Sylvinho facts for kids
Sylvinho in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 12 April 1974 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Left-back | |||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Albania (manager) |
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| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1994 | Corinthians | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1999 | Corinthians | 177 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Arsenal | 55 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Celta | 84 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | Barcelona | 89 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Manchester City | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 415 | (7) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Brazil | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Lyon | |||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Corinthians | |||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Albania | |||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Sylvio Mendes Campos Júnior (born April 12, 1974), known as Sylvinho, is a Brazilian football manager and former player. He currently coaches the Albania national football team.
Sylvinho used to play as a left-back. He started his career at Corinthians in Brazil. Later, he joined Arsenal in England in 1999. After two seasons, he moved to Celta Vigo in Spain. In 2004, he joined Barcelona, where he won the UEFA Champions League twice, in 2006 and 2009. He finished his playing career with Manchester City in England during the 2009–10 season.
After retiring as a player, Sylvinho became a coach. He managed French club Lyon and Brazilian side Corinthians. In 2023, he became the coach of the Albanian national team and helped them qualify for UEFA Euro 2024, a major European football tournament.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting at Corinthians
Sylvinho was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He began his football journey at Corinthians in 1994. With Corinthians, he won the Copa do Brasil in 1995. He also helped the team win Brazil's top league, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, in 1998. Sylvinho also won the Campeonato Paulista (a state league) three times with Corinthians: in 1995, 1997, and 1999.
Time with Arsenal
In 1999, Sylvinho made history as the first Brazilian player to sign for the English club Arsenal. He quickly became the main left-back for the team. He scored goals against teams like Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic, and Chelsea. He also scored twice in the UEFA Champions League for Arsenal. In the 2000–01 season, Sylvinho was chosen for the PFA Team of the Year, which honors the best players in English football.
Moving to Celta Vigo
In 2001, Sylvinho moved to Celta Vigo in Spain. He played there for three years and was well-liked by the fans. He helped Celta Vigo qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history during the 2003–04 season. In 2004, he received a Spanish passport. This helped him play more easily in the Spanish league, as it meant he was no longer counted as a non-European Union player.
Success at Barcelona
In 2004, Sylvinho joined Barcelona. This was a big move for him. With Barcelona, he won the Spanish league (La Liga) three times: in 2005, 2006, and 2009. He also won the UEFA Champions League twice, in 2006 and 2009. In the 2009 UEFA Champions League final, he played the whole game as Barcelona beat Manchester United 2–0. This was his last game for the famous Spanish club.
Final Season with Manchester City
After leaving Barcelona, Sylvinho signed with Manchester City in England on August 24, 2009. He joined them on a free transfer for one year. He made his first league appearance for City in December 2009. On January 24, 2010, he scored his first goal for Manchester City with a fantastic long-range shot in an FA Cup match. His contract ended in June 2010, and he left the club.
International Career
Sylvinho first played for the Brazil national team in 1997. He was part of the Brazilian squad that finished third in the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup, earning a bronze medal. He made his official international debut for Brazil in a friendly match against Wales on May 23, 2000, which Brazil won 3–0. He played a total of 6 international games for Brazil, often as a backup to the famous left-back Roberto Carlos. His last game for Brazil was in March 2001.
Coaching Career
Sylvinho announced his retirement from playing football on July 7, 2011. He then started his coaching career as an assistant manager for several Brazilian clubs, including Cruzeiro and Sport Recife. He also returned to Corinthians as an assistant.
In 2014, he became an assistant coach for Inter Milan in Italy. Later, in 2016, he joined the Brazil national team as an assistant coach again. In 2019, he was named manager of the Brazil national under-23 team, but he did not take charge of any games.
Managing Lyon
On May 19, 2019, Sylvinho became the new manager of French club Lyon. His first game as a senior manager was a 3–0 win against Monaco. A week later, his team won 6–0 at home. However, after not winning any more games in the next seven league matches, he was let go on October 7, 2019.
Return to Corinthians
On May 23, 2021, Sylvinho returned to Corinthians as their new manager. His first game back was a 1–0 loss. On February 3, 2022, after only three matches into the new season, he was sacked following a 2–1 home defeat to rivals Santos.
Coaching Albania
On January 2, 2023, the Albanian Football Association announced that Sylvinho would be the new head coach of the Albania national team. His main goal was to help the team qualify for UEFA Euro 2024. Sylvinho moved to Tirana, the capital of Albania, to focus on his new role.
Sylvinho and his assistants worked hard to find the best players for the team. They looked for players who fit his attacking style, which often involved scoring goals from long distances. His first game with Albania was a 1–0 loss to Poland. However, he then guided the team to qualify for the Euro 2024 finals with a 1–1 draw against Moldova on November 17. Albania won their group with four wins, three draws, and only one loss.
For his success, Sylvinho was given the Golden Decoration of the Eagle by the Prime Minister of Albania. On December 18, 2023, Sylvinho also became an Albanian citizen.
Playing Style
Sylvinho was known as a quick, reliable, and skilled attacking left back. He was especially good at making runs down the side of the field and sending in accurate crosses with his left foot. He also had good tactical awareness and was strong defensively. Sometimes, he could even play as a midfielder, a wing-back, or even a winger.
Honours
Corinthians
- Campeonato Paulista: 1995, 1997, 1999
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1998
- Copa do Brasil: 1995
Arsenal
- FA Charity Shield: 1999
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09
- Copa del Rey: 2008–09
- Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006
- UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09
Brazil
- CONCACAF Gold Cup third place: 1998
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Premier League
See also
In Spanish: Sylvio Mendes Campos Junior para niños
