Eduardo César Gaspar

Football player infobox
playername = Edu


fullname = Eduardo César Daude Gaspar
nickname =
height = height|m=1.89
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|5|15
cityofbirth = São Paulo
countryofbirth = Brazil
currentclub = Valencia
clubnumber = 22
position = Central Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1998-2001
2001-2005
2005-
clubs = Corinthians
Arsenal
Valencia
caps(goals) = 26 (0)
110 (11)
29 (0)
nationalyears = 2004-2005
nationalteam = Brazil
nationalcaps(goals) = 16 (0)
pcupdate = 10/7/2007

Eduardo César Daude Gaspar (born May 15, 1978 in São Paulo, Brazil), known by the nickname Edu, is a Brazilian football player who currently plays for Valencia.

Club career

Early Years

Edu started his career in the Campeonato Brasileiro with one of the nation's most storied teams, Corinthians. While at Corinthians, Edu won the 1998 and 1999 Brasileiro championships, and the 2000 World Club Championship.

Arsenal

After initially planning to join Arsenal in 2000, his transfer was put on hold after it was realized that he was in possession of a fake Portuguese passport. Months later, after qualifying for an EU passport (aided by Italian lineage on his father's side), he signed for Arsenal on January 16 2001 for 6 million pounds. He had a turbulent time early on as his sister was killed in a car accident.

His Arsenal debut in 2001, a goalless draw tarnished by an injury after 15 minutes against Leicester City was an unfortunate start, and he only managed to play in four more matches for the club during that season.

Many people believe that he was unlucky, a year later, in not being selected to play in the 2002 FIFA World Cup for Brazil, but during the overlapping 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, he aided Arsenal to great heights.

Seen as his finest season so far in football, his 2003-04 season in midfield for Arsenal was capped by one of five goals against Italian Serie A side Inter Milan in a 5-1 Arsenal victory.

Edu then put forward plans to play for England in the World Cup (as he had gained British citizenship) were Brazil not willing to accept his placement. This was cancelled by April as he was handed a match against Chile and subsequently named to play in the Copa América in 2004.

He made his hundredth appearance for Arsenal during the 2003-04 season and, having once looked like a permanent member of the club, it became increasingly clear he would leave no later than the end of the 2004-05 season, when his contract ran out.

Edu enjoyed mixed fortunes in the 2004-05 season. He missed the start of the season because he was away with Brazil at the Copa América. This was followed by speculation over his future at the club as he was in the last year of his contract with Arsenal. Talks with Valencia of Spain in January 2005 failed as the Mestalla outfit were not able to pay the fee Arsenal demanded.

Valencia

In May 2005 it was confirmed that he would leave Arsenal in the summer on a Bosman ruling free transfer. Valencia, Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona were hot favourites to secure the signature of Edu, and on 30 May, Valencia announced it had signed him to a five-year deal. Before he left Arsenal, he scored a penalty in Arsenal's 7-0 win over Everton. Shortly after signing, Edu suffered a pre-season injury that ruled him out of first-team action until April 4 2006, when he made his debut in the 5-3 victory over Cadiz.

National team

After thinking about trying to play for the English national team after he gained a British passport as he didn't think he would be picked for Brazil, he finally got a call-up in 2004 and debuted against Brazil. He also played for them in the 2004 Copa América. As of 2008, he has 16 appearances for them.

Personal life

He lives with wife Paula and their two young children, son Luigi and daughter Eduarda.

External links

* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=7656 Player stats at www.lfp.es]
*soccerbase|id=20952|name=Edu
* [http://www.edugaspar.com.br Official Website]