Brazilian footballer and commentator
José Ferreira Neto (born 9 September 1966), commonly known as Craque Neto or simply Neto, is a 🛡 Brazilian former professional footballer and current sports broadcaster.
After retiring from the game he has been active in the media.
He's been 🛡 working for Bandeirantes since 1999, and currently presents Os Donos da Bola.
An attacking midfielder, he played 470 games and scored 🛡 184 goals in his entire career.
Biography [ edit ]
Neto was born in Santo Antônio de Posse, a small town near 🛡 Campinas, in the State of São Paulo.
Club career [ edit ]
Neto began his football career very early in life, playing 🛡 for Campinas-based team Guarani at youth level, before being promoted to the senior side.
In the mid-1980s he also played for 🛡 Bangu (in Rio de Janeiro) and São Paulo, before returning to Guarani once again.
In 1988, he brought more attention upon 🛡 himself by scoring a goal from a bicycle-kick in the São Paulo State Championship finals against Corinthians.
In 1989 Neto played 🛡 for Palmeiras and was subsequently transferred to Corinthians, where he remained for a good part of his career, wearing club's 🛡 the number 10 shirt, and becoming an idol with the club's fans in the beginning of the nineties.
With his precise 🛡 passing game and strong personality, he was the key player during the 1990 National Championship in Brazil, when Corinthians won 🛡 the finals against São Paulo.
After almost five years and 114 goals for Corinthians, his time with the club came to 🛡 a close.
However, even today Neto is remembered as one of the most iconic players in the club's history.
After his spell 🛡 with Corinthians, he played for many other clubs, in Brazil (Araçatuba, Atlético Mineiro, Matsubara, Santos) and abroad (Millonarios of Colombia).
He 🛡 is one of the few players to have played for all four major teams in the state of São Paulo.
Neto's 🛡 career was always plagued by weight problems and disagreements with referees and club managers, due to his strong character.
His most 🛡 famous episode was when he spat in referee José Aparecido de Oliveira's face, earning himself a 4-month suspension from the 🛡 games.
Neto says this is the only regrettable thing he did in his career.[1]
Neto retired from professional football at the end 🛡 of the nineties.
International career [ edit ]
Neto was a member of the Brazilian under-23 team that won a bronze medal 🛡 at the 1983 Pan American Games.
Following his performances in the São Paulo State Championship throughout the season, in 1988, Neto 🛡 was named to the Brazil national team that went to Seoul to play in the Summer Olympic Games.
In the final 🛡 against the Soviet Union, Neto helped set up Romário's opening goal of the match from a corner-kick, however, the Soviets 🛡 came from behind to defeat Brazil 2–1 in extra-time to capture the gold medal.
Neto was later also included in the 🛡 Brazilian squad that finished second in the 1991 Copa América in Chile; under manager Falcão, he was named the team's 🛡 captain, and wore the number 10 shirt throughout the tournament.
He scored his only goal of the competition from a penalty 🛡 in a 2–1 win over Bolivia on 9 July, in the first round group stage.
[2][3] In total, he made 26 🛡 appearances for Brazil at international level between 1988 and 1993, scoring 7 goals; 9 of his appearances came with the 🛡 Olympic youth side, and 16 with the senior team, including one appearance and one goal in an unofficial friendly.
Style of 🛡 play [ edit ]
A set-piece specialist, in Brazil Neto is commonly considered to be one of the greatest free kick 🛡 takers ever,[4][5] and one of the best Brazilian players of the early 1990s.
[5] A versatile midfielder, he was capable of 🛡 playing in several offensive midfield positions, but was usually deployed as an attacking midfielder behind the forwards, due to his 🛡 technique, range of passing, and excellent playmaking skills; he was also occasionally used as a second striker or as a 🛡 winger.
In addition to being known for his accuracy from dead ball situations, he was also noted for his precise long 🛡 passing, and his ability to act as a leader for his teammates on the field.
After the conclusion of his footballing 🛡 career, Neto briefly served as the manager of Guarani.
He later became a commentator and sports pundit for TV Bandeirantes.
Neto's simple 🛡 way of speaking, and his blunt, "ogre-like" behavior have made him a famous broadcaster in Brazil.
[6] Working alongside names such 🛡 as José Luiz Datena and Milton Neves, Neto has, however, clashed against fellow sports journalists such as Tiago Leifert and 🛡 various footballers.[7]
Personal life [ edit ]
The son of a former military policeman, Neto is a father of two children.
After his 🛡 retirement from professional football, Neto underwent a gastric bypass surgery to help with his excess weight.
The surgery was a success, 🛡 and the footballer, who was once plagued by weight problems, has since ran in marathons.[8]
