Maicon Douglas Sisenando (born 26 July 1981), also known asMaicon Douglas (Brazilian Portuguese:[ˈmajkõˈdowɡlɐs]) or simplyMaicon, is a Brazilian former professionalfootballer who played as aright-back. Known for his directness, speed, crossing, and ability defensively, he was considered one of the best right backs of his generation.
Maicon began his career in his native country withCruzeiro, after initially playing forGrêmio andCriciúma at youth level. He played 125 times for Cruzeiro between 2000 and 2004, earning onenational league title and several other domestic competitions, before moving toEurope when he signed forLigue 1 sideMonaco. After two years in Monaco, he signed forInter Milan in 2006, where he became an established first team player, going on to win theUEFA Champions League in 2010, fourSerie A titles, theFIFA Club World Cup and various domestic competitions. In August 2012, he signed forManchester City. Maicon failed to secure a regular place in the team, moving back to Italy to play forRoma the following season. He returned to Brazil in 2017, playing forAvaí, childhood club Criciúma andVilla Nova. He retired in 2021 after a brief stint in the Italian Serie D and the Sammarinese league.
As aBrazil international, Maicon made his debut in 2003 and represented his nation on 76 occasions, scoring seven goals. He won a runners-up medal at the2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and took part in threeCopa América tournaments (winning the competition in2004 and2007) and twoFIFA World Cups (finishing in fourth-place in2014 on home soil). He was also a member of the teams that won consecutiveFIFA Confederations Cup titles in2005 and2009.
A talented right-sided wingback, Maicon debuted forCruzeiro in 2001 and after two successful seasons in Brazil, which included winning a championship and being called up for theBrazil national team in 2003, he was signed byMonaco for £2.1 million in June 2004.[4]
In July 2006,Inter Milan officially announced the signing of Maicon for a fee of £4.8 million and a five-year contract, along with fellow Brazilian fullbackMaxwell and French midfielderOlivier Dacourt.[5] During his time at Inter, he established himself as a reliable wing-back, solid defensively with an ability of making emphatic runs down the right wing, often setting up goals or scoring himself with his powerful right foot. He overtook Inter captainJavier Zanetti as the first choice right back, with the Argentine moving in midfield.[6] He was generally considered one of the best wing-backs in the game.
During aUEFA Champions League match on 6 March 2007, Maicon was involved in a brawl withValencia defenderDavid Navarro.[7] Maicon was originally banned for six matches, but the ban was reduced to three.[8] A regular under former coachJosé Mourinho, he contributed his fair share of assists and goals as Inter won a fourth consecutive title in the2008–09 season, including a match-winning brace againstSiena.[9]
Maicon continued the good form he displayed in previous seasons during the2009–10 season; he started the season by scoring a goal againstMilan in the 4–0Derby della Madonnina victory,[10] and then playing well againstBarcelona in a 0–0 draw at theSan Siro.[11] He subsequently set upDiego Milito on matchday five inSerie A againstNapoli, as Inter defeated Napoli 3–1.[12] Maicon continued with his solid performances, notably scoring the last goal in a 5–0 win overGenoa on 17 October and making a fantastic byline run which resulted in Milito's match killing goal in a 5–3 home victory overPalermo two weeks later.[13][14] In the very next match, he scored a goal againstLivorno, where the match ended 2–0 for Inter.[15] During Inter's home leg of theDerby d'Italia, the right back opened the scoring againstJuventus with one of the most spectacular goals of the season, juggling a loose ball over the onrushing defender at the top of the penalty box and volleying it into the opposite corner.[16]
Later that month, Maicon scored his first Champions League goal against reigning champions Barcelona when Inter registered a famous victory over theCatalans.[17] He reportedly knocked out a tooth after he collided withLionel Messi.[18] Having overtakenRoma at the summit of the Serie A and winning the league title, Inter went on to eliminate Barcelona from the Champions League in thesemi-finals, with Maicon earning praise.[19] On 22 May 2010, after beating Roma in the Coppa Italia final weeks earlier, Inter won the Champions League, thus obtaining thetreble,[20] with a 2–0 victory overBayern Munich in thefinal at theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium,Madrid.[21] He was named the 2009–10 UEFA Club Defender of the Year and his performances earned him a nomination for theBallon d'Or trophy as Europe's top player.[22]
In the 2011–12 season, Maicon played just 23 games inSerie A. In his 23 appearances Maicon scored two goals, the first in a 2–1 defeat to Juventus at the San Siro on 29 October 2011, and the second in theDerby della Madonnina against Milan in a 4–2 win, on 6 May 2012. He scored from outside the penalty box with a belting shot into the top left corner ofMarco Amelia's goal, in a game in which teammate Diego Milito scored a hat-trick.
On 31 August 2012, Maicon signed forManchester City in a £3 million transfer deal, taking the number 3 shirt. He made his City debut on 15 September in a 1–1 draw againstStoke City.[23] He made his home debut in a 2–1 win againstTottenham Hotspur on 11 November, replacing centre-backMatija Nastasić in the second half.[24] Maicon struggled with injury throughout the season, but when fit he found it a struggle to break into the City team, ultimately failing to dislodgePablo Zabaleta from the right back position and struggling to even supplant the injury-proneMicah Richards for the substitute right-back role fit. Maicon therefore rarely made City's substitutes' bench. When managerRoberto Mancini was sacked at the end of the season, his replacementManuel Pellegrini was quick to move the player, omitting him from the club's pre-season tour of South Africa and commenting that he had no plans to include him in the squad.[25]
On 18 July 2013, Maicon returned to Serie A after Manchester City allowed him to move on a free transfer to Roma.[26][27] His transfer was made official by Roma on 26 July on his 32nd birthday, with Maicon signing a two-year deal.[28]
Roma started the2013–14 season under managerRudi Garcia with ten wins in its first ten Serie A games. He was allocated squad number 13, and made his competitive debut on 25 August in the opening league week againstLivorno, playing full-90 minutes in a 0–2 away win.[29] On 25 September, during the away match againstSampdoria, Maicon suffered a muscular injury and was replaced in the 35th minute; following the match, it was reported he had a first degree lesion in the right thigh, and the recovery time was around 15 days.[30] Maicon returned in action for the league match againstNapoli, helping the team to win 2–0 at home.[31] Later on 8 December, Maicon scored his first goal for Roma in the 2–1 home win againstFiorentina, returning the team to the winning ways after four consecutive draws.[32]
He started 2014 by scoring his second goal of the season in Roma's 4–0 home defeat ofGenoa.[33] Maicon made hisCoppa Italia debut nine days later in thequarter-final againstJuventus, contributing in a 1–0 home win and progression to the semi-final.[34]
On 13 October 2014, Maicon agreed a contract extension with Roma, extending his stay atStadio Olimpico until June 2016.[35]
On 31 May 2017, Maicon signed with Brazilian sideAvaí on a one-year contract.[36] After training for a few weeks withBotafogo, he didn't sign with the Glorioso, instead going to the club fromSanta Catarina. Maicon came back to Brazilian football after 13 years, after leavingCruzeiro forAS Monaco.[37][38] In December 2017, Maicon announced his retirement after spending one season withAvaí who were relegated toSérie B.
On 22 December 2018, Maicon announced he had signed a one-year contract withSérie B sideCriciúma.[39][40] Maicon cited his son as one of the reasons for his return to football and his previous history with the club as a youth player.[41]
In June 2014, Maicon was selected in Brazil's squad for the2014 World Cup. He replacedDani Alves as the team's starting right-back for the 2–1quarter-final win againstColombia inFortaleza and for the remainder of the tournament.[49]
On 7 September 2014, Maicon was dismissed from the Brazil squad for an unspecified "internal problem".[50]
Due to his work-rate and stamina, Maicon is known to be capable of aiding his team both offensively and defensively, and has been used both as afull-back and as an attackingwing-back orwide midfielder. He is gifted with outstanding physical attributes, athleticism and excellent technical skills, as well as good vision,crossing ability and a powerful shot, which made him a dangerous attacking threat down the right flank in his prime. Due to his success, strength, pace and power, he earned the nickname "Il Colosso" ("The Colossus") during his time at Inter, where he developed into one of the best attacking full-backs in the world, forming a notable partnership with teammate Javier Zanetti.[51][52]
^"Valdomiro, o novo tio-avô de Maicon" [Valdomiro, Maicon's new great-uncle] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Engeplus. 7 July 2010. Retrieved20 February 2021.
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