José Ferreira Neto

Football manager infobox
playername = Neto
fullname = José Ferreira Neto
height =
nickname = "Xodó da Fiel"
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1966|9|9
cityofbirth = Santo Antônio de Posse, SP
countryofbirth = Brazil
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Playmaker, Second striker, Winger
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = (1984-1986, 1988 and 1995)
(1986)
(1987)
(1989)
(1989-1993 and 1996-1997)
1993
1994
1995
1996
1998
1998-1999
1999
clubs = Guarani
Bangu
São Paulo
Palmeiras
Corinthians
Milionários
Santos
Atlético Mineiro
Araçatuba
Osan Indaiatuba
Paulista de Jundiaí
Deportivo ItaoChacal
caps(goals) = 73 (39)
9 (0)
33 (5)
25 (7)
227 (84)
9 (5)
18 (3)
13 (0)
13 (13)
17 (14)
22 (11)
nationalyears = 1988-1993
nationalteam = Brazil
nationalcaps(goals) = 26 (7)

José Ferreira Neto (born September 9, 1966 in Santo Antônio de Posse, near Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil), most commonly known as "Neto", is a former football (soccer) player. In some cities of Brazil he is commonly considered one of the greatest free kick takers ever and one of world's best player of the early 90's, specially by fans of Corinthians. Besides his accurate foul shots, he has a great long pass and was a leader for his mates in Corinthians on the field, but wasn´t a good runner and not very good with the ball in movement. Because of that, his career quickly declined.

Biography

He began his career very early, playing for Campinas-based team Guarani. 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 this same year he was also part of the Brazilian national team that went to Seoul to play in the Olympic Games. Neto's was the corner kick who enabled the big star Romário to score Brazil's first goal against Soviet Union in the final game (however, the Soviets overcame Brazil, with a 2-1 win in the extra-time). Neto wasn´t called to the Brazilian national team again.

In 1989 he played for Palmeiras and then he was transferred to Corinthians, were he was an idol in the beginning of the nineties. With his precise game and strong and complicated 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 90 goals for Corinthians, his cycle in the club was over. Still, even today "Neto" is remembered as one of the player who most identified himself with the black-and-white club. After Corinthians he, already in decline, played in many other clubs, in Brazil (Araçatuba, Atlético Mineiro, Matsubara, Santos) and abroad (Millonarios of Colombia).

Neto's career was always plagued by weight problems and divergences with referees and club managers, because of his arrogance and bad temper. 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.

In Brazil, Neto is regarded, by fans of Corinthians, as one of the greatest free kick takers of footbal history, but the rest of brazilian football fans usually do not agree.

Neto stopped playing at the end of the nineties. He was, for a while, manager in his first club, Guarani, but he's now (2004) a controversy football (soccer) commentator in a small TV program in Brazil.

Links

* [http://placar.abril.com.br/timedossonhos/poster/cor_1024.jpgCorinthians All Time Best XI Placar Magazine]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3wVlc9wwaY]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDNx0OSyAt4]
* [http://video.globo.com/Videos/Player/Esportes/0,,GIM816861-7824-GRANDES+IDOLOS+DO+CORINTHIANS,00.html]
* [http://noticias.uol.com.br/pelenet/quemequem/show.jhtm?id=976]
* [http://espnbrasil.terra.com.br/neto]
* [http://www.neto10.com.br/ Neto's offical site (in portuguese)]