Júlio César (footballer, born November 1978)

Júlio César
César with Olympiacos in 2008
Personal information
Full name Júlio César Santos Correa
Date of birth (1978-11-18) 18 November 1978 (age 45)
Place of birth São Luís, Brazil
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1995 Club América
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Marathón 17 (0)
1996–1999 Valladolid 60 (4)
1999–2002 Real Madrid 21 (0)
2000 → Milan (loan) 4 (0)
2000–2001 → Real Sociedad (loan) 16 (1)
2001–2002 → Benfica (loan) 20 (3)
2002–2003 Austria Wien 9 (1)
2003–2004 Valladolid 28 (1)
2004–2005 Bolton Wanderers 5 (0)
2005–2006 Tigres 33 (6)
2006–2008 Olympiacos 45 (9)
2008 Dinamo București 10 (0)
2009–2010 Gaziantepspor 29 (1)
2010 Marítimo 0 (0)
2011–2012 Sporting Kansas City 58 (3)
2013 Toronto FC 0 (0)
2014 Parrillas One 7 (0)
Total 362 (28)
Managerial career
2019 Cristo Atlético
2019 Olimpik Donetsk
2023 Real Apodaca (Interim)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Júlio César Santos Correa (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʒulju ˈsɛzɐʁ]; born 18 November 1978), known as Júlio César, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played mainly as a central defender, and a manager.

During a professional career that spanned two decades, he played for 16 clubs in 12 countries, but never in Brazil. In the Spanish La Liga, he amassed totals of 125 matches and six goals over six seasons, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2000.

Playing career

Early years

Júlio César was born São Luís, Maranhão. He played youth football in Mexico with Club América, and made his professional debut in Honduras with C.D. Marathón.[1][2]

Aged 17, Júlio César signed with Spanish side Real Valladolid. He immediately began playing regularly (25 La Liga matches in his first season, helping his team finish seventh and qualify for the UEFA Cup),[3] and attracting interest from bigger clubs.

Real Madrid

Júlio César was bought by Real Madrid in the summer of 1999, appearing regularly in his first year for a team which also included established stoppers Iván Helguera, Fernando Hierro and Aitor Karanka, as well as Iván Campo.[4][5][6] He helped them to win the season's UEFA Champions League, although he did not make the list of 18 for the final itself.[7]

After being loaned to A.C. Milan in October 2000,[8] Júlio César quickly left the Italians unsettled, and he returned to Spain with Real Sociedad also on loan. The following off-season, he joined S.L. Benfica on yet another loan.[9]

Bolton

After a one-year spell with FK Austria Wien, Júlio César returned to Valladolid in 2003, again being a starter but seeing the Castile and León side be relegated to Segunda División. He then moved to England's Premier League, signing with Bolton Wanderers.

Júlio César's debut came on 14 August 2004 in a 4–1 home victory over Charlton Athletic.[10] However, after the next game, a 2–0 away defeat to Fulham,[11] he found himself dropped from the starting line-up in favour of Tunisian international Radhi Jaïdi; he also sustained a broken foot against Manchester United at Old Trafford, on Boxing Day, which was his last appearance of the season.[12]

Júlio César's transfer was one of those about which the Stevens enquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns, because of the apparent conflict of interest between agent Craig Allardyce, his father Sam Allardyce – the Trotters' manager – and the club itself.[13]

Professional journeyman

Júlio César joined Tigres UANL in 2005, and quickly became a key in the Mexican team's defense in both the Liga MX and the Copa Libertadores. He scored in the match dubbed "Aztecazo", a 4–1 turn-around win against Club América after a 3–1 home loss for the 2005 Apertura.[14]

In July 2006, Júlio César moved to Olympiacos F.C. on a three-year contract.[15] He scored five times from 27 appearances in his first year, being essential to the conquest of the Superleague Greece championship. On 31 October 2006, he scored in a 1–1 away draw against A.S. Roma for Champions League group stage,[16] but his team eventually ranked last.

In the following years, Júlio César represented FC Dinamo București (Romania) and Gaziantepspor (Turkey). Before agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal with the latter, he spoke with compatriot and former Real Madrid teammate Roberto Carlos, then at Fenerbahçe SK, asking him for information about the Süper Lig.[17]

Sporting Kansas City

On 14 March 2011, after only a few weeks in Portugal with C.S. Marítimo,[18] 32-year-old Júlio César signed for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City.[19] The terms of the contract were unknown, but general manager Peter Vermes stated that the seasoned veteran would be "a very nice addition to the back line this season".[20]

César was released by Kansas City on 19 November 2012.[21]

Toronto FC

On 14 January 2013, Júlio César joined Toronto FC.[22] He was released two months later, after only appearing in one pre-season game; during his spell in North America, he was deployed mainly as a defensive midfielder.[23][24]

Coaching career

After retiring, Júlio César obtained his UEFA Pro licence as a manager. He also worked as an ambassador for the Real Madrid Foundation in Brazil.[25]

In January 2019, Julio César was appointed head coach of Spanish amateurs CD Cristo Atlético in Palencia.[26]

Honours

Real Madrid

Austria Wien

Tigres

Olympiacos

Sporting Kansas City

References

  1. ^ "El jugador que debutó en Marathón y jugó en Real Madrid" [The player that made debut in Marathón and played in Real Madrid]. Diez (in Spanish). 22 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Jugadores olvidados (XI): Júlio César Santos Correa" [Forgotten players (XI): Júlio César Santos Correa] (in Spanish). Fútbol Con Propriedad. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ^ Alvarado, Arturo (16 June 1997). "Vuelve el 'Europucela'" ['Europucela' is back]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  4. ^ Miguelez, José (9 November 1999). "El Arsenal se recrea en unos centrales de feria" [Arsenal have fun with carnival stoppers]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  5. ^ Torres, Diego (9 May 2000). "Julio César, el sustituto de Karanka, dice que no está bien" [Julio César, Karanka's replacement, says he is not well]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  6. ^ Díaz, Luis; Sanz Casillas, Jorge (15 July 2012). "Fichajes de paso" [Fleeting signings]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  7. ^ a b Pla Díaz, Emilio. "Real Madrid CF – All the players in European Cups". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  8. ^ Sanz, Óscar (27 October 2000). "Julio César se va al Milan cedido hasta el final de esta temporada" [Julio César goes to Milan on loan until the end of this season]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  9. ^ "El Madrid cede a Julio César al Benfica" [Madrid loan Julio César to Benfica]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 13 July 2001. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Bolton 4–1 Charlton". BBC Sport. 14 August 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  11. ^ "Fulham 2–0 Bolton". BBC Sport. 21 August 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  12. ^ Moss, Jamie (14 November 2017). "Bolton's Brazilians". SB Nation. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  13. ^ "What Stevens said about each club". The Daily Telegraph. 16 June 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  14. ^ "Aztecazo histórico" [Historic aztecazo]. Olé (in Spanish). 29 July 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Júlio César contratado pelo Olympiakos" [Júlio César signed by Olympiakos]. Jornal A Tarde (in Portuguese). 23 July 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Roma 1–1 Olympiacos". UEFA. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Julio Cesar İmzaladı" [Julio Cesar signed] (in Turkish). Gaziantepspor. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2009.[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ "El central brasileño Julio César refuerza al Marítimo de Funchal" [Brazilian stopper Julio César bolsters Marítimo from Funchal]. Marca (in Spanish). Madrid. 17 August 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  19. ^ Austin, Kurt (14 March 2011). "KC signs Brazilian defender Julio Cesar". Sporting Kansas City. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  20. ^ "Sporting KC finally signs defender Julio Cesar". The Full 90. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  21. ^ "Sporting Kansas City waives four players". Sporting Kansas City. 19 November 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  22. ^ "Report: Toronto FC sign Brazilian Julio Cesar". CP24. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  23. ^ "Toronto FC releases veteran Brazilian MF Cesar". The Sports Network. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  24. ^ Molinaro, John (29 March 2013). "Toronto FC releases midfielder Julio Cesar". Sportsnet. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  25. ^ Díaz, J. F. (24 March 2018). "Real Madrid: Julio César, embajador de los clinics de la Fundación Real Madrid en Brasil" [Real Madrid: Julio César, clinic ambassador of the Real Madrid Foundation in Brazil]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  26. ^ "Julio César, nuevo entrenador del Palencia Cristo" [Julio César, new manager of Palencia Cristo]. El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 9 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  27. ^ "Saison 2002/03" [2002/03 season] (in German). Austria Archiv. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  28. ^ Pineda, Diego (15 January 2006). "Contra todo, Tigres va a la Libertadores al ganar 2–1 al Monterrey en T.E." [Against all odds, Tigres go to Libertadores after beating Monterrey 2–1 in O.T.] (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  29. ^ "Rivaldo e Júlio César" [Rivaldo and Júlio César] (in Portuguese). May 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  30. ^ Parker, Graham (9 August 2012). "US Open Cup final: Sporting KC 1–1 (3–2 pens) Seattle Sounders – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2019.