called him the third-most impressive defense player of all time. He was born inRibeirão Preto, São Paulo.
He was aFIFA World Cup champion in1970 as a reserve player, at age 20. He then played the two following World Cups as first team player. He was the first Braziliangoalkeeper in history to be team captain (during the1978 World Cup).Dida repeated the feat in2006 in a group stage match againstJapan. In the1986 World Cup, Leão was a reserve player.
He played 80 times for theBrazil national football team. At club level, he played for several clubs, his longest term being atPalmeiras, where he won several titles, likeCampeonato Brasileiro andCampeonato Paulista.
Leão has been a manager since 1987. He wasSão Paulo manager in 2005, winning theCampeonato Paulista of that year. He then moved toVissel Kobe of Japan, where he stayed for only four matches. On 18 July 2005, he became the manager of Palmeiras, a position he held until March 2006. His peak as a manager was his second stint withSantos, between 2002 and 2004, when he won the Campeonato Brasileiro in 2002, and was runner-up in bothCopa Libertadores de América and Campeonato Brasileiro in 2003. Leão is often seen as a hardliner, since he demands perfect physical shape of his players, along with discipline and mutual respect. He is not fond of having well-known players on his teams, since he believes that this might cause relationship problems within the squad.
He was the manager of the Brazil nation team from 15 November 2000 until 9 June 2001. From 11 matches, his Brazil side won 4, drew 4 and lost 3. Like his predecessorVanderlei Luxemburgo, he struggled having top players available for qualifying matches. He tried to centre the squad aroundRomário and younger players with little international experience. He also became the first sitting coach to travel to Europe to assess his players' activities there, where he was asked by the Europeans to not releaseRivaldo andRoberto Carlos for matches that were not crucial.
Leão was dismissed byAtlético Mineiro on 4 May 2009 following a defeat to arch-rivalsCruzeiro in the final of a regional championship. This ended his third stint as Atlético head coach.[3] On 3 June 2009,Sport Recife's have signed the coach for the up-coming 2009 Brasileirão championship.[4] On 26 April 2010, Leão was named as the new manager ofGoiás. On 24 October 2011, São Paulo announced it had hired Leão for a second managerial spell in charge of the club.[5]
On 30 August 2012, after two months unattached, Leão was hired bySão Caetano, then participating inSérie B.[6]
Leão is known for his controversial attitudes and declarations.
In 1997, after a game between his Atlético Mineiro and Argentine sideLanús in theConmebol Cup final, Leão was involved in a massive fight with adversaries. Leão had to rebuild his face after the incident.[citation needed]
In 2002, when he coached Santos, andPeixe facedPaysandu, Leão was involved again in a fight. This time, when his players faced policemen, the coach received an aggression in his eyes by apepper spray.
In 2006, then coaching Palmeiras, Leão had problems with television pundit Milton Neves, that had kicked another television pundit, Sílvio Luiz, according to Leão. Leão said to Neves: "When you kicked Silvio Luiz's ass, a 70-year-old man, you boasted. Come to kick mine!"[7]
In 2010, training Goiás, Leão discussed again with two another television pundits, Renata Fan andNeto. According to Leão, Neto "would not have psychological conditions to speak in a television channel". But the problems between them would happen since 1989, when Leão coached Neto inPalmeiras.[8][9]
In 2013, in a research made by sports site UOL Esporte, Leão was elected the worst coach fromBrazil. He had 16 votes.Celso Roth was chosen the second one.[10]
Again in 2013, Leão said that Juvenal Juvêncio, president ofSão Paulo, club that he coached for two times (between 2004 and 2005 and, after, between 2011 and 2012), should abdicate, for his age, of his position, making like popeBenedict XVI. Juvêncio answered to Leão, saying that the coach "needs to find another job soon".[11][12]
| Club performance | League | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals |
| Brazil | League | |||
| 1971 | Palmeiras | Série A | 24 | 0 |
| 1972 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 1973 | 36 | 0 | ||
| 1974 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1975 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 1976 | 21 | 0 | ||
| 1977 | 18 | 0 | ||
| 1978 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 1979 | Vasco da Gama | Série A | 14 | 0 |
| 1980 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 1981 | Grêmio | Série A | 23 | 0 |
| 1982 | 23 | 0 | ||
| 1983 | Corinthians | Série A | 13 | 0 |
| 1984 | Palmeiras | Série A | 14 | 0 |
| 1985 | 17 | 0 | ||
| 1986 | Sport Recife | Série A | 0 | 0 |
| Country | Brazil | 277 | 0 | |
| Total | 277 | 0 | ||
| Brazil national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1970 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 | 5 | 0 |
| 1974 | 15 | 0 |
| 1976 | 5 | 0 |
| 1977 | 13 | 0 |
| 1978 | 12 | 0 |
| 1979 | 8 | 0 |
| 1983 | 14 | 0 |
| 1986 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 80 | 0 |
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 1993 | 1994 | 58 | 40 | 0 | 18 | 068.97 |
| Verdy Kawasaki | 1996 | 1996 | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 072.22 |
| Vissel Kobe | 2005 | 2005 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 025.00 |
| Total | 80 | 54 | 1 | 25 | 067.50 | ||
List of Brazil national football team managers
