“Il Pendolino”, from the favele to the legends charity game via “UNESCO” as it turned its rejections into triumphs

Withdrawn from his career in 2008, Marcos Evangelista de Morais – in the whole name – is the only footballer in the world to participate in three consecutive World Championships (1994, 1998, 2002), winning the first and last.

Classic and yet a right defender of the future, an image of calm and elegance, smiling at the world every after they rose and settled its leggings, Cafu became the most selected player of Brazil (142). At the club level, he left his mark on AS Roma and AC Milan, after, in adolescence, he was rejected by Corinthians, Palmeiras and Santos and Portuguese at the selection tests, telling him to be “too small”. Finally, São Paulo Fc gave him a chance, and the rest is history.

• On September 15, 22:00, GSP.ro will transmit exclusively in Romania the duel of some of the largest footballers of all time: Legends Charity Game aims to gather donations of over one million euros for the victims of conflicts held worldwide;

• Three reporters of the newspaper, Daniel Grigore, Ionuț Iordache and George Nistor will provide from Lisbon images, real -time information, reports and interviews;

Cafu, born during the world for big football

Asked a few years ago why he chose football, Cafu offered an answer that says more than it seems: “I was born in 1970.”. A simple explanation but concentrating the entire essence of his destiny.

For a European, the statement may seem enigmatic. In Brazil, however, he has a huge load. 1970 is the year of the World Cup in Mexico, when Pele and Jairzinho enchanted the planet with a football that remained in history as the pure expression of playing.

Many chroniclers consider, and now, that selected as the best team of all time.

“I was born during the World Cup. I realized very quickly that I really like it: to play football”the story of Cafu for CNN. And football it was adopted on the spot. The right-handed defender nicknamed “Il Pendolino” (high-speed train) by Rome's supporters built his career on endless energy, hardness and an ever-combative attitude, turning his speed and strength into unbeatable qualities.

Disciplined, but also dominated by the rhythm of a drum in the faves that beats continuously, the Brazilian won 21 trophies at the clubs he enriched, chronologically, with his presence in his native country, Spain and Italy.

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United Manager manager, has found the most inspired metaphor to characterize Cafu: “The two -hearted player.” One pump for the unusual physical resistance, the other for passion.

The South American seen by many as a personification of peace in the world had pure energy, was the only one who did not rush into chaos and was clear when the others sank into agonizing experiences.

I have been rejected many times at the beginning of my career. I have heard the word “no” so many times that I had started to believe that I would never become a professional footballer, let alone play for the national team.
– Cafu

“Regina, I am!”

The final of the 2002 World Cup, played at Yokohama, entered history not only for Brazil's victory in front of Germany, but also for Cafu's unmistakable image raising the trophy above the head.

For the first time, the right-handed defender was captain of Selecao, in a match of such magnitude, thus inheriting the responsibility to lead the legendary national to the fifth world title.

Cafu wore the banner with an overflowing nature that always characterized it. Not a theatrical leader, but rather a discreet piston of Luiz Felipe School team, on that June evening, Cafu became the symbol of a reborn generation from the suffering of 1998.

After the final whistle of the last act, decided by Ronaldo's double, the defender climbed the podium steps, received the cup and, before lifting it, spoke four words that would remain in history: “Queen, I am!”.

Cafu lifting the World Cup in 2002. Photo: Imago

It was a declaration of love for his wife, a deep human gesture, showing that at the top of the world glory, Cafu remained connected to his own inner and sentimental anchors.

The sequence has become one of the most powerful in the history of the World Cup: a player born in Favela Jardim Irene, raised in a perpetual negation coming from the outside, has become the leader of a team considered by many to be the most spectacular in the modern era. The child of the street had reached the absolute.

44 goalsscored Cafu for the club teams he activated

5 goalsscored for Brazil's national team

• He took his alias after Cafuringa, a footballer who never knew Cafu's glory.

• During the time spent in Rome, Cafu had a controversy, along with other footballers – the Brazilians Dida and Fabio Junior and the Argentine Gustavo Bartelt. They were all accused of using false passports to circumvent the rules on the number of non-European players who could be part of the Italian clubs.

• The Queen, Cafu's wife, was accused of forging a series of acts before requesting Italian citizenship, invoking the fact that she has before the European country. Therefore, Cafu also acquired citizenship, following marriage.

• On June 12, 2006, less than 24 hours before Brazil began his journey to the World Cup against Croatia, the prosecutor's prosecutor's office, asked for arrest Cafu, his wife and agent, but even the next three were paid by all the charges.

• In 2022, however, after 35 years of marriage in which they lived together the most beautiful and ugly things in the world, the two announced that their marriage ended, in full agreement and mutual respect, continuing to affect them as members of the same family.

• Cafu's financial problems began in 2019. His businessman was bankrupt and, by 2023, the former right defender was forced to sell more properties, including the luxurious family of Sao Paulo.

Sombrero that incited rivalry

In the history of Derby della Capitale, the duels between AS Roma and Lazio produced countless memorable images, but few remained as vivid as the sombrero with which Cafu humiliated Pavel Nedved. It was the end of the 1990s, the period when the two tenses were fighting shoulder for the supremacy in series A.

In such a tense context, each technical gesture weighed more than just a dribbling. Became a psychological weapon.

Cafu, already nicknamed “Il Pendolino” for his unstoppable races on the right lane, chose to respond to Nedved's pressing with the most Brazilian gesture: a sombrero before-back-before, raising the ball over the opponent and continuing the action as if nothing had happened.

The Romanian public exploded, and the phase instantly entered the culture of the derby as an act of art, but also of kneeling the rival.

I am reminded of that sombrero wherever I go. There was nothing ready, everything came out naturally. I have reviewed the phase many times, it happened against Lazio's best player at that time. Nedved was fantastic, but without help at that time.
– Cafu, former defender as Roma

In the 1994-1995 season, the Brazilian caught his first transfer abroad, at Real Zaragoza. After the adventure in Spain, he returned to his native realms – first in Juventude, then to Palmeiras.

• Cafu has evolved over time for Sao Paulo (1989-1995), Real Zaragoza (1995-1995), Palmeiras (1996-1997), AS Roma (1997-2003) and AC Milan (2003-2008).

• He is the winner of the Brazil Championship-series A (1991), Copia Libertadores (1992, 1993), Intercontinental Cup (1992, 1993), Sudamerican Recopa (1993, 1994), Cup of UEFA (1994-95), Paulist championship (1996), series of AS Roma (2000-01), Supercoppa Italiana (2001), A series with AC Milan (2003-04), Italian Supercoppa (2004), Super Cupa (2003, 2007), UEFA Champions League (2006-07), World Club Championship (2007).

• With the national team of Brazil won the FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002), he was a finalist at the World Cup (1998), raised the Trophy AMERICA (1997, 1999), the FIFA Confederation Cup (1997) and was medalized with bronze at the Olympic Games (1996).

• He received the distinctions of the South American player of 1994, FIFA 100 (2004), FIFPRO World XI (2005), Ballon d'O or Dream Team (2020).

Cafu won the Champions League with AC Milan in 2007 after a final with Liverpool, 2-1. Photo: Imago

I had a great time in Rome, but Milan made me feel young again. When I signed for Milan, I felt so excited and excited as if I was in front of my first contract. Rome was my home immediately after I left Brazil. For Rome I played for the first time in the Champions League, so Rome will always have a special place in my heart.
– Cafu

Team composition at Legends Charity Game

The legends of Portugal: Vitor Baia, Beto, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Fabio Coentrao, Bosingwa, Jorge Andrade, Eliseu, Bruno Alves, Luis Figo, Deco, Dani, Simao, Maniche, Tiago Mendes, Nani, Quaresma, Nuno Gomes, Helder Postiga, Paulet;
Coach: Costinha;

The legends of the world: Petr Cech, Edwin van der Sar, Cafu, Marco Materazzi, Javier Zanetti, Carles Puyol, John Terry, Roberto Carlos, Kaka, Youri Djorkaeff, Christian Karembeu, Gaizka Mendieta, Krassimir Balakov, Gheorghe Hagi, Giorgos Karagounis, Alesandro deli Piero, Henrik Larsson, Michael Owen, Javier Saviola, Hristo Stoichkov, Rene Higuita;
Coach: Peter Schmeichel;
Second coach: Diego Lugano;