 Serginho withAC Milan in 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sérgio Cláudio dos Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1971-06-27)27 June 1971 (age 54) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Nilópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left-back,left midfielder,left winger | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Itaperuna | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Bahia | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Flamengo | 17 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Cruzeiro | 23 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | São Paulo | 58 | (21) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2008 | AC Milan | 185 | (18) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 301 | (51) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Brazil | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sérgio Cláudio dos Santos (born 27 June 1971), better known asSerginho, is a Brazilian former professionalfootballer who played as aleft-back,left midfielder orleft winger. Known for his speed and energetic attacking runs down the wing, he won theChampions League twice (in2003 and2007), as well as theSerie A title (in2003–04), among other trophies withAC Milan. At international level, he also representedBrazil at the1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and was part of the team that won the1999 Copa América. Post retirement, he has acted as manager and agent for former teammateDida.[1]
Serginho initially began his professional footballing career in his home country and played for clubsCruzeiro,Bahia andSão Paulo. He moved to Italian sideAC Milan in 1999, where he was initially a fringe player, starting on the bench but often being the first-choice substitute. The apex of Serginho's Milan career was when he scored a goal and contributed three assists in a 6–0 thrashing ofcrosstown rivalsInter Milan on 11 May 2001.[2] He also contributed to Milan's2003UEFA Champions League victory overJuventus, scoring the first of Milan's three successful penalties in the shootout.[3] The2005 Champions League final was a reversal of fortune, however, as Milan surrendered a 3–0 lead at half-time and eventually lost on penalties toLiverpool, with Serginho whistling his shot over the crossbar.[4] Serginho also won the2003–04 Serie A title[5] and the2006–07 edition of the UEFA Champions League with Milan,[6] among other trophies.
On 16 May 2008, it was announced that Serginho and compatriotCafu would be leaving Milan at the end of the 2007–08 season.[7] Serginho also immediately announced his retirement at the end of the season. On 18 May, he played the final minutes of the match againstUdinese and appeared quite moved at the end of the game.
Serginho earned ten caps with theBrazil national team between 1998 and 2001, with his sole goal scored in the1999 FIFA Confederations Cup final.[8] He would undoubtedly have won more caps, if not for the ever-presentRoberto Carlos as the national team's starting left-back during Serginho's whole career. Internationally, Serginho represented his nation at the1999 Confederations Cup,[8] where his team won a runners-up medal, and at the1999 Copa América, winning the latter tournament. He did not make it in Brazil's squad for the2002 World Cup because of a hamstring injury.
Serginho was an incredibly fast and hard-working, offensive-minded player, who could play either asleft-back orwing-back, or even on theleft wing. He maintained his extraordinary pace and stamina well into his mid-late 30s. In addition to his speed and energy, he was also known to be an excellentcrosser of the ball, and for having a knack for making overlapping runs and getting into good attacking positions, which allowed him to regularly contribute to his team's offence with several assists and even goals. His nickname throughout his career wasIl Concorde ("The Concorde"), due to his quick and tireless attacking runs down the left flank of the pitch.[9][10][11]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1999 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 1 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 August 1999 | Estadio Azteca,Mexico City, Mexico |  Mexico | 1–2 | 3–4 | 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup | [13] |
Individual
Brazil squads | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
