 Falcão withRoma during the1983–84 Serie A season | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paulo Roberto Falcão | ||
| Date of birth | (1953-10-16)16 October 1953 (age 72) | ||
| Place of birth | Abelardo Luz, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1965–1972 | Internacional | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1980 | Internacional | 342 | (58) |
| 1980–1985 | Roma | 107 | (22) |
| 1985–1986 | São Paulo | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 461 | (80) | |
| International career | |||
| 1972 | Brazil U23 | 12 | (2) |
| 1976–1986 | Brazil | 34 | (6) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1990–1991 | Brazil | ||
| 1991–1992 | Club América | ||
| 1993 | Internacional | ||
| 1994 | Japan | ||
| 2011 | Internacional | ||
| 2012 | Bahia | ||
| 2015–2016 | Sport Recife | ||
| 2016 | Internacional | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paulo Roberto Falcão (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈpawluʁoˈbɛʁtufawˈkɐ̃w]; born 16 October 1953), usually known as simplyFalcão, is a Brazilian formerfootballer and football manager. He is universally considered one of the greatest Brazilian players of all time and one of the greatest midfielders in football history,[2][3] and one of the best players in the world in his position at his peak in the 1980s.[4]
Falcão is widely considered one of the best players inInternacional andRoma history, playing also forSão Paulo. At one stage, he was the world's highest paid footballer.
Due to his success and performances with Roma, Falcão earned the nickname "the eighth King of Rome" from the fans,[5] likeAmedeo Amadei before him, and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2013.[6]
For theBrazil national team, Falcão was capped 34 times between February 1976 and June 1986. He appeared at the1982 FIFA World Cup, playing inmidfield alongsideZico,Sócrates andÉder, considered one of the greatest Brazilian national teams ever.[7] He was named byPelé one of the125 Greatest Living Footballers at aFIFA Awards ceremony in 2004.[8] Colombian forwardRadamel Falcao's father was a footballer and football fan and named him after Falcão.[9]
Falcão began his professional career atInternacional of Porto Alegre, in Rio Grande do Sul, where he played from 1972 to 1980, winning threeBrazilian National Championships (1975, 1976, 1979) and reaching the finals of the1980Copa Libertadores, eventually losing toNacional. During his time at Internacional, he was surprisingly left out of the Brazil squad for the1978 World Cup in Argentina, though he made the shortlisted pre-tournament 40.
Falcão won Golden Ball magazine'sPlacar twice as the best player in the Brazilian championships of 1978 and 1979. In 1979, Falcão achieved the highest score in the history of the Golden Ball.[10]
In 1980, Falcão transferred toSerie A clubRoma for £650,000. In his first season in Italy(1980–81), he was able to master thelanguage and had his mother and sister living with him to help settle him in. He played well, scoring three goals in his 25 games as Roma finished second in Serie A toJuventus. This was a controversial championship, as Roma had a goal ruled out for an unclear offside against Juventus during a defining draw in Turin. Consolation came with aCoppa Italia win for Roma, beatingTurin in thefinal on penalties – Falcão himself scored the decisive spot kick.
Although Roma slipped to third in his second season(1981–82), personally for Falcão it was better than the first, with six goals in 24 games, becoming one of the foreign stars in Serie A. At the end of this season, he was called up for the1982 World Cup finals in Spain.
After the World Cup, Falcão inspired Roma to win their second league title ever during the1982–83 season, scoring seven times in 27 games, and creating numerous others. Although Juventus'sMichel Platini finished astop scorer in the league, and despite Juventus beating Roma in both league games, he was acknowledged as the star man in Serie A that season, also performing well as Roma reached the quarter-finals of theUEFA Cup. At the end of this season, Falcão had earned the nickname "the eighth King of Rome".
In1983–84, Juventus won the title from Roma, who finished second, but it was only won on the final day of the season. Falcão scored five goals in his 27 games. Roma's main goal that season, however, was theEuropean Cup, especially as thefinal was to be played at Roma's ownOlympic Stadium. He played every game, as Roma swept pastIFK Gothenburg,CSKA Sofia andDynamo Berlin to reach the semi-finals againstDundee United.
In a previous Serie A game, Falcão injured hisknee, so he missed the first leg of the semi-final, as Roma lost 2–0 in Dundee. He returned for the second leg as Roma won 3–0 to reach the final, but again injured his knee in the process. He was fit enough for the final againstLiverpool, but played poorly as Roma were eventually defeated on penalties after a 1–1 draw, with Falcão declining to even take a spot kick. This was a marked turning point in his relationship with the club, and the beginning of the end of his time in Rome. Roma again won the Coppa Italia, but despite nearly winning the treble, the mood around the city was not a happy one.
In the1984–85 season, Falcão was more famous for his off field antics than his on field ones. Due to his knee troubles, he only managed four games and one goal in the league as Roma slumped to eighth place in the championship. Falcão then flew off to New York City for an operation on his knee that was unauthorized by the club's doctors, and Roma subsequently terminated his contract. He went back to Brazil after five years in Rome.
Falcão then signed a contract withSão Paulo.
While playing for São Paulo, Falcão won two titles. The first was aCampeonato Paulista in 1985 beatingPortuguesa in the final with an aggregate score of 5–2, and the second one aTaça dos Campeões Rio-São, also in 1985, where he scored his one and only goal for the club in the second leg againstFluminense.
Falcão retired from professional football after the1986 World Cup. He is one of eleven members to have been inducted into theRoma Hall of Fame.[6]
Falcão made 34 appearances for the Brazil national team between 1976 and 1986, scoring six goals.[11] He was a member of the side that finished third at the1979 Copa América, scoring his only goal of the tournament in the second leg of the semi-finals, a 2–2 draw against eventual championsParaguay, although the latter nation advanced to thefinal 4–3 on aggregate.[12] He was surprisingly left out of Brazil's 1978 World Cup squad, despite being included on the 40–player shortlist before the tournament.
Falcão starred in the midfield of the Brazil 1982 World Cup team, along withToninho Cerezo,Zico,Eder andSocrates in a 4–2–2–2 formation;[13] the side is generally seen by pundits as one of the best teams not to win the World Cup.[14] Although initially he was only intended to be a substitute, due to a suspension to Cerezo, Falcão started in Brazil's opening match, as they beatSoviet Union 2–1;[13] he went on to start in each match of the tournament, scoring the last goal as Brazil then beatScotland 4–1,[15] and adding another goal in the 4–0 win againstNew Zealand.[13][16]
In the second phase of the World Cup, in the so-called "Group of Death," his team obtained a 3–1 win against thereigning World Champions andrivalsArgentina, meaning that the Brazilians needed only a draw in their next game againstItaly to advance to the semi-finals. In this game, despite twice equalising, Brazil were beaten by aPaolo Rossi hat trick as Italy won 3–2, advancing in their place. Falcão got the second equalising goal for Brazil against his adopted country with a drive from the edge of the area, which was deflected by opposing defenderGiuseppe Bergomi.[13][17][18] The defeat and resulting elimination affected Falcão and several of his teammates heavily;[19] after the match, he was said to be so distressed that he wanted to give up football. Falcao was chosen as the tournament's second best player.[20]
After muddling through a nondescript season for his club (although he helped the team win theSão Paulo State Championship in 1985), he managed to get a call up to theBrazil 1986 World Cup squad, mainly on reputation.
During thisWorld Cup, he only managed to play in two games (coming on as substitute against bothSpain andAlgeria). Brazil exited in the quarter-finals against theFrench team of his old rivalMichel Platini. After this World Cup, Falcão retired from football.
From 1990 to 1991, Falcão was the manager of theBrazil national team; he led the team to a second place finish at the1991 Copa América, behind rivals Argentina.[21] His second and longest coaching experience was withAmérica from 1991 to 1993. He also coachedInternacional in 1993. After a brief hiatus, in 1994, he was the manager of theJapan national team. In April 2011, after 16 years without managing a club, he was signed by Internacional, replacingCelso Roth.[22] He was then sacked in July, following three consecutive defeats in the Brazilian league.[23][24]
In February 2012, Falcão returned into management, signing an eleven-month deal as head coach ofBahia.[25] He only returned to coaching duties in September 2015, being appointed manager atSport.[26]
Falcão returned to Internacional in July 2016,[27] but was sacked after three losses and two draws, only one month later.[28] On 17 November 2022, he joinedSantos as a sporting coordinator.[29]
On 4 August 2023, Falcão left his role at Santos.[30]
An elegant and technically gifted player, with an eye for goal from midfield, and an ability to orchestrate his team's attacking moves, Falcão usually functioned in a holding role as adeep-lying playmaker (regista),[2][31][32][33][34] although he was capable of aiding his team defensively, as well as creatively and offensively, due to his physique, work-rate, and tenacity. He was known in particular for his flair, control, vision, passing and long-range shooting ability, as well as his tactical intelligence, organisational ability and leadership.[5][31] His role has also been likened to that of ametodista ("centre-half," in Italian football jargon), due to his ability to dictate play in midfield as well as assist his team defensively.[35]
Falcão was born inAbelardo Luz, in the Southern Brazilian state ofSanta Catarina. His father isPortuguese-Brazilian and his mother Azize has Italian origins, fromCalabria.[36] In her 1991 autobiography,La filosofia di Moana ("Moana's philosophy," in Italian),Italianadult filmactressMoana Pozzi claimed to have had an affair with Falcão.[37]
Falcão married his first wife, attorney Rosane Leal Damazio, in 1993, with whom he had a son Paulo Roberto Falcão Filho, born on July 21, 1993. Since the end of 2003, Falcão is married to the journalistCristina Ranzolin, with whom he has a daughter, the actress Antônia Ranzolin Falcão, born in the following year (2004).
He also worked for many years as afootball commentator forRede Globo and for its sports oriented branchSporTV.
On 4 August 2023, Falcão was accused ofsexual harassment by an employee of theapartment hotel he lived inSantos.[38]
| Club | Season | League | State League[a] | Cup[b] | Continental[c] | Other[d] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Internacional | 1973 | Série A | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 0 | |||
| 1974 | 21 | 2 | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | 39 | 2 | |||||
| 1975 | 19 | 1 | 24 | 7 | — | — | — | 43 | 8 | |||||
| 1976 | 15 | 5 | 26 | 4 | — | 6 | 1 | — | 47 | 10 | ||||
| 1977 | 9 | 0 | 32 | 7 | — | 7 | 0 | — | 48 | 7 | ||||
| 1978 | 27 | 5 | 34 | 7 | — | — | — | 61 | 12 | |||||
| 1979 | 20 | 6 | 45 | 11 | — | — | — | 65 | 17 | |||||
| 1980 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 9 | 2 | — | 25 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 158 | 22 | 184 | 36 | — | 22 | 3 | — | 364 | 61 | ||||
| Roma | 1980–81 | Serie A | 25 | 3 | — | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 32 | 4 | ||
| 1981–82 | 24 | 6 | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 30 | 6 | ||||
| 1982–83 | 27 | 7 | — | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | — | 39 | 10 | ||||
| 1983–84 | 27 | 5 | — | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 43 | 6 | ||||
| 1984–85 | 4 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 107 | 22 | — | 22 | 1 | 23 | 4 | — | 152 | 27 | ||||
| São Paulo | 1985[40] | Série A | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| 1986[41] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 266 | 44 | 195 | 36 | 22 | 1 | 45 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 530 | 89 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 1976 | 5 | 1 |
| 1977 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1978 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1979 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1980 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1981 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1982 | 7 | 4 | |
| 1983 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1984 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1985 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 28 | 6 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 December 1976 | Maracanã Stadium,Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Soviet Union | – | 2–0 | Friendly | [42] |
| 2 | 31 October 1979 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Paraguay | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1979 Copa América | [43] |
| 3 | 27 May 1982 | Estádio Parque do Sabiá,Uberlândia, Brazil |  Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 7–0 | Friendly | [44] |
| 4 | 18 June 1982 | Estadio Benito Villamarín,Seville, Spain |  Scotland | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup | [45] |
| 5 | 23 June 1982 | Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain |  New Zealand | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1982 FIFA World Cup | [46] |
| 6 | 5 July 1982 | Sarrià Stadium,Barcelona, Spain |  Italy | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1982 FIFA World Cup | [47] |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Brazil |  | 16 August 1990 | 20 August 1991 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 18 | +4 | 035.29 | [48] |
| Club América |  | 25 November 1991 | 26 November 1992 | 51 | 21 | 14 | 16 | 73 | 66 | +7 | 041.18 | [49] |
| Internacional | | 29 July 1993 | 10 February 1994 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 20 | −3 | 035.71 | [50] |
| Japan |  | 11 February 1994 | 31 October 1994 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 033.33 | [51] |
| Internacional | | 10 April 2011 | 18 July 2011 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 24 | +6 | 042.11 | [52] |
| Bahia | | 6 February 2012 | 20 July 2012 | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 62 | 40 | +22 | 044.44 | [53] |
| Sport Recife | | 20 September 2015 | 18 April 2016 | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 49 | 33 | +16 | 050.00 | [54] |
| Internacional | | 12 July 2016 | 8 August 2016 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 000.00 | |
| Career Total | 185 | 76 | 52 | 57 | 275 | 224 | +51 | 041.08 | — | |||
Internacional[2]
Roma[2]
São Paulo[2]
Individual
Awards | |
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
