Tostão facts for kids
Tostão in 1970
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 January 1947 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward / Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1961 | Cruzeiro | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1962–1963 | América Mineiro | 26 | (16) | |||||||||||||
| 1963–1972 | Cruzeiro | 378 | (249) | |||||||||||||
| 1972–1973 | Vasco da Gama | 45 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 449 | (271) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1972 | Brazil | 54 | (32) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade (born on January 25, 1947), known as Tostão, is a famous Brazilian former footballer. He played as a forward or an attacking midfielder. After his football career, he also became a medical doctor.
Tostão was a very smart and hardworking player. He was known for his amazing skills and creativity on the field. Many people thought he was one of the best players in the world in the early 1970s. Some even said he was as good as, or even better than, Pelé during the late 1960s. He played most of his 11-year career with the club Cruzeiro.
Tostão played for the Brazilian national team in two World Cups. He helped Brazil win the tournament in 1970. He and Pelé formed a very strong attacking team together.
Contents
Tostão's Football Journey
Early Days and Nickname
Eduardo Andrade was born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Like many Brazilian footballers, he got a nickname early on. He was called 'Tostão', which means 'little coin'. There's a story that when he was just six years old, he scored an amazing 47 goals in one game for his school team!
Playing for Clubs
Tostão started his professional football career very young, at just 15 years old. He played for a local team called América Mineiro. After two years, he went back to Cruzeiro, where he had played as a youth.
Even though he was a centre midfielder, Tostão became the top scorer in the Campeonato Mineiro league three times in a row, starting in 1966. He left Cruzeiro as the club's all-time leading scorer, with a total of 249 goals.
World Cup Glory and Eye Injury
In the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Tostão played as a forward. He scored two goals and helped set up four others. Brazil won their third World Cup trophy that year, scoring 19 goals in total.
The year before the World Cup, Tostão had a serious eye injury. He was hit in the face by a ball during a match. This caused a detached retina, and his sight never fully recovered.
In 1972, he joined Vasco da Gama. He played well, but his eye problems came back. Even after surgery, he had to stop playing football at only 27 years old.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Tostão decided to become a medical doctor. Later, he returned to the world of football. He started working as a journalist and a TV commentator, sharing his knowledge of the game.
How Tostão Played Football
Tostão was not very tall or strong, and he wasn't super fast. He also didn't often shoot from far away. However, he was a very smart and hardworking player. He was great at knowing where to be in the penalty area, which helped him score many goals.
He mainly used his left foot. In his best years, he was known for his excellent technique and dribbling skills. He also gave many assists to his teammates. This was because he had great vision, was very creative, and could pass the ball perfectly.
Tostão worked hard all over the field. He would often go back into midfield to get the ball and start new attacks. He was also good at confusing defenders and creating space for his teammates. He played a role similar to what is now called a "false 9" during the 1970 World Cup. He could play in many different attacking positions, like an attacking midfielder, a second striker, or even a winger.
Tostão's Achievements
Club Honors
- Cruzeiro
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1966
- Campeonato Mineiro: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
International Honors
- Brazil
- FIFA World Cup: 1970
- Independence Cup: 1972
Individual Awards
- Bola de Prata: 1970
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Top Scorer: 1970 (12 goals)
- South American Footballer of the Year: 1971
- IFFHS Brazilian Player of the 20th Century (5th place)
- IFFHS South American Player of the 20th Century (13th place)
- World Soccer: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Tostão para niños
