Viola (footballer) facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paulo Sérgio Rosa | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1 January 1969 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | |||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Taboão da Serra | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1988–1995 | Corinthians | 144 | (49) | |||||||||||||
| 1990 | → São José (loan) | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1991 | → Olímpia (loan) | 15 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Valencia | 30 | (10) | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Palmeiras | 36 | (14) | |||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Santos | 28 | (20) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Vasco da Gama | 31 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2001 | Santos | 24 | (12) | |||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Gaziantepspor | 46 | (18) | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | Guarani | 25 | (10) | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | Bahia | 8 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2006 | Juventus (SP) | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2007 | Uberlândia | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2008 | Duque de Caxias | 1 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2008 | Angra dos Reis | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | Resende | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2010 | Brusque | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Brazil | 8 | (2) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Paulo Sérgio Rosa, known to many as Viola, is a former Brazilian football player. He was born on January 1, 1969. Viola played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals. He got his nickname, Viola, when he was young because of the brand of his first football boots.
Viola's Football Journey
Viola was known for his strong personality on the field. He played for many teams during his long career.
Early Career and Big Moments
His first big moment came in only his second match. This was the final game of the 1988 Campeonato Paulista, a major championship in São Paulo State. Viola's team, Corinthians, played against Guarani. Many thought Guarani had the better team.
Viola was called to play because the main forward was with the Brazil national football team. Also, the usual substitute was injured. Viola wasn't playing perfectly, but he scored the winning goal in extra time! He put his leg in the way of a shot, turning it into an assist for himself.
Becoming a Star and National Team Call-Up
Even after becoming a sudden star, Viola didn't always play consistently well. He was loaned to other teams for a while. By 1992, he had grown stronger and was playing better.
In 1993, Viola almost scored another winning goal for Corinthians. He famously celebrated by imitating a pig, making fun of the Palmeiras team's nickname. Even though Palmeiras won that tournament, Viola kept celebrating his goals in funny ways. This made him very popular with fans.
Soon after, he was called to play for the Brazil national football team. He played in the 1993 Copa América and the 1994 FIFA World Cup. In the World Cup final, he came on as a substitute in extra time. His energetic play helped Brazil win the tournament! Viola also helped Corinthians finish second in the Brasileirão in 1994.
Playing in Spain and Return to Brazil
In early 1995, Viola was sold to Valencia in Spain. But he stayed with Corinthians for six more months. During this time, he helped them win the Campeonato Paulista and the Copa do Brasil.
However, Viola didn't quite settle in Spain. Even though he scored a good number of goals, he decided to return to Brazil in mid-1996. He signed with Palmeiras. He didn't play as consistently well there. After Palmeiras finished second in the 1997 Brasileirão, he left the club.
Success with Santos and Vasco da Gama
Viola then signed with Santos. Here, he started playing very well again. He helped Santos reach the semifinals of the Campeonato Paulista and the Brasileirão. He also helped them win the 1998 Copa CONMEBOL title. Viola was even the top scorer in the Brasileirão that year!
His last great moments in his career were with Vasco da Gama in 1999 and 2000. He was a key player when they finished second in the 2000 FIFA World Club Cup. He also helped Vasco da Gama win the 2000 Copa Mercosur and the Brasileirão championships.
Later Career and Retirement
After his time with Vasco da Gama, Viola had a less successful return to Santos in 2001. He then left Brazil again to play for Gaziantepspor in Turkey. He scored 18 goals in 46 matches during his year and a half there.
In mid-2003, Viola came back to Brazil. He played for many different teams. He also played in some showbol matches, which is a type of indoor football. In 2010, he even appeared on a reality television show! His last attempt to play professionally was in 2015 for Taboão da Serra.
Achievements and Awards
Viola won many titles and awards during his football career.
Club Honours
Corinthians
- São Paulo State League: 1988, 1995
- Copa do Brasil: 1995
Santos
- Copa Conmebol: 1998
Vasco da Gama
- Brazilian League: 2000
- Copa Mercosur: 2000
International Honours
Brazil
Individual Awards
- São Paulo state league's top scorer: 1993
- Brazilian league's top scorer: 1998
- Copa Conmebol's top scorer: 1998
