Deco
Deco
FluminenseFluminense
Deco
Full Name: Anderson Luis De Souza
Date of Birth:27 Aug 1977 (Age 34)
Place of Birth:Sao Bernardo do Campo
Nationality:Portugal
Height:175 cm.
Weight:75 Kg.
Position:Midfielder
Squad Number:20
More On :  Portugal, Deco
Deco - Portugal (Getty Images)
Born in Brazil, Deco was hardly a blip on the football landscape before leaving his homeland at the age of 19 to join Benfica. The classy midfielder failed to impress The Eagles upon his arrival and was demoted to the club’s B-team before being loaned out. Following brief spells with Alverca and then Salgueiros, FC Porto officials spotted something their Benfica counterparts had missed.

Deco quickly became a crucial part of the Porto team and the focal point of their side for the next five seasons, winning three Super League titles and a Champions League medal before Barcelona came knocking.

The classy midfielder won two La Liga titles plus a second Champions League with Barcelona and is widely credited for kick-starting the slick passing style that saw Barca dominate the second part of the last decade. By the time the Blaugrana won a second Champions League title three years later, Deco had joined former Portugal boss 'Big Phil' Scolari at Chelsea.

The playmaker received Portuguese citizenship in 2002 and, ironically, made his debut against Brazil in March 2003, scoring in Portugal’s 2-1 win. He has since won over 70 caps and has vowed to retire from International football following this summer’s main event.


Did You Know?

During his semi-professional days in Brazil, Deco worked as a wind farm technician.

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