Giovanni (footballer, born 1972) facts for kids
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Giovanni playing for Santos in 2010
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Giovanni Silva de Oliverra | ||
| Date of birth | 4 February 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Belém, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.91m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder, forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1992 | Tuna Luso | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1992–1994 | Tuna Luso | 38 | (21) |
| 1993 | → Remo (loan) | 16 | (5) |
| 1994 | → Paysandu (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1994 | → Sãocarlense (loan) | 4 | (2) |
| 1994 | → Santos (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 1995–1996 | Santos | 79 | (60) |
| 1996–1999 | Barcelona | 71 | (18) |
| 1999–2005 | Olympiacos | 129 | (60) |
| 2005–2006 | Santos | 28 | (4) |
| 2006 | Al Hilal | (0) | |
| 2006–2007 | Ethnikos Piraeus | 8 | (3) |
| 2007 | Sport Recife | 0 | (0) |
| 2009 | Mogi Mirim | 16 | (1) |
| 2010 | Santos | 5 | (1) |
| National team | |||
| 1995–1999 | Brazil | 18 | (6) |
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Giovanni Silva de Oliveira (born 4 February 1972), known simply as Giovanni, is a Brazilian football manager and former player. He was a talented attacking midfielder or forward.
Giovanni played for famous clubs like Barcelona in Spain, Olympiacos in Greece, and Santos in Brazil. He also played for the Brazilian national team, appearing in 18 games and scoring 6 goals. He was part of the Brazilian team that reached the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final.
During his best years, Giovanni was a key player for Barcelona. Later, at Olympiacos, he had some of his happiest and most successful times. Fans there still remember him as a club legend.
Contents
Giovanni's Football Journey
Starting His Career in Brazil
Giovanni was born in Belém but grew up in Abaetetuba, Pará. He began his football journey with a small amateur team called Taça Luz in 1990. Soon after, he joined Tuna Luso.
He made his first team debut in a Copa do Brasil match, scoring two goals in a 2–1 win. In 1992, he scored 17 goals in the Campeonato Paraense league. Five of these goals came in one amazing 8–0 victory.
In 1993, Giovanni was loaned to Clube do Remo, a team in Brazil's top league, Série A. He didn't have as much success there. In 1994, he briefly played for Paysandu and even thought about quitting football.
He then played for Sãocarlense for two months. He was almost signed by Palmeiras, another big club, but the move didn't happen because he got sick.
Becoming a Star at Santos
Giovanni caught the eye of Santos president Samir Abdul-Hak during a televised match. Santos signed him on loan in 1994. He scored his first goal for Santos in a 1–0 win against Paraná.
For the 1995 season, Santos bought Giovanni permanently. Even the legendary Pelé helped fund his transfer! He became a regular starter and scored three goals in one game against Ponte Preta. He did it again against Grêmio.
In the 1995 Série A, Giovanni scored 17 goals. Santos reached the finals but lost. In the semi-finals, Santos was losing 4–1 after the first game. Giovanni dyed his hair red to show his belief in the team. He played brilliantly in the second game, scoring twice, and Santos won 5–2! Santos fans still call him "Messiah" and some even call themselves "Giovanni's Witnesses."
In 1996, Giovanni scored four goals in an 8–2 win. He also scored two more hat-tricks that year. He finished the 1996 Paulista season as the top scorer with 24 goals.
European Adventures: Barcelona and Olympiacos
On 18 June 1996, Giovanni moved to Spain to play for Barcelona. He was a regular player for two seasons, scoring 18 goals. Barcelona fans remember him for scoring important goals against their big rivals, Real Madrid.
In his first year, he won the 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona. Later, when Louis van Gaal became the manager, Giovanni had some disagreements with him. Despite scoring important goals, he eventually left Barcelona in 1999.
Giovanni then moved to Olympiacos in Greece. He quickly became one of the best players in the Greek league. He was known for his amazing dribbling, passing, and scoring goals. He often beat defenders by passing the ball through their legs, a move called a nutmeg.
His incredible skills made him very popular with Olympiacos fans. They even called him "magos," which means "wizard" in Greek. He is considered one of the club's best players ever. In 2002, he signed a new three-year contract. He was the top goalscorer in Greece in the 2003–04 season with 21 goals.
Returning to Brazil and Retirement
Giovanni returned to Santos in May 2005. He played 29 games and scored four goals. After a short time, he left Santos again.
He then played for a few other clubs, including Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and Ethnikos Piraeus in Greece. In 2007, he came back to Brazil to play for Sport Recife, but he left soon after.
In 2008, after not playing for over a year, his friend Rivaldo convinced him to play again. Giovanni signed with Mogi Mirim.
In 2010, Giovanni returned to Santos for a third time. Even though he played only a few matches, he finally won his first title with Santos, the Campeonato Paulista. In June 2010, he announced his retirement from professional football.
Playing for Brazil
Giovanni played 18 games for the Brazilian national team, scoring six goals. He was part of the team that won the 1997 Copa América tournament. He also represented Brazil in the 1998 World Cup in France. Brazil reached the final but lost 3–0 to the host nation, France.
Giovanni's Playing Style
Giovanni was a very versatile player. His best position was as an attacking midfielder, but he could also play as a forward. He was known for his amazing technique, fantastic dribbling skills, and creative play. He often used clever moves to trick opponents. He was also great at passing and scoring goals.
Trophies and Awards
Barcelona
- La Liga: 1997–98, 1998–99
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97, 1997–98
- Supercopa de España: 1996
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
- UEFA Super Cup: 1997
Olympiacos
- Alpha Ethniki: 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05
- Greek Cup: 2004–05
Al-Hilal
- Saudi Crown Prince Cup: 2005–06
- Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Cup: 2005–06
Santos
- Copa do Brasil: 2010
- Campeonato Paulista: 2006, 2010
Brazil
- Copa América: 1997
- Umbro Cup: 1995
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1998
Individual Awards
- Bola de Ouro: 1995
- Bola de Prata: 1995
- Greek Championship Foreign Footballer of the Year: 1999–2000, 2003–04
- Greek Championship Top goalscorer: 2003–04
- Greek Cup top scorer: 2000–01
- The Golden Greek football Rosters: Decade 2000–2010
Images for kids
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Giovanni playing for Santos in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni Silva (futbolista) para niños
