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World Cup History: Marcos Cafu
In the build-up to Germany ’06, Dave Taylor looks at players with Italian connections who’ve lifted or come close to the ultimate prize. Here we focus on Brazil's 2002 captain Marcos Cafu |
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Express train
Brazil have been the powerhouse of international football for almost half a century, ever since their first World Cup triumph in 1958. Every successful tournament since has thrown up a star striker like Pele, Garrincha, Romario or Ronaldo. However, all these beautiful, attacking players knew they wouldn’t be on such high pedestals unless the glue at the back was solid.
What these silky South Americans needed was steel in defence and successive Brazilian Coaches have relied on Brazil’s ‘Italians’ to find this sort of mettle. In the first of a trio of successive Final appearances, the 1994 win over Italy saw no less than four out of the five Brazilian defensive unit with Serie A connections. In goal was Reggiana’s Claudio Taffarel, one of Brazil’s best ever goalkeepers. In front of him was Genoa left-back Branco and Roma duo of Aldair and Marcos Cafu. The squad also contained Inter’s Ze Maria, Milan’s Leonardo and Fiorentina’s Carlos Dunga in midfield.
Ever since that first World Cup appearance in 1994, Cafu has been a fixture of the Seleçao and in tandem with Branco, then Roberto Carlos, has brought in an attacking concept rarely seen on the international stage before. Although used mainly a sub at USA ‘94, Cafu came on in the Final for the injured Jorginho and helped slow down Roberto Baggio & Co. to help Brazil lift their fourth World Cup.
Cafu returned again in 1998 alongside Aldair and Taffarel with future Inter defender Roberto Carlos alongside them. It was another squad with a heavy Serie A influence. Inter striker Ronaldo led the line with Fiorentina’s Edmundo as back-up. Cafu played all seven matches as Brazil finished runners-up to the host country, showing the rest of the world what an accomplished player he had become since USA 94, with his boundless strength, darting runs and powerful overlapping on the wing.
By the time 2002 came around Cafu was the only one still standing from the 1994 success – although Ronaldo was a squad member he hadn’t played. Milan defender Roque Junior and ‘keeper Nelson Dida were now in the squad while Kaka and Rivaldo did enough in the tournament to alert the eyes of the Rossoneri. Roma midfielder Emerson was set to captain the side until he broke an arm playing in goal during a training session. It was Cafu who benefited from Emerson’s misfortune. ‘Il Pendolino’ was handed the captain’s armband and proudly went on to raise the Coppa Mondiale in his third appearance in the showpiece Final.
After starting his career with hometown club Sao Paulo in 1988, where he helped them win the Libertadores Cup in 1992 and 1993, he moved to Spain’s Real Zaragoza in 1995 – winning the European Cup-Winners Cup in his first season. He headed to Italy with Roma, via Brazilian side Palmeiras, for the 1997-98 season, helping them to capture their first Scudetto for almost two decades in 2001.
By 2003 he was set to wind down his career with a move to Japan’s J-League but a last-ditch bid by Milan convinced him to stay on the peninsula and he immediately helped them win the League. With his career in Italy now drawing to a close, there are constant rumours of a return to his first club Sao Paulo. What better way would there be for ‘The Express Train’ to depart than by ending his final season in Italy with a fourth World Cup Final appearance and a third winners medal.
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