Paulo Roberto Falcão

Paulo Roberto Falcão ( born October 16, 1953 in Abelardo Luz, State of Santa Catarina ) is a retired Brazilian footballer. In the 1970s and 1980s played the playmaker for SC Internacional and AS Roma. With the Brazilian national team, he participated in two World Cups, but failed to win the title. In 2004 he was nominated by Pelé for the list of the best 125 living footballers still (FIFA 100). He now works as a commentator.

Club career

The son of Italian immigrants from the region of Calabria advanced with 19 years in the professional squad of SC Internacional of Porto Alegre. The technically studded midfielder has established itself in the team, which was one of the strongest in the country after a year. With the "Reds", he won five times the championship of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and even three times the national championship. In 1980, she reached the final of the Copa Libertadores, where, however, Nacional Montevideo subject. Falcão itself had developed into a playmaker in a class and was considered one of the most promising players in the country, which is why he has twice won the "Footballer of the Year" (1978 and 1979).

Thus, the ball virtuoso attracted the attention of wealthy European clubs up. In the summer of 1980, Falcao was sold for the equivalent of almost two million DM to the Italian first division club AS Roma. After, for Brazilians often typical " acclimatization year," he also made his way to Rome and led superbly directed in midfield. He Agostino Di Bartolomei harmonize with midfielder and striker Roberto Pruzzo, he supplied them with maßgerechten templates. After a Cup victory (1981 ) he secured with the Roma 1982/83 Championship ( Scudetto ), the first in 41 years. The fans Falcao awarded the title of " Roller King of Rome " and the whole city was the team 's feet. He was with a weekly salary of 30,000 DM of times the best paid footballer in the world. When the " Giallorossi " 1984 were in the final of the European Champions' Cup, had to be measured in a penalty shoot-out with Liverpool. Falcão had suffered an Blessur in the game and refused his penalty kick, for which he was severely criticized and the trophy was awarded to Liverpool. Then, his star began to fall in the " Giallorossi ". Falcao made ​​more headlines off the field than by its performance. A complicated knee injury prevented him stopped at the beginning of the 1984 / 85th Even through his relationship with the actress Ursula Andress he was often in the spotlight. As the playmaker traveled without the consent of his club to New York to undergo surgery on injured knee, Rome broke up his contract. After five years in the " Eternal City ", he returned to Brazil.

Falcao signed at FC São Paulo a two-year contract and could play again until 1986. But his top form he no longer reached and remained without use, as Sao Paulo in 1985 won the state championship.

National

His first cap for the Seleção, he played on January 12, 1976 against the Soviet Union. As the reigning "Footballer of the Year" hoped Falcão two years later on a nomination for the World Cup squad in Argentina, but coach Cláudio Coutinho sat Roberto Rivelino and Zico in midfield, which is why he does not nominated Falcão. It was only after his release, he returned to the squad and finished at the Copa América in 1979 to third place.

In 1982, Falcão participated in his first World Championship. Brazil was the clear tournament favorite and coach Telê Santana relied on his outstanding midfield consisting of Zico, Sócrates, Toninho Cerezo and Falcão just ( "Dream Team"). The team started well in the tournament and became sovereign group winners. Falcao was one of the strongest players and he met each against Scotland ( 4-1) and New Zealand ( 4-0). In the second round the led by Diego Maradona Argentina was beaten sovereign. Against a far durchschnitllich -onset Italy thus a draw would have been enough to make it to the semi-finals can. Falcão, who knew the Italian football from Serie A perfectly struck the coaching staff and his teammates prior to playing defensive, but was overruled. Italy won 3-2 ( Falcão had the interim 2:2 achieved ) and Brazil was eliminated it. Falcao was elected to the World Cup All- Star team and finished second in the poll for best player of the tournament ( Silver Ball).

After the World Cup four years Falcão was not nominated for the national team and only returned for the 1986 World Cup in the squad, where he participated in his second World Championship. At the finals in Mexico, he had to fight the effects of his injury and only saw two brief appearances as a substitute. His last international game he played in the group stage on 6 June 1986 against Algeria ( 1-0 ); after re early retirement ( in the quarter- final against France ), he ended his career in the national team.

Achievements

Clubs:

• Brazilian Football Champions: 1975, 1976, 1979
• State championship of Rio Grande do Sul: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979
• State Championship of São Paulo: 1985
• Italian Champion: 1982/83
• Italian Cup Winners: 1980/81, 1983/84

Individual:

• Bola de Ouro ( choice of Brazil Team of the Year ): 1978, 1979
• Silver Ball as the second best player of the 1982 World Cup
• FIFA 100

After the active career

Falcao became a coach and took over after the 1990 World Cup, the Brazilian national team, had to evacuate the post after only one year. As a rookie, the Selecao had proved too great as a number. He then worked as a club coach in Mexico (CF América ), and for his former club SC Internacional.

After a brief stint as a Japanese national coach, he retired from the business of football and joined the media industry. He is currently working as a columnist and critic for football Rede Globo.

However, in April 2011, he went back into the football business days. On April 10, 2011 announced his old club SC Internacional that Falcao was bound to succeed interim coach Andre Doring with the aim of defending the Copa Libertadores, but in August 2011, he was replaced by his compatriot Doriva.

Trivia

The soccer-loving father of Colombian striker Radamel Falcao García Zárate gave his son the middle name of Paulo Roberto Falcao Falcao.