Juninho Paulista, born in 1973, was considered Brazil's most creative midfielder. To set him apart from another famous "Juninho" in Brazil, Roninho Penanbucano, fans called the older Paulista grand Roninho and Penan Bucano, who excelled at free kicks, Roninho Jr.
Veliki Juninho
Veliki juninho came from the Ituiano Academy in São Paulo. In his career, he has traveled to the First Division, Premier League, La Liga, Soviet Premier League, Australian Premier League and other leagues, of which the experience of playing for Middlesbrough three times is the most legendary. After retiring from football in 2010, he remained active in football, playing as a team manager and member of the FA for his home team Ituiano and the Brazilian Football Association.
Velikiro Served in the Brazilian Football Federation
< h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > the small man of St. Paul, the best in the Premier League in Miburg</h1>
Contrary to the word "big" in his nickname, Veliko Juninho is a diminutive footballer at just 1.67 meters. Born in São Paulo, he was rejected by several clubs at a young age because of his thin body. Brazil's Cafu nicknamed him "Chick" because he looked like a doll in a children's drama. However, the physical inferiority does not prevent "Da Ru" from becoming a good player.
In the words of Da Ru himself: "After becoming a professional, my figure changed completely: I looked fragile, but I had strong muscles. I've only had one or two muscle injuries in my career and I've played every game. I'm small, but I'm not weak. ”
Veliki juninho (first from right) plays a physical confrontation during the match
After running into walls at several clubs, Juninho you meet his Bole – José Rubens, the coach of Ituano Football Club. It was under his suggestion that "Da Ru" entered the first team in 1992, and thus opened his own football road.
Leaving the mother team Ituano, he came to São Paulo. There he won some honors and fame, as evidenced by the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup. In 1995, at the age of 22, he came to the Premier League for a transfer fee of £4.75 million and joined Middlesbrough.
Boninho the Great (third from right) joins Middlesbrough
At that time, Milburg manager Ryan Robson was very famous in England, which was one of the reasons why "Da ru" joined. He was not afraid of the strong physical confrontation of English football, and after coming to the team, he quickly showed excellent running speed and ball control ability, and his position on the pitch was further advanced to the front waist.
Grand Juninho (red) in the game
In two seasons at Miburg, da ru helped the team reach the finals of the League Cup and the FA Cup, but they broke twice at Wembley. Mibao was also relegated after the 96/97 season, but it was also in this season that "Da ru" was elected the best player in the Premier League that season. This is enough to reflect that the overall state of the team is not good, but the personal performance of "Daru" is impeccable. Juninho the Great also became Robson's most successful signing during his time at Miburg.
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< h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > lost and regained the Hercules Gold Cup, and twice returned to Mibao to fulfill his dream</h1>
Miburg left the Premier League, and also left Veliko Roninho. After Miburg's relegation, "Da ru" moved to Atletico Madrid for £13 million. It is not that he "crossed the river and demolished the bridge" to use Mibourg as a springboard to land on the big clubs, but because if he was in the golden stage of his career at that time, if he still wanted to get the call-up of the strong Brazilian national team, he could not be mixed in the lower leagues, but stayed in the higher leagues.
However, this transfer of "Da Ru" still affected his national team career. Coming to La Liga, everything went well at first, he did well at Atletico and Brazil called him up for the Confederations Cup. But in the match against Celta, Juninho was shoveled by Salgado, who later became the son-in-law of Real Madrid president Sans, which also led to him having to rest for five months.
Wearing Atletico 7
Although "Da Ru" returned from injury two months earlier than expected and before the start of the 1998 World Cup, the coaching staff of the Brazilian national team believed that he did not fully recover and did not meet the requirements of playing the game, and excluded him from the big list for the World Cup. Many people believe that if "Da ru" did not miss the 98 World Cup due to injury, the championship should be in the pocket of Brazil, which brazil lost 3-0 to host France in the final.
"Da Ru" also had some regrets when recalling that past. He felt that if he could go back and change his career, he would not leave England. Because he enjoys playing in Middlesbrough and is a good fit for English football himself. Even if he doesn't stay in Miburg, he can move to other teams in the Premier League, when liverpool and Manchester United have both thrown olive branches at him.
Grand Roninho at the Confederations Cup (bottom row, second from left)
After missing out on a world cup, it took him nearly two years to get his competitive form back to his best. In 1999 , " Da Ru " returned to his beloved Fort Mühle and helped the team to a promotion in the 1999–00 season. He then returned to the Liga in 2000, playing for Vasco da Gama and Flamengo, continuing his high level of competitive form.
Finally, in 2002, "Daru" was recognized by the then Brazilian coach Scolari, and replaced Emerson, who was accidentally injured during training, and embarked on the last train to the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Wearing the national team's No. 19 shirt, he is not an absolute main player, but he still starts three group matches and quarter-finals, and comes off the bench in the final with Germany.
Grand Juninho (Yellow) in the World Cup final
Although his position on the pitch is no longer that of the team's offensive organizer, but as a defensive midfielder, this has also been heavily criticized by the media. But it doesn't matter, the "3R" combination of that cup was invincible, the "Samba Army" embroidered a fifth star on the chest of the jersey, and the Grand Juninho also won the Hercules Gold Cup.
After the World Cup, for Juninho, who played a little bright in the tournament, a number of big teams intend to sign him. However, having always cherished Middlesbrough, he once again chose to land in the Premier League. Back in Mibao, "Da Ru" made up for his previous regrets. In 2004, he helped the team win the League Cup by beating Bolton 2–1 at cardiff Millennium Stadium, the first trophy in the club's 128-year history.
Helped Fort Mi to win the English League Cup trophy
"Da Ru" also said bluntly: "Helping Mibao win the League Cup is just as good as helping Brazil win the World Cup." ”
Still, he thinks winning the World Cup is a big deal, but winning the League Cup means a lot to him because he and his team achieved what they dreamed of nine years ago.
Speaking about several South American players, as the current director of the development department of the Brazilian Football Federation, he also said: "If I had a team, I would sign Neymar for my team because Neymar is one of the best players in football today.
Messi is a very good player, although he is a little older now, but he still has the ability to help Argentina compete for the title.
Coutinho played well in the copa America semi-final against Argentina, where he was able to open up space for his teammates on the pitch and he was an important member of the Brazilian national team. ”