Zico (footballer)

For the other footballer, see Zico (footballer, born 1966).

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Antunes and the second or paternal family name is Coimbra.
Zico
Zico managing Iraq in 2012
Personal information
Full name Arthur Antunes Coimbra
Date of birth (1953-03-03) 3 March 1953 (age 71)
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Kashima Antlers (technical adviser)
Youth career
1967–1971 Flamengo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1971–1983 Flamengo 212 (123)
1983–1985 Udinese 39 (22)
1985–1989 Flamengo 37 (12)
1991–1994 Kashima Antlers 45 (35)
Total 333 (192)
International career
1976–1986 Brazil 71 (48)
Managerial career
1999 Kashima Antlers
2000–2002 CFZ
2002–2006 Japan
2006–2008 Fenerbahçe
2008 Bunyodkor
2009 CSKA Moscow
2009–2010 Olympiacos
2011–2012 Iraq
2013–2014 Al-Gharafa
2014–2016 FC Goa
2018–2022 Kashima Antlers (technical director)
2022– Kashima Antlers (technical adviser)
Medal record
Men's Football
Representing  Brazil
FIFA World Cup
Third place 1978 Argentina
Copa América
Third place 1979 South America
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arthur Antunes Coimbra (Portuguese pronunciation: [aʁˈtuʁ ɐ̃ˈtũnis koˈĩbɾɐ], born 3 March 1953), better known as Zico ([ˈziku]), is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. Often called the "White Pelé",[2] he was a creative playmaker, with excellent technical skills, vision and an eye for goal, who is considered one of the most clinical finishers and best passers ever, as well as one of the greatest players of all time.[3][4][5][6] Arguably the world's best player of the late 1970s and early 80s, he is regarded as one of the best playmakers and free kick specialists in history, able to bend the ball in all directions.[7] By one estimate, Zico is the player that scored the most goals from direct free kicks, with 101 goals.[8]

In 1999, Zico came seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century grand jury vote, and in 2004 was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[9][10] As stated by Pelé himself, considered one of the greatest players of all time, "throughout the years, the one player that came closest to me was Zico".[11] He was chosen as the 1981[12] and 1983 Player of the Year.

With 48 goals in 71 official appearances for Brazil, Zico is the fifth highest goalscorer for his national team.[13] He represented Brazil in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. They did not win any of those tournaments, even though the 1982 squad is considered one of the greatest Brazilian national squads ever.[14] He is widely regarded as the greatest Brazilian never to win the World Cup.

Zico has coached the Japan national team, appearing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and winning the 2004 Asian Cup, and Fenerbahçe, who were a quarter-finalist in 2007–08 in the Champions League under his command. He has also coached CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos,[15] and the Iraq national team.[16] He works as technical director at Kashima Antlers.

  1. ^ "Biography for Zico". IMDb.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference World class but denied was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Player was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ John Brewin (23 April 2002). "World Cup 1982 (Spain) Renowned for his technique, tricks, dribbling, overhead kicks, no-look passes and free kicks, Zico is considered to be one of the best players of his generation". ESPN Soccernet. Archived from the original on 18 June 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2006.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Platini or Zico? was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Dalla A alla Zico, i grandi numeri 10 del calcio internazionale" (in Italian). Sport.Sky.it. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Kings of the free-kick". FIFA. Retrieved 22 August 2014
  8. ^ goal.com/ Messi é o melhor cobrador de faltas da história do futebol? (in Portuguese)
  9. ^ "FIFA Player of the Century" (PDF). touri.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  10. ^ "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  11. ^ "OSWALDO TINHORÃO". Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  12. ^ "ABC (Madrid) - 19/12/1981, p. 65 - ABC.es Hemeroteca". Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  13. ^ Ricardo Pontes. "Arthur Antunes Coimbra "Zico" – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  14. ^ Daniel Pearl (3 April 2006). "No flair please, he's Brazilian". London: BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2006.
  15. ^ "Olympiacos sack Zico after four months in charge". ESPN. 19 January 2010. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  16. ^ "Zico resigns as Iraq national team coach – Turkish News". 28 November 2012.