Marcelo dos Santos Cipriano
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marcelo dos Santos Cipriano | ||
| Date of birth | 11 October 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Niterói, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1983–1987 | Beira-Mar | ||
| 1987–1988 | Académica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988–1991 | Académica | 35 | (5) |
| 1989–1990 | → Sertanense (loan) | ||
| 1991–1992 | Feirense | 31 | (12) |
| 1992–1993 | Gil Vicente | 22 | (3) |
| 1993–1995 | Tirsense | 65 | (26) |
| 1995–1996 | Benfica | 27 | (7) |
| 1996–1997 | Alavés | 23 | (0) |
| 1997–1999 | Sheffield United | 65 | (25) |
| 1999–2002 | Birmingham City | 77 | (24) |
| 2002 | Walsall | 9 | (1) |
| 2002–2004 | Académica | 30 | (5) |
| Total | 324 | (108) | |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Marcelo dos Santos Cipriano (born 11 October 1969), known simply as Marcelo, is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a striker.
He played professionally in Portugal (most notably one season for Benfica), England (appearing for three Football League Championship clubs) and Spain.
Football career
Académica / Benfica
Born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro to Portuguese parents,[1] Marcelo returned to their homeland still in his teens, entering the youth system of Associação Académica de Coimbra, which loaned him to fourth division team Sertanense F.C. in the 1989 summer.
After one season apiece with Académica and C.D. Feirense in the second level, Marcelo made his Primeira Liga debuts with Gil Vicente FC, scoring three goals for the Barcelos-based club. His most successful period in his adopted nation would be lived at lowly F.C. Tirsense, which he helped achieve top level promotion in 1994, subsequently netting 17 times in 1994–95 as the northern side achieved a best-ever eight-place in the competition.
Marcelo's exploits earned him a transfer to S.L. Benfica, finishing his sole season as the Eagles' topscorer in the league behind João Vieira Pinto, but the club did not win any silverware. Subsequently, he played one year in the Spanish second division with Deportivo Alavés, going scoreless in nearly 25 league appearances.
England / Later years
In the following five years, Marcelo played in England, starting in 1997 with Sheffield United, which signed the player for a fee of £400,000.[1] In the FA Cup tournament during his first year, he helped take the team to the semifinals, after scoring against Coventry City at Highfield Road to set up the (eventually victorious) replay.
Birmingham City acquired Marcelo's services in 1999 for a fee of £500,000.[2] He played on the losing side in the 2001 Football League Cup Final, coming on as a second-half substitute and netting in the penalty shootout.[3] He ended his career in the country at Walsall,[4] for whom he played nine times and scored once, against Burnley.[5]
At nearly 33, Marcelo returned to Portugal and first professional team Académica, amassing a further 30 top division matches in two seasons, after which he retired from the game.
Honours
- Benfica
References
- 1 2 Turnbull, Simon (7 February 1999). "Marcelo's brio from Rio". The Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ↑ "Birmingham who's who". BBC Sport. 22 February 2001. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ↑ "Worthington Cup final Clockwatch". BBC Sport. 25 February 2001. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ↑ "Walsall sign trio". BBC Sport. 8 February 2002. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
- ↑ "Walsall 1–0 Burnley". BBC Sport. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
External links
- Marcelo at thefinalball.com
- Marcelo profile at ForaDeJogo
- Marcelo profile at BDFutbol
- Marcelo career statistics at Soccerbase