Baltazar (footballer, born 1959) facts for kids
Baltazar in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 July 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Goiânia, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1978–1979 | Atlético Goianiense | ||
| 1979–1982 | Grêmio | 78 | (46) |
| 1982 | Palmeiras | ||
| 1983 | Flamengo | 26 | (13) |
| 1984 | Palmeiras | 11 | (2) |
| 1984–1985 | Botafogo | 18 | (1) |
| 1985–1988 | Celta | 92 | (47) |
| 1988–1990 | Atlético Madrid | 77 | (53) |
| 1990–1991 | Porto | 19 | (2) |
| 1991–1993 | Rennes | 34 | (6) |
| 1993–1995 | Goiás | 18 | (11) |
| 1995–1996 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | 30 | (28) |
| National team | |||
| 1980–1989 | Brazil | 6 | (2) |
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Baltazar Maria de Morais Júnior (born on July 27, 1959), known simply as Baltazar, is a former Brazilian football player. He was a striker, which means he played mostly to score goals.
Baltazar played professional football for 18 years. He played in his home country, Brazil, and also in Spain, Portugal, France, and Japan. He won many awards for being a top scorer. He was also part of the Brazilian national team that won the 1989 Copa América tournament.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Baltazar was born in Goiânia, Brazil. He started his football journey with his hometown club, Atlético Goianiense.
Playing for Grêmio
In 1979, Baltazar joined Grêmio. He was a fantastic scorer for them, getting more than ten goals each season for four years. In 1980, he scored 14 goals, which was his best for the club. He helped Grêmio win the Campeonato Gaúcho (a state championship) two times in a row.
In the 1981 national championship final, Grêmio played against São Paulo. Baltazar missed a penalty kick in the first game, which Grêmio won 2–1. But in the second game, he scored the only goal, helping Grêmio win their first-ever national championship!
Moving to Other Brazilian Clubs
After Grêmio, Baltazar played for several other big Brazilian clubs. He had two periods with Palmeiras, and also played for Flamengo and Botafogo. He scored 13 goals for Flamengo, helping them win another Brazilian championship in 1983.
Adventures in Spain
When he was 26, Baltazar moved to Spain to play for Celta. In his first season there (1985–86), his team was moved down to a lower league.
But in the 1986–87 season, Baltazar was amazing! He scored 34 goals, which was his personal best and a record for the second division. This helped Celta get back into the top league.
Later, he joined Atlético Madrid. In his first season there (1988–89), he scored an incredible 35 goals in 36 games. This earned him his second Pichichi Trophy, an award for the top scorer in the Spanish league. He scored 18 more goals the next season.
Playing in Portugal, France, and Japan
In November 1990, Baltazar moved to Portugal to play for Porto. He was mostly used as a substitute player there.
Before he retired at age 37 in 1996, Baltazar also played for Stade Rennais in France, and then returned to Brazil to play for Goiás. His last club was Kyoto Purple Sanga in Japan.
International Career
Baltazar played for the Brazilian national team in the 1989 Copa América tournament, which was held in Brazil. He played in three games during the group stage. Brazil went on to win the tournament!
Even though he played for nearly a decade, he only played in six international games and scored two goals for Brazil.
Life After Football
Baltazar is a very religious person. Because of his strong faith and his goal-scoring ability, he was nicknamed O Artilheiro de Deus, which means "God's striker."
After he stopped playing football, Baltazar became a minister. He lives in his hometown and has two children.
Honours
Grêmio
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1981
- Campeonato Gaúcho: 1979, 1980
Flamengo
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1983
Porto
- Taça de Portugal: 1990–91
Goiás
- Campeonato Goiano: 1994
Brazil
- Copa América: 1989
Individual Awards
- Campeonato Goiano top scorer: 1978, 1994
- Campeonato Gaúcho top scorer: 1980, 1981
- Campeonato Carioca top scorer: 1984
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B top scorer: 1994
- Pichichi Trophy: 1986–87 (Segunda División), 1988–89
- La Liga Team of The Year: 1989
See also
In Spanish: Baltazar Maria de Morais Júnior para niños
