 Donato in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Donato Gama da Silva[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1962-12-30)30 December 1962 (age 62)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back,midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1982 | America (RJ) | 36 | (1) |
| 1983–1988 | Vasco da Gama | 49 | (0) |
| 1988–1993 | Atlético Madrid | 163 | (11) |
| 1993–2003 | Deportivo La Coruña | 303 | (38) |
| Total | 551 | (50) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994–1996 | Spain | 12 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2015–2016 | Viveiro | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Donato Gama da Silva (born 30 December 1962), known simply asDonato, is a former professionalfootball. Having begun as acentral midfielder, he was later deployed as acentral defender.
He spent most of his 22-year senior career in Spain – 589 competitive games and 68 goals – most notably withDeportivo de La Coruña, being part of theSuper Depor squads that won several titles, including the1999–2000 La Liga. He also held the record for most appearances inthe competition by a player born outside of Spain, with 466.[2]
Born in Brazil, Donato representedSpain atEuro 1996.[3][4]
Born inRio de Janeiro, Donato began his career withAmerica Football Club in his hometown, switching to neighboursCR Vasco da Gama in 1984 and remaining there the following four years,[5][6] after which he joined Spain'sAtlético Madrid as one of the first signings of elusive chairmanJesús Gil.[7][8] With theColchoneros, he won back-to-backCopa del Rey trophies[9][10] and totalled 197 appearances.[11]
Donato moved toDeportivo de La Coruña in summer 1993. alongside players likeBebeto,Mauro Silva,Miroslav Đukić andFran, he was crucial to the team's firm establishment in bothLa Liga andEuropean competitions, as he scored an impressive 18 league goals over his first two seasons, often fromfree kicks, one of his main assets.[12] He continued to feature heavily for theGalicians subsequently, helping the club win two domestic cups and the historic1999–2000 national championship (netting three times in 29 games);[13][14] during his spell at theEstadio Riazor, he appeared in 393 matches and added 54 goals.[15]
On 19 January 2003, Donato scored a 50th-minuteheader in a 2–1 league win overAthletic Bilbao; in the process, at the age of 40 years and 20 days, he became the first-ever player to do so after his 40th birthday, thus becoming the oldest scorer in Spain's top-flight history by breaking a 43-year-old record held byFC Barcelona'sCésar Rodríguez, who had achieved this withElche CF in the1959–60 season aged 39 years and 277 days.[2][16] He extended this record four months later, when he equalised an eventual 2–1 loss againstValencia CF on 17 May.[2]
Donato began his coaching career in Greece, as assistant atAris Thessaloniki FC. In 2008, he was appointed youth team manager of lowlyMontañeros CF in theA Coruña region.[17]
On 4 November 2015, it was announced that Donato would take over as head coach ofViveiro CF in theGalician regional championships.[18]
After becoming acitizen of Spain in 1990,[19] Donato was called to thenational team,[20] and earned 12caps in a two-year span.[21] His debut arrived on 16 November 1994, starting and scoring in a 3–0UEFA Euro 1996qualifier win againstDenmark at theRamón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.[22]
Subsequently, Donato was called up for the squad at the final stages in England, making asubstitute appearance in their opening draw withBulgaria atElland Road.[23]
Donato was a strong but technical player, who was able both to destroy the opposition's attacks and to help generate his own team's.[24] He was also a reliableset-piece taker.[12]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 November 1994 | Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium,Seville, Spain |  Denmark | 2–0 | 3–0 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 2 | 17 December 1994 | Constant Vanden Stock Stadium,Brussels,Belgium |  Belgium | 2–1 | 4–1 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 3 | 18 January 1995 | Estadio Riazor,A Coruña, Spain |  Uruguay | 2–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
Atlético Madrid
Deportivo
