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Name: Cafu
Date of Brith: 07/06/1973
Country: Brazil
Club: AC Milan
Position: Defender
Number: 2
Caps: 144
Goals: 2
Brazil not only be seeking to extend their record number of FIFA World Cup™ wins to six at Germany 2006, but some of their players will also be seeking to set impressive personal records. One such player is Cafu, Brazil's legendary right-back and captain.
Guaranteed a starting spot in Carlos Alberto Parreira's side, Cafu will be aiming to secure himself a place in the record books as the only player to play in four FIFA World Cup Finals, the Brazil player with most appearances in FIFA World Cup matches, and the only captain to lift the FIFA World Cup on two occasions. Such achievements would crown a glittering career, throughout which perseverance has been Cafu's hallmark.
Marcos Evangelista de Moraes was born on 7 June 1970 while the Seleção were taking the field against England in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup in Mexico, on the way to their third title. The nickname Cafu came later when he was playing for Itaquaquecetuba's junior sides and his speed earned him comparisons with Cafuringa, the former Fluminense and Atletico Mineiro winger.
During his childhood in Jardim Irene, in Sao Paulo, Cafu was consumed by his passion for football. At the age of seven, he earned himself a place at a football academy and from there went on to play for the junior sides of Nacional AC, Portuguesa de Desportos and Itaquaquecetuba AC.
However, the young Cafu soon became acquainted with the harsh realities of football and was rejected by various big clubs, including Sao Paulo on several occasions, but he never gave up on his dream. His perseverance was eventually rewarded when he signed for none other than Sao Paulo in 1988.
He was to become an integral part of the all-conquering Tricolor side, whose successes included the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup in both 1992 and 1993. By the mid-90s, cracks were appearing in this once-great side and in 1995 Cafu signed for the Spanish club Real Zaragoza, with whom he won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup that same year. Road to Roma
His stay in Spain was short-lived, however, as he returned to Brazil for a brief spell with Juventude before signing for Palmeiras in 1996. He was soon on his travels again, joining Serie A side AS Roma in 1997. Cafu quickly became a firm favourite with the Giallorossi fans, who nicknamed him Il Pendolino (The express train) in honour of his trademark surges down the right flank. He won the Serie A title with Roma in 2001 before moving to his current club AC Milan in 2003, with whom he again lifted the Serie A title in 2004.
Having made his international debut against Spain in September 1990, Cafu was named in the Brazil squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA as back-up for Jorginho. And it was in the final against Italy that he would come to international prominence, replacing Jorginho in the first half before going on to put in a stirring performance as Brazil eventually defeated the Azzurri 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after normal and extra time had failed to break the deadlock.
This success marked the beginning of a hugely successful career for Cafu at international level as he became an automatic choice for Brazil, with whom he went on to win the CONMEBOL Copa America in 1997 and 1999 and reach the FIFA World Cup Final in 1998 in France. Shortly before the start of Korea/Japan 2002, Emerson, the Brazil skipper, was ruled out of the competition through injury and the captain's armband passed to Cafu, who thus had the honour of lifting the FIFA World Cup as Brazil claimed their fifth title with a 2-0 victory over Germany.
Throughout his glittering career, Cafu has collected many personal honours, but few can have meant as much to him as being included by Pele among the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.
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