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This page is about the retired Brazilian international footballer. For other people, see Aldair (disambiguation).
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Nascimento and the second or paternal family name is dos Santos.
Quick facts for kids
Aldair
Aldair.jpg
Aldair in 2005
Personal information
Full name Aldair Nascimento dos Santos
Date of birth (1965-11-30) 30 November 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth Ilhéus, Brazil
Height 1.83 m
Playing position Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1985–1989 Flamengo 54 (3)
1989–1990 Benfica 22 (5)
1990–2003 Roma 330 (14)
2003–2004 Genoa 17 (1)
2005 Rio Branco 2 (0)
2007–2009 Murata 10 (0)
Total 435 (23)
National team
1996 Brazil Olympic (O.P.) 6 (0)
1989–2000 Brazil 81 (3)
Honours
Men's Football
Representing  Brazil
FIFA World Cup
Winner 1994 USA {{{3}}}
Runner-up 1998 France {{{3}}}
FIFA Confederations Cup
Winner 1997 Saudi Arabia {{{3}}}
Copa América
Winner 1989 Brazil {{{3}}}
Winner 1997 Bolivia {{{3}}}
Runner-up 1995 Uruguay {{{3}}}
Olympic Games
Bronze 1996 Atlanta Team
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Aldair Nascimento dos Santos (born 30 November 1965), known simply as Aldair, is a retired Brazilian football player. He was a centre back and was a key part of the Brazil national team that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Many people think Aldair is one of Brazil's best defenders ever. He played most of his career for the Italian club AS Roma. He even became their captain and helped them win the Serie A title in 2001. He is also a special member of the AS Roma Hall of Fame.

Aldair's Club Football Journey

Aldair started his football career at a club called Flamengo in Brazil. There, he won the State Championship Campeonato Carioca in 1986. In 1989, he moved to Europe and joined Benfica in Portugal. He won the Portuguese Supercup with them and even reached the European Cup final in his only season there.

Playing for AS Roma

In 1990, Aldair moved to AS Roma in Italy. He played for this club for 13 seasons, until 2003. He played a huge number of games for Roma, 436 matches in total, and scored 20 goals. During his time at Roma, he helped them win the Serie A title in 2001, which is Italy's top football league. He also won one Supercoppa Italiana and one Coppa Italia in 1991. He even reached the UEFA Cup final that same year.

Aldair was considered one of the best players in the world in 2000 when he was picked for the FIFA XI team. Even with this recognition, he stayed loyal to Roma. He was so important to the club that when he left in 2003, Roma decided to retire his number 6 jersey. This meant no other player would wear that number. However, in 2013, the number 6 was given to Kevin Strootman with Aldair's permission. Roma fans nicknamed him "Pluto". In 2012, Aldair was added to the AS Roma Hall of Fame, showing how much he meant to the club.

Later Club Teams

After leaving Roma, Aldair briefly played for Genoa. In 2005, he played two games for Rio Branco in Brazil, helping them win a state championship. Later, his friend Massimo Agostini convinced him to play for SS Murata in San Marino. He even played in the Champions League qualifying stage for Murata in 2007.

Aldair's International Career with Brazil

Aldair was a big part of the Brazilian squad. He played in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. His biggest achievement was winning the 1994 FIFA World Cup with Brazil. He wasn't originally on the team list, but he was called up when another player got sick.

He also played for Brazil in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where Brazil reached the final but lost to France. Aldair played in three Copa América tournaments, winning the title in 1989 and 1997. He also won a silver medal in 1995.

In 1996, Aldair won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics. He was also part of the Brazilian team that won the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup. Overall, he played 81 games for Brazil between 1989 and 2000, scoring three goals.

Aldair's Playing Style

Aldair was a very skilled and smart defender. He could play in different defensive roles, like a sweeper or a centre back. He was known for his great vision and technical skills. He was also good at passing the ball, especially long passes, which helped create chances for his teammates.

Even though he wasn't super fast, he was a strong defender and excellent at heading the ball. He was also very good at predicting what opponents would do, which helped him make well-timed tackles. Besides his football skills, Aldair was also known for being a great leader and for his fair play throughout his career.

Honours

Club

Flamengo
Benfica
  • Portuguese Supercup: 1989
Roma
Rio Branco
  • Campeonato Capixaba Série B: 2005
Murata
  • Campionato Sammarinese: 2007–08

International

Brazil

Individual

  • FIFA XI: 2000
  • Golden Foot: 2008, as football legend
  • AS Roma Hall of Fame: 2012

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Aldair para niños

  • List of athletes who came out of retirement

Images for kids

  • Aldair

    Aldair in 2005

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