Alexsandro de Souza, commonly known as Alex (born 14 September 1977 in Curitiba), is a Brazilian footballer. He is a former captain of the Brazilian national team andFenerbahçe, he has also played for Coritiba, Palmeiras, Flamengo and Cruzeiro in Braziland Parma in Serie A. Alex first played professionally for Coritiba, a Brazilian football club from the state of Paraná, where he stayed from 1995-97, when he was sold to Palmeiras, from São Paulo. When he was playing for Palmeiras where he became a national star, in Brazil. He conquered for the Parque Antárctica club a Libertadores da América cup title, in 1999, a Rio-São Paulo cup title in 2000 and a Copa do Brasil title and a Mercosul cuptitle in 1998. He left Palmeiras and signed with Flamengo, of Rio de Janeiro in 2000. His performance for the Gávea team, however, was disappointing. He scored three times in twelve games and had his contract terminated.
In 2000, he returned to Palmeiras for a few months and then signed with Cruzeiro, where he stayed until 2002, when he returned to Palmeiras. After another great season, Alex was sold to Parma, of Italy. There he had a hard time with coach Cesare Prandelli, and eventually returned to Cruzeiro, after playing only friendly matches for the Italian team. AtCruzeiro Alex had the best performance in his career. Made team captain and wearing jersey number 10, he led his team (which also had other remarkable players, such asDeivid, Edu Dracena, Luisão, Maicon, Aristizábal, Zinho, Felipe Melo, Gomes and Cris) to winning the Brazilian triple crown (that is the State Championship, the Brasileirão and the Brazilian Cup). Cruzeiro won the Brazilian League (Brasileirão) with a record breaking 100 points, 13 ahead of the second place, Santos, with more than 100 goals scored in 46 games.
Early Years[edit source]
Alex first played professionally for Coritiba, a Brazilian football club from the state of Paraná, where he stayed from 1995-97, when he was sold to Palmeiras, from São Paulo. When he was playing for Palmeiras where he became a national star, in Brazil. He conquered for the Parque Antárctica club a Libertadores da América cup title, in 1999, a Rio-São Paulo cup title in 2000 and a Copa do Brasil title and a Mercosul cup title in 1998. He left Palmeiras and signed with Flamengo, of Rio de Janeiro in 2000. His performance for the Gáveateam, however, was disappointing. He scored three times in twelve games and had his contract terminated.
In 2000, he returned to Palmeiras for a few months and then signed with Cruzeiro, where he stayed until 2002, when he returned to Palmeiras. After another great season, Alex was sold to Parma, of Italy. There he had a hard time with coach Cesare Prandelli, and eventually returned to Cruzeiro, after playing only friendly matches for the Italian team.Made team captain and wearing jersey number 10, he led his team (which also had other remarkable players, such as Deivid, Edu Dracena, Luisão, Maicon, Aristizábal, Zinho, Felipe Melo, Gomes and Cris) to winning the Brazilian triple crown (that is the State Championship, the Brasileirão and the Brazilian Cup).Cruzeiro won the Brazilian League (Brasileirão) with a record breaking 100 points, 13 ahead of the second place, Santos, with more than 100 goals scored in 48 games.
Fenerbahçe[edit source]
Alex was then sold by Cruzeiro in 2004 for 5 million euro to Fenerbahçe.[1] He became Fenerbahçe captain after the team's captainÜmit Özat's transfer to Köln and vice-captains Tuncay Şanlı's transfer to Middlesbrough and Rüştü Reçber's transfer to rival Beşiktaş.[2]Alex scored his 100th goal in the Süper Lig for Fenerbahçe in 13 November 2010 against Gaziantepspor when they lost 2–1.[3] At 33 years of age Alex scored a hat-trick against Bucaspor in the first 35 minutes of the game. Fenerbahçe won the match 5–2.[4] His first goal in this game was Fenerbahçe's 3000th goal in the Süper Lig, so his kit and shoes used in the Bucaspor match are now shown in the club's museum.[5] On 9 February 2011, he signed another two-year contract with Fenerbahçe.[6][7]
On 15 May 2011, he scored five goals, including three penalties and a free-kick, in a 6–0 win against Ankaragücü.[8] After Fenerbahçe'sleague title for the year 2010-11, Alex won the golden boot award with 28 goals for the season, nine more than second place Burak Yılmaz.[9] He made his 900th career appearance on 12 September 2011 in the opening match of the Super Lig season, a 1–0 victory against Orduspor.[10] In the Turkish Cup final on 16 May 2012 against Bursaspor, Alex netted Fenerbahçe's fourth and final goal of a 4-0 victory and was named the game's "Man of the Match".[11]
On September 15, 2012, while Alex was still under contract with Fenerbahçe, a fan-funded statue of the player was unveiled in Kadıköy Yoğurtçu park.[12] Alex's last goal for Fenerbahçe came on 20 September in the Europa League, scoring Fenerbahçe's second goal in a 2-2 draw with Marseille.[13] Alex's last appearance for the club came on 29 September, playing the first-half of a 2-0 defeat toKasımpaşa in the Süper Lig.[14] After a rift with coach Aykut Kocaman over the team's system, his contract with Fenerbahçe was terminated on 1 October.[15][16] With Fenerbahce he has concluded his impressive career in Turkey with 136 assists and 171 goals in 341 games.
Coritiba[edit source]
After rarely featuring for Fenerbahçe throughout the early part of the 2012-13 campaign, managing just five league appearances through October, Alex joined Brazilian side Coritiba on 18 October 2012 for an undisclosed fee.[17] He made his debut for his boyhood club on 31 January 2013, playing the full ninety in a 1-0 defeat of J. Malucelli in Campeonato Paranaense play.[18] His first goal for his new club came on 9 February in a 1-1 draw with Arapongas, scoring the equalizing goal three minutes after Wellington Indio's opener in the 47th minute.[19] Alex scored the solitary goal of the game against Londrina on 3 March,[20] starting a run of nine straight matches where the player scored, netting 12 goals.[21] Included in this goal-scoring run was a brace in a 6-0 hammering of Rio Branco on 13 April.[22] Alex finished the Campeonato Paranaense campaign by scoring a brace in Coritiba's 3-1 defeat of Atlético Paranaense on 12 May, securing a 5-3 aggregate win in the final as Coritiba claimed a record 37th state title.[23]
The Milliyet Sports Awards, (Turkish: Milliyet Spor Ödülleri) are given by the Turkish daily Milliyet annually since 1954 in recognition of highest achievements in sports. The award is determined by a poll of Turkish professional footballers playing, athletes, teams, managers in Turkey and World. From 1954 until 2004, there was only one award "Turkish Athlete of the Year" or "Team of the Year".
Coritiba Foot Ball Club, commonly known as Coritiba, is a Brazilian football team from Curitiba, Paraná. It is the state's oldest football team and the best placed in the CBF and FIFA classifications. Coritiba has been champion in Paraná State 37 times, more times than both Coritiba's main rivals combined (Atlético Paranaense has 22 titles and Paraná Clube, 7). Coritiba was champion of the Brazilian Championship once and has the worldwide record of 24 consecutive victories.
Coritiba has the worldwide record of consecutive victories (24), achieved between February and May 2011. Coritiba is the first team of south of Brazil to win a national title, the 1973 Torneio do Povo. In Paraná, it is the first club to win Série A (the main title of Brazil) and compete in the two main continental competitions, the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. The second main competition of the country, the Copa do Brasil, Coritiba was a first too, he was the first club of state to reach the semifinals of the competition in 1991, 2001, 2009, and the finals in 2011 and in 2012.
Coritiba is the only club who won six consecutive times the Paraná State League: from 1971 to 1976. As of 2013, they are the currently titleholders of the competition, winning four consecutive times: 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Coritiba is the club with the most participations in this championship.
It is the first place of FPF ranking (Federação Paranaense de Futebol), in 11th place of CBF, in 83rd place of Conmebol, and 125th place of IFFHS. The club has more than 30 thousand members.
As of 2013, Coritiba has partnerships with Porto and Benfica of Portugal,Chivas Guadalajara of Mexico, Daegu of South Korea and VVV-Venlo of the Netherlands. The partnerships includes loaning and exchange of youth players. Coritiba is the first club of south Brazil supporting American football. From the partnership between Coritiba and Barigui Crocodiles, Coritiba Crocodiles was founded, five times champion of the state and two times of the south conference.
Foundation[edit]
In year of 1909, some young boys met in Clube Ginástico Teuto-Brasileiro Turnverein (Gymnastic Club German-Brazilian Turnverein), where immigrants and descendants of Germans lived in Curitiba, they met to practice sports. In one of these meetings of July, everyone's attention was on Frederico "Fritz" Essenfelder, important member of group, who appeared with a leather ball in hand. Fritz introduced the ball to his friends, explaining that it was a soccer ball, showed the main rules of this new sport, some reports state that this left everyone very excited. After that day, Fritz and his club friends, began promoting matches between themselves in the field of the Quartel da Força Pública (Public Force Headquarters).
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Sometime later, came the invitation to play against a club made up for British and employees who was working in railroad Ponta Grossa. In the night of day October 12, 1909, Fritz called to met in old Theatro Hauer (Hauer Theatre), to made some decisions for the tour. In this meeting, they decide to made the first team of state called "Teuto-Brasileiro".
The first match[edit]
On October 23, 1909, in Ponta Grossa, the first official match of Coritiba. Opponent team was called Clube de Foot Ball de Tiro Pontagrossense, made up for British and workers of American South Brazilian Enginnering Co.. The match ended 1–0 to Tiro Pontagrossense with a goal of Elias Mota.
Coritiba team of first match was made up with the own founders of club: Arthur Iwersen, Erothildes Carlberg, Leopoldo Obladen, Arthur Hauer, Alfredo Labsch, Alfredo Hauer and Walter Dietrich; Teodoro Obladen, Carlos Schleker and Roberto Juchks; Fritz Essenfelder, Johann Maschke, Waldemar Hauer, Alvin Hauer and Rudolf Kaastrup.
Club foundation[edit]
The next day of game in Ponta Grossa, excited with new sport, the young boys discussed the possibility of creating of new clube devoted exclusively to soccer practice. In players, who already exceeded 50 people, had people with a non-German, the idea was also become the new club independent of Clube Turnverein (In this Clube Turnverein not allowed the association of people not German). In December 1009, the idea began a many meetings in Theatro Hauer. After many meetings, in January 30, 1910 was founded "Coritibano Foot Ball Clube", name which the young boys was called in Ponta Grossa when club played in there.
The first meeting was made on April 21, 1910, after club request all rules of sport in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In this meeting made voting to first new Board of Directors, made up for president João Viana Seiler and his vice-president Arthur Hauer, the first and second secretary José Júlio Franco and Leopoldo Obladen respectively, the first and second treasurer Walter Dietrich and Alvim Hauer respectively, and Fritz was team captain. In this meeting, the name of club was change to "Coritiba", the old name of Paraná capital, because in the city have a social club called "Coritibano". With foundation of Coritiba Foot Ball Club, open the soccer cycle in Paraná state.
1910s and 1920s[edit]
Began the search of a field. The chosen place was Hipódromo do Guabirotuba (hippodrome of Guabirotuba), ex-Jockey Clube do Paraná (until 1955) and current Puc-PR, in place beyond has a bleachers needed to accommodate fans, has a center racetrack (one big area not used). After the place was adapted to accommodate football matches, the new stadium was called "Prado de Guabirotuba", and in this place Coritiba played till 1917. The inauguration was in June 12, 1910, against Ponta Grossa Foot Ball Club (the new name of Clube de Foot Ball de Tiro Pontagrossense). Coritiba won the match by 5–3. This is the first match of soccer in Curitiba, assisted by just over 200 people.
In 1915, was dispute for the first time Campeonato da Cidade (City Championship) and Campeonato Paranaense, with Coritiba participating in two competition. In the next year, Coritiba was sacred champion of both competitions. In July 2, 1916, Coritiba thrashed of 7–0 against Spartano in Campeonato Paranaense, began a first great thrashed of club in officials matches. The highlights of club in year was José Bermudes, better known as Maxambomba, he was first soccer player from a team of Paraná to be summoned to the national team. In 1917, Coritiba won Torneio Afonso Camargo (Afonso Camargo Championship) and in this year Coritiba began to play in Parque da Graciosa (Graciosa's Park), in Juvevê, where is built new stadium which stay till 1932.
In 1920, Coritiba won Torneio Início. In the next year, Coritiba won Torneio Início again, and won Torneio da Cruz Vermelha and Torneio de Tiradentes too. In the same year, on August 15, Coritiba won 1X0 against Seleção Paulista (Paulista Team), which was the basis of the Brazilian national team, for the first time puts football in Paraná evidence nationwide. The forward Maxambomba and the midfielderGonçalo Pena are summoned to the Brazilian national team to play 1921 South American Championship, current Copa América. In 1924, dispute the first official match against that has became his most rival in state, Clube Atlético Paranaense. The match, disputed on June 8, Coritiba thrashed 6–3 in Atlético, with four goals of Ninho. In day August 15, 1926, Coritiba won Seleção Gaúcha (the match result was 3–1). The Seleção Gaúcha had their uniforms stolen and this team had to play with uniform of Atlético-PR. This soccer match generated Dia do Atleta Coritibano (Day of Coritibano athlete). In the same year, in November 7, Coritiba applies the biggest thrashed in history of Campeonato Paranaense, 13–x1 against Paraná Sports, with five goals of Staco. In 1927, already Antônio Couto Pereira as president, Coritiba won Campeonato Paranaense in campaign of eight wins in nine soccer matches, and with Staco making seven goals in victory of 9–0 against Savoia. In the same year, won Campeonato da Cidade and Taça Fox too, in this year the rivalry between Coritiba and Atlético-PR.
