Grafite facts for kids
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Grafite training with VfL Wolfsburg in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Edinaldo Batista Libânio | ||
| Date of birth | 2 April 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998 | Campo Limpo Paulista | ||
| 1999–2000 | Matonense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001 | Ferroviária | 0 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Santa Cruz | 22 | (5) |
| 2002–2003 | Grêmio | 6 | (0) |
| 2003 | Anyang LG Cheetahs | 9 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Goiás | 20 | (12) |
| 2004–2006 | São Paulo | 44 | (17) |
| 2006–2007 | Le Mans | 51 | (17) |
| 2007–2011 | VfL Wolfsburg | 107 | (59) |
| 2011–2015 | Al-Ahli | 79 | (63) |
| 2015 | Al Sadd | 9 | (4) |
| 2015–2016 | Santa Cruz | 46 | (20) |
| 2017 | Atlético Paranaense | 9 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Santa Cruz | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 411 | (197) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2010 | Brazil | 4 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Edinaldo Batista Libânio (born on April 2, 1979), known as Grafite, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was a forward player whose main job was to score goals. After retiring from playing, he became a sports commentator for TV Globo and SporTV.
Grafite had a very successful career. In 2005, he won two major titles with São Paulo FC: the Copa Libertadores (a big South American club competition) and the Club World Championship. Later, with the German club VfL Wolfsburg, he helped them win the 2008–09 Bundesliga, which is Germany's top football league. He was also the league's top scorer that season and was named Germany's Player of the Year.
Contents
Club Career
Early Football Days
Grafite was born in Jundiaí, Brazil. He grew up in a simple family in the countryside of São Paulo. Before becoming a famous footballer, he even sold rubbish bags door-to-door to earn money. His football talent was clear, and he signed his first professional contract in 1999 with SE Matonense.
In 2000, he briefly played for Ferroviária. By mid-2000, he joined Santa Cruz FC in Recife. He scored 5 goals in 22 matches there, but the team was moved down to a lower league.
His skills caught the eye of Grêmio Porto Alegre, a top-division club, which signed him. However, he faced a tough start at Grêmio. He got a serious knee injury early in 2002, which kept him from playing for several months. He later returned to Santa Cruz on loan.
In early 2003, Grafite moved to South Korea to play for FC Seoul, then known as Anyang LG Cheetahs. His time there was short, and he soon returned to Brazil.
Big Success with Goiás and São Paulo
Back in Brazil, Grafite joined Goiás EC in 2003. He called this time his "rebirth as a footballer." He became a key player, scoring 12 goals that season. He formed a strong attacking team with Dimba and Araújo. Goiás finished ninth in the league, which was a great achievement for them. Grafite was even named the best player in his position that season.
In 2004, Grafite joined São Paulo FC, one of Brazil's biggest clubs. He won his first major title there, the São Paulo State Championship, in 2005.
During a match in 2005, Grafite was involved in an incident with an opposing player, Leandro Desábato, whom he accused of using racial slurs. Grafite reported the incident, and Desábato faced consequences for his actions. This event brought worldwide attention to the issue of racism in football.
Also in 2005, Grafite was invited to play for the Brazil national team for the first time. He scored a goal in his debut match against Guatemala, helping Brazil win 3–0. By the end of 2005, Grafite won two more big titles with São Paulo: the Copa Libertadores and the Club World Championship. He played in the Club World Championship final, where São Paulo beat Liverpool 1–0.
Moving to Europe
In January 2006, Grafite moved to France to play for Le Mans UC 72, a club that had just been promoted to the top division. He quickly made an impact, scoring three goals in his first eleven matches. In the 2006–07 season, he was the top scorer for Le Mans with 12 goals.
On August 31, 2007, Grafite moved to Germany to join Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. The transfer fee was about €5.6 million.
Amazing Time at VfL Wolfsburg
Grafite signed a four-year contract with Wolfsburg. In his first season, he scored 11 goals. The next season, 2008–09, was incredible. Under coach Felix Magath, Wolfsburg won the German championship for the first time ever! Grafite was a huge part of this success, scoring 28 goals in 25 matches, making him the league's top striker.
He and his teammate Edin Džeko formed an amazing partnership, scoring a combined 54 goals. This was the most goals ever scored by a strike partnership in Bundesliga history, even more than the legendary Gerd Müller and Uli Hoeneß.
One of Grafite's most famous goals was against Bayern Munich. He dribbled past several defenders and scored with a slow, clever shot using his heel. This goal was voted "Goal of the Year" in Germany. In 2009, it was also ranked third for the first-ever FIFA Puskas Award, which celebrates the most beautiful goals. Grafite also received the highest individual award in German football, being named "Footballer of the Year." He was only the third non-German player to win this award.
In Wolfsburg's first-ever Champions League match in September 2009, Grafite scored three goals (a hat-trick) against CSKA Moscow, helping his team win 3–1. He was only the sixth player to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut. In total, Grafite scored 59 goals in 107 German top-flight matches for Wolfsburg.
Playing in Dubai and Return to Brazil
On June 19, 2011, Grafite moved to Al Ahli in the UAE Pro-League (United Arab Emirates). He played there for four years and continued to score many goals. In 2013, he was named the International Player of the Year for the UAE Pro-League. He also helped Al Ahli win the President's Cup that year. Grafite scored a total of 63 goals in 79 matches for Al Ahli.
On July 1, 2015, Grafite returned to Brazil and signed with his old club, Santa Cruz. He scored 7 goals in 15 matches, helping Santa Cruz get promoted back to the first division after ten years. After a short time at Atlético Paranaense, he rejoined Santa Cruz in August 2017.
In January 2018, Grafite announced that he was retiring from professional football.
International Career
Grafite played for the Brazil national team. After his debut in 2005, he made his second appearance in March 2010 against Republic of Ireland.
On May 11, 2010, Brazil's coach Dunga chose Grafite to be part of the 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Grafite played in one match at the tournament, coming on as a substitute in the 0–0 draw against Portugal in the group stage.
Honours
São Paulo
- Copa Libertadores: 2005
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2005
VfL Wolfsburg
- Bundesliga: 2008–09
Al Ahli'
- UAE President's Cup: 2012–13
- UAE League: 2013–14
- UAE Super Cup: 2013
- UAE League Cup: 2011–12, 2013–14
Santa Cruz
- Campeonato Pernambucano: 2016
- Copa do Nordeste: 2016
Individual
- VDV Bundesliga Player of the Season: 2008–09
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2008–09
- Goal of the Year (Germany): 2009
- Footballer of the Year (Germany): 2009
See also
In Spanish: Grafite para niños
