Juninho Paulista

For other people named Juninho, see Juninho (disambiguation).
Juninho
Personal information
Full name Osvaldo Giroldo Júnior
Date of birth (1973-02-22) 22 February 1973
Place of birth São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
Playing position Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1989–1992 Ituano
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1995 São Paulo 44 (2)
1995–1997 Middlesbrough 57 (12)
1997–2002 Atlético Madrid 55 (14)
1999–2000 → Middlesbrough (loan) 28 (4)
2000–2001 → Vasco da Gama (loan) 47 (13)
2002 → Flamengo (loan) 0 (0)
2002–2004 Middlesbrough 35 (11)
2004–2005 Celtic 14 (1)
2005–2006 Palmeiras 63 (20)
2007 Flamengo 0 (0)
2007–2008 Sydney FC 14 (0)
2010 Ituano 2 (2)
Total 365 (79)
National team
1995–2003 Brazil 49 (5)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 December 2009.


Osvaldo Giroldo Júnior (born 22 February 1973 in São Paulo), known as Juninho Paulista or Juninho,[2] is a former Brazilian footballer. During his professional career, he played for Brazilian clubs São Paulo FC, Vasco da Gama, Palmeiras, CR Flamengo, as well as English club Middlesbrough, Spanish club Atlético Madrid, Celtic in Scotland and Sydney FC in Australia.

Known as "The Little Fella" or "TLF", he is regarded as the greatest player in Middlesbrough FC's history.

Juninho played 50 international matches for the Brazilian national team from 1995 to 2003, winning the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic tournament.

Club career

Born in São Paulo, Juninho played youth football for FC Curvados e Orgulhoso, a local club set up in São Paulo, and for Esporte Clube DER, an amateur team based in São Bernardo do Campo (SP), winning two youth municipal championship in a row, as well as futsal at Clube Atlético Juventus.

Ituano FC

Juninho began his senior career with Ituano FC, a team in Itu, São Paulo, in 1990. In 1993, during a Campeonato Paulista match against reigning champions São Paulo FC, Juninho scored and was voted man of the match as Ituano secured an unlikely victory. This grabbed the attention of São Paulo FC's head coach Telê Santana, who requested that his team buy the young talent. Juninho went on to be voted "Rookie of the Year" that season.

São Paulo FC

In 1993, Juninho was transferred to São Paulo FC, with whom he won a number of trophies, including the 1993 South American Copa Libertadores championship, the 1993 Intercontinental Cup against Italian team AC Milan, and the 1994 Copa CONMEBOL. He made his debut for the Brazilian national team ("Seleção") in February 1995, before moving abroad to play in Europe.

Middlesbrough

In October 1995, Juninho signed for English club Middlesbrough F.C. for £4.75 million,[3] just months after they had been promoted to the English top-flight FA Premier League. Then aged 22, Juninho had been tracked by numerous European top clubs, and it was a major surprise when he signed for "the Teessiders". Juninho became known as TLF (The Little Fella) by Boro fans, after local radio broadcaster Dave Roberts nicknamed the player on his football talk show. The nickname alludes to his height: only 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in). During his time with Middlesbrough, Juninho lived in Levendale and Ingleby Barwick with his parents. He was known for playing football with school children on the streets and is still considered one of the greatest players to have played for Middlesbrough in the modern era.

He made his debut on 4 November 1995 at home to Leeds United, setting up the opening goal for Jan Åge Fjørtoft in a 1-1 draw.[4] Juninho proved extremely effective as an attacking midfielder, and his skills helped the club reach the final of both the FA Cup and League Cup in 1997, although they lost both. At the end of the 1997 season, a three-point deduction condemned Middlesbrough to relegation to the secondary Division One; following a 1–1 draw at Leeds United on the final day of the season which confirmed the club's relegation, Juninho was reduced to tears.[5] Despite the club's relegation, Juninho came runner up to Gianfranco Zola for the FWA Player of the Year award. Ultimately, Juninho left Middlesbrough to pursue his chances of making Brazil's 1998 World Cup squad.

Atlético Madrid

Juninho was sold to Atlético Madrid for £13m, and started out well for the team. However, his time at Atlético was hampered massively by injuries, and he never quite achieved the heights that were expected of him. On 1 February 1998, during a league match against Celta de Vigo, a tackle by opponent defender Michel Salgado broke Juninho's fibula, sidelining the Brazilian for six months and thus making him miss the 1998 World Cup.[6][7]

Juninho was loaned back to Middlesbrough (who by then had been promoted back to the Premier League) during the 1999–2000 season, and scored four goals in 24 games for the club, before returning to Atlético Madrid. Upon his return, Atlético had been relegated to the secondary Segunda División. Juninho was then loaned out to Brazilian team Vasco da Gama. Here he played alongside namesake Juninho Pernambucano (during this time the "Paulista" was appended to his pseudonym, to differentiate them), and won the 2000 domestic Campeonato Brasileiro Série A championship and the international Copa Mercosur trophy. He also had a brief loan spell with Flamengo.

Return to Middlesbrough

Juninho began his third spell with Middlesbrough in the summer of 2002, when he permanently left Atlético Madrid for £6m. He spent two years back at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium, and helped the club win the 2004 Football League Cup, the team's first and so far only major honour. In December 2007 he was voted by Boro fans in a PFA fan's poll as Middlesbrough's greatest ever player.[8] Juninho is still seen as a hero on Teesside by many Middlesbrough fans – soon after he joined Middlesbrough in 1995 Boro fans would put out both their arms and bow forwards in worship during matches, this continued even through to his third spell at the club. Juninho said he would love a fourth spell at the Boro to end his career, however no such opportunity materialised.[9] Ultimately, Juninho never fully recaptured his mesmerising form of the 96/97 season and never fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered during his time at Atlético Madrid. Nonetheless he remained a legend on Teesside and maintains an iconic status to this day.

Celtic

At the end of the 2004 season, Juninho moved to Scottish club Celtic on a free transfer, making his debut in an Old Firm derby against Celtic's rivals Rangers FC, which Celtic won 1–0. Juninho struggled to break into the first team during his time with Celtic, and complained that manager Martin O'Neill didn't play him enough. Instead of playing in his usual position in the middle of the pitch, Juninho was often deployed on the right by O'Neill, due to the presence of already established Celtic midfielders Stiliyan Petrov and Neil Lennon.[10] Juninho scored only once in his spell at Celtic, in a 3–0 win over Hearts in October 2004.[11]

There was some controversy around Juninho's time at Celtic, as he was one of the employees that took advantage of a tax avoidance scheme. However, the Scottish FA ruled that since the payments were made after his contract had expired, there was no breach of rules. [12]

Brazilian return

Juninho returned to Brazil in 2005, to play for Palmeiras. He moved back to his former team Flamengo in 2007 for the Carioca Championship and the Copa Libertadores, but never won the trust of coach Ney Franco, playing only about half of the games. In May that year, Juninho was sacked after arguing with and insulting Franco after refusing to be substituted at half-time during a disappointing 3–0 quarter-final defeat at Uruguayan side Defensor Sporting in the Copa Libertadores.

Sydney FC

Although clubs in Brazil, Qatar, and Hong Kong were reportedly keen on signing Juninho, he opted to join Sydney FC in the A-League as the club's marquee player,[13] signing on 3 August 2007,[14] stating that the interest the club showed towards him made a strong contribution to the decision. Due to a shoulder injury early in the season, Juninho spent large periods on the bench and his on-field performances were hampered by chronic pain, aggressive play, and secondary injuries, requiring painkillers and cortisone before each match. Despite this, he managed several strong showings including a masterful performance in Sydney's 5–3 victory over LA Galaxy.

Sydney's strong signings, which used a large amount of their salary cap, made a new contract look unlikely. A number of A-League clubs including Perth Glory, Gold Coast United, and Adelaide United expressed their desire to sign Juninho. Following the signing of a new marquee player and other players, including Australian international John Aloisi, Sydney FC declined to offer Juninho a new contract. He was released in the off-season in April 2008. Juninho later announced his retirement from professional football.

Return to playing

In January 2010, Juninho returned to the game as player-president of Brazilian club Ituano, and on the last day of the season, with his impending retirement, he scored the goal that saved them from relegation. He also returned to Middlesbrough where he featured in his own testimonial in which PSV Eindhoven defeated Middlesbrough 3-2.

Statistics

[1]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brazil League Copa do Brasil League Cup South America Total
1993São PauloSérie A161
1994192
199590
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1995/96MiddlesbroughPremier League2120000--212
1996/9736106261--4813
Spain League Copa del Rey Copa de la Liga Europe Total
1997/98Atlético MadridLa Liga23621--62319
1998/9932861--944413
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1999/00MiddlesbroughPremier League2841061--355
Brazil League Copa do Brasil League Cup South America Total
2000Vasco da GamaSérie A224
2001154
2002FlamengoSérie A00
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2002/03MiddlesbroughPremier League1030000--103
2003/043181061--389
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
2004/05CelticPremier League141202040221
Brazil League Copa do Brasil League Cup South America Total
2005PalmeirasSérie A3714
2006266
Australia League Cup League Cup Asia Total
2007/08SydneyA-League140
Country Brazil 14431
England 12627
Spain 5514
Scotland 141
Australia 140
Total 35373
Brazil national team
YearAppsGoals
1995152
199600
199790
199800
199910
200031
2001111
200291
200310
Total495

Honours

Olympic medal record
Representing  Brazil
Men's Football
1996 Atlanta Team Competition

Club

São Paulo[15]
Vasco da Gama[15]
Middlesbrough[15]
Flamengo[15]

International

Brazil[15]

Individual

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Juninho Paulista at National-Football-Teams.com
  2. ↑ A nickname based on the common Brazilian diminutive Juninho, used for anyone with the word Júnior in their name, combined with Paulista, indicating his place of origin, São Paulo.
  3. ↑ "The man to lead romantic revival". Independent Online. 10 June 1995. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  4. ↑ "Middlesbrough 1 Leeds 1". 11v11.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Campbell, Paul (26 February 2013). "Universally popular footballers: piecing together a team of likable players". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  6. ↑ Juninho, roto – Una fractura de peroné le aparta del Atlético y casi seguro del Mundial (Juninho, torn – A fibula fracture sidelines him from Atlético and almost certainly from World Cup); El Mundo, 2 February 1998 (Spanish)
  7. ↑ El Celta exige para Míchel Salgado el beneficio de la duda (Celta wants benefit of doubt for Míchel Salgado); El Mundo, 19 February 1998 (Spanish)
  8. ↑ "Moore, Shearer, Matthews and Edwards are the fans' favourites. But who has been voted the best player in the history of your club?".
  9. ↑ Tallentire, Philip (25 October 2008). "I would love to play one last Boro game – Juninho". Evening Gazette. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
  10. ↑ "Juninho a samba ace who failed". Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  11. ↑ "Celtic 3–0 Hearts". BBC. 16 October 2004. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  12. ↑ McDermott, Scott (13 September 2012). "SPL reveal Celtic didn't appear in EBT dock because Juninho received cash after he left club".
  13. ↑ "The Australian A-League - an introduction to the Marquee player system - Soccerlens". 16 March 2008.
  14. ↑ "Sydney FC Home".
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Juninho Paulista – Trophies". Sambafoot.com. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "South American Team of the Year". 16 January 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
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