Marcos Evangelista de Morais (born 7 June 1970), known asCafu ([kaˈfu]), is a Brazilian former professionalfootballer who played as aright-back. Widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, he is known for his pace and energetic attacking runs along the right flank.[4][5][6] He is themost-capped player for theBrazil national team with 142 appearances.
At club level, Cafu won several domestic and international titles while playing in Brazil, Spain, and Italy; he is best known for his spells atSão Paulo (1989–1995),Roma (1997–2003), andAC Milan (2003–08), teams with which he made history, although he also played briefly forZaragoza,Juventude, andPalmeiras during a two-year spell from 1995 to 1997. In 1994, Cafu was crownedSouth American Footballer of the Year, and in 2004, was named byPelé in theFIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[7] He was additionally named to theFIFPro World XI in 2005, and in 2020 was included in theBallon d'Or Dream Team.
Cafu represented his nation in fourFIFA World Cups between 1994 and2006, and is the only player in history to have appeared in three World Cup finals, both overall and consecutive, winning the1994 and2002 editions of the tournament, the latter as his team'scaptain where he lifted theWorld Cup trophy. With Brazil, he also took part in four editions of theCopa América, winning the title twice, in1997 and1999; he was also a member of the national side that won the1997 FIFA Confederations Cup.
One of six children, Cafu was raised in the Jardim Irenefavela ofSão Paulo. At the age of seven, he was able to attend a football academy and soon moved up to the junior sides ofNacional-SP,Portuguesa, and Itaquaquecetuba. He also playedfutsal for two years.[citation needed]
As a child, he received the nickname 'Cafu', in honor of the Brazilian wingerCafuringa.[8]
In the early 1980s, he was rejected from the youth squads ofCorinthians,Palmeiras,Santos,Atlético Mineiro, and Portuguesa, but it was not until 1988 that he made the youth squad of hometown clubSão Paulo, and subsequently won theCopa São Paulo youth tournament that year, but he did not play during the next season as São Paulo won the 1989Campeonato Paulista.[citation needed]
It was during this time, however, that São Paulo youth coachTelê Santana became Cafu's mentor. He suggested that Cafu move from right midfield to wingback, a spot into which Cafu made the transition with ease despite never previously playing the position. He had soon anchored onto the first team, as São Paulo won back-to-backCopa Libertadores andIntercontinental Cup in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he was named theSouth American Footballer of the Year. Halfway through the1994–95 season, Cafu joined Spanish sideReal Zaragoza, winning the1995Cup Winners' Cup with them (though he had injury issues and did not play in thefinal).[9][10] He then left Zaragoza to join Brazilian clubJuventude.
After a brief stint back in Brazil with Palmeiras in 1996, Cafu returned to Europe once again the next year, this time withRoma, and won theScudetto in2001.[11] It was during his tenure at Roma that Cafu earned the nicknameIl Pendolino ("The Express Train" or "The Commuter").[12] Despite making theCoppa Italia final in2003 with Roma, he moved toAC Milan, after turning down a move to Japan withYokohama F. Marinos. With theRossoneri, he won his second careerScudetto in 2004, followed by his secondSupercoppa Italiana, and he played in his firstUEFA Champions League final in 2005.[13] The following season, he made fewer appearances for Milan due to injury and difficulties in his personal life.[14]
Despite his success with Milan, he continued to hold fond memories of his Roma years, and it was for that reason that on 4 March 2007 – the day after Milan eliminatedCeltic in the first knockout round of the2006–07 UEFA Champions League – he candidly revealed in a UEFA.com chat that he did not want Milan to be drawn against theGiallorossi in the quarter-final round.[15] He got his wish, as Milan were drawn againstBayern Munich. Milan's successfulChampions League campaign saw Cafu finally pick up a long-awaited winners' medal, in a rematch of the 2005 final.[16]
Cafu signed a contract extension in May 2007 that would keep him with Milan until the end of the 2007–08 season, during which he won anotherUEFA Supercup, and his third world title at club level and now his firstFIFA Club World Cup. On 16 May 2008, it was announced that Cafu and compatriotSerginho would be leaving Milan at the end of the season.[17] In Cafu's last game of his Milan career, and of his professional career, he scored a goal in their 4–1 victory overUdinese.[18] Milan vice-presidentAdriano Galliani stated that the door would be open to him to return to work for the club.
He is a member of theAC Milan and theRoma Halls of Fame.
Cafu was accused along with several otherSerie A players, including Roma teammateFábio Júnior andGustavo Bartelt, countryman and later Milan teammateDida, of using a forged passport in their attempt to dodge regulations regarding the number of non-European players allowed on Italian club rosters. However, the charge was cleared by theItalian Football Federation (FIGC) as Cafu's Italian passport was real and issued by Italian officials, but 13 others – including Dida – were banned.[19] But Cafu faced another controversy that similar toJuan Sebastián Verón, accused that Cafu's wife, Regina used falsified documents to claim Italian nationality through Italian descent.[20] Cafu acquired Italian nationality through marriage. In 2004, Cafu and Roma club presidentFranco Sensi went to court.[21][22]
On 12 June 2006, less than 24 hours before Brazil were to begin their2006 World Cup campaign againstCroatia, Rome prosecutor Angelantonio Racanelli called for the imprisonment of Cafu, his wife and his agent for nine months following the resurfacing of a false-passport scandal.[23] The very next day, however, Cafu, his wife and agent were acquitted of all charges.[24]
Cafu is the most-cappedBrazilian men's player of all time with 142 appearances, including a record 20World Cup games. He has won two World Cups in1994 and2002, as well as being the only player to participate in three World Cup final matches.[25] Cafu also held the record of winning the most matches in World Cups with 15 (along with two games Brazil won on penalties), before being surpassed byGermany'sMiroslav Klose in the2014 World Cup.
He earned his first cap in a friendly againstSpain on 12 September 1990, and played sparingly for Brazil in the early 1990s, making the 1994 World Cup roster as a substitute. He appeared in the final againstItaly, following an injury toJorginho in the 22nd minute. After that, Cafu was soon a regular in the starting eleven as Brazil won theCopa América in1997 and1999, the1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, and reached the1998 World Cupfinal.
Brazil endured a rocky qualification for the 2002 tournament, during which Cafu came under heavy criticism from coachVanderlei Luxemburgo, who stripped him of the team captaincy after he was sent off in a qualifier againstParaguay. Shortly after that, however, Luxemburgo was out of a job, and replacementLuiz Felipe Scolari madeEmerson his new choice for captain. However, Emerson missed the cut after he dislocated his shoulder in training, which allowed Cafu to regain the armband. After Brazil defeated Germany 2–0 in thefinal match (Cafu's third consecutive World Cup final), he stood on the victory podium during the postmatch celebration and, as he raised theWorld Cup trophy, shouted to his wife,"Regina, eu te amo!" ("Regina, I love you!").[26] Cafu had also written "100% Jardim Irene" on his shirt as an homage to his upbringing.[25] Three days after World Cup victory, Cafu spent some time inBangu on Amanajó Street alongside formerBangu AC coach and notable fan Pombo and his cousin, a long time Cafu's friend.
Cafu and Brazil fell short of high expectations placed on the squad four years later in2006, as Brazil meekly exited in the quarter-finals after a 1–0 defeat byFrance.[27] CoachCarlos Alberto Parreira was criticized for featuring fading veterans, most notably the 36-year-old Cafu and 33-year-oldRoberto Carlos, in the starting eleven in lieu of younger players. Cafu was one of few Brazil players who spoke to the press in the midst of a hailstorm of criticism from Brazilian fans and media alike following the team's return home.
Cafu (pictured with Milan in 2007) was known for his great ability to attack and defend as a right back
Regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, one of the best footballers of his generation, and as one of Brazil's best ever players,[28] Cafu was a dynamic, hard-working, offensive-minded, and energetic right-sidedwing-back who is mostly remembered for his great pace, stamina, tactical intelligence, distribution, and technical skills, as well as his ability to make overlapping attacking runs down the right flank and provide accuratecrosses to teammates in the area.[29][30][31][32][33]
In addition to his footballing ability, he was also known for his discipline, leadership, and his characteristically cheerful demeanour.[34][35][36] Although he usually played as an attacking right-back, he was also capable of playing as acentre back, due to his defensive skills, or in more advanced positions, and was often deployed as aright winger. During his time in Italy, he was given the nicknamePendolino, after the country's express trains.[37][38][39][40][41][42]
Cafu is separated from his wife Regina Feliciano, who he married in 1987. The couple had three children together: two sons (Danilo and Wellington) and a daughter (Michelle).[43][44] On 4 September 2019, Danilo suffered a heart attack whilst playing football at his family home, after complaining about feeling unwell. Danilo was taken to a hospital where he later died.[45]
^"Milan: due punte, zero gol".La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 24 February 2004.Archived from the original on 24 December 2004. Retrieved1 February 2017.
^Brewin, John (25 December 2009)."World Team of the Decade".ESPNsoccernet. ESPN.Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved29 January 2018.
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