Zico (footballer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Zico

Zico managing Iraq in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Arthur Antunes Coimbra
Date of birth	(1953-03-03) 3 March 1953 (age 72)
Place of birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.72 m
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	Kashima Antlers (technical adviser)
Youth career
1967–1971	Flamengo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1971–1983	Flamengo	212	(123)
1983–1985	Udinese	39	(22)
1985–1989	Flamengo	37	(12)
1991–1994	Kashima Antlers	45	(35)
Total		333	(192)
National team
1976–1986	Brazil	71	(48)
Teams managed
1999	Kashima Antlers
2000–2002	CFZ
2002–2006	Japan
2006–2008	Fenerbahçe
2008	Bunyodkor
2009	CSKA Moscow
2009–2010	Olympiacos
2011–2012	Iraq
2013–2014	Al-Gharafa
2014–2016	FC Goa
2018–2022	Kashima Antlers (technical director)
2022–	Kashima Antlers (technical adviser)
Honours Men's Football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Third 1978 Argentina Copa América Third 1979 South America
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Arthur Antunes Coimbra (born 3 March 1953), known as Zico, is a Brazilian football coach and former player. He played as an attacking midfielder. Many people call him the "White Pelé" because he was such a talented player. Zico was known for his amazing skills, great vision, and ability to score goals. He is considered one of the best players of all time.

Zico was arguably the best player in the world in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was a fantastic playmaker and a specialist at free kicks. He could bend the ball in any direction. Some say Zico scored the most goals from free kicks, with 101 goals!

In 1999, Zico was voted seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century poll. In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. Even Pelé, one of the greatest players ever, said that Zico was the player who came closest to him. Zico was also named the Player of the Year in 1981 and 1983.

Zico scored 48 goals in 71 games for Brazil. This makes him the fifth highest goalscorer for his country. He played for Brazil in the 1978, 1982, and 1986 World Cups. Brazil did not win any of these tournaments. However, the 1982 team is still seen as one of Brazil's best ever. Zico is often called the greatest Brazilian player who never won the World Cup.

After retiring as a player, Zico coached the Japan national team. He led them in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and won the 2004 Asian Cup. He also coached Fenerbahçe, guiding them to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2007–08. He has also coached teams like CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos, and the Iraq national team. Today, he works as a technical adviser for Kashima Antlers.

Zico's Early Life and Football Dreams

A teenage Zico in 1971

Zico was born in 1953 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His family came from Portugal and was not rich. Like many Brazilian kids, he dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. He often skipped school to play football in the streets. His amazing skills made him famous in his neighborhood. People would gather to watch him play against older kids. At that time, he played for a local futsal team called Juventude. His older brothers and friends ran this team. He also played for the futsal club River Futebol Clube on Sundays.

His nickname, Zico, came from his family. They used to call him Arthurzinho (meaning "Little Arthur"). This name then became Arthurzico, then Tuzico, and finally Zico. His cousin, Ermelinda "Linda" Rolim, created the final version.

In 1967, when he was 14, Zico had a tryout scheduled at América. His brothers, Antunes and Edu, were professional players there. But one Sunday, during a River match, Zico scored nine goals! A radio reporter named Celso Garcia noticed him. The reporter asked Zico's father to take him to a tryout at Flamengo instead. Zico was a big Flamengo fan, so his father agreed. This was the start of his journey to becoming one of football's most admired players.

Zico's Youth Football Journey

Zico was not very strong physically when he was young. His journey to success began with a tough training program. A physical education teacher, José Roberto Francalacci, helped him. Zico worked very hard and followed a special diet from his team. This helped him build a strong body and become a great athlete. This hard work was very important for his future success.

In 1971 and 1972, Zico moved between the youth team and the professional team. Coach Fleitas Solich believed in Zico's talent and promoted him. However, when the coach left and Zagallo took over, things changed. Zagallo thought Zico was too young and sent him back to the youth team. Zico's situation only improved when Joubert, his first youth coach, became the new coach for the senior team. Joubert fully promoted Zico after he had played 116 matches and scored 81 goals for the youth team.

Zico's Club Career Highlights

Flamengo: A Legend is Born

Zico playing for Flamengo in 1981

While playing for Flamengo, Zico was the most important player during the team's best years. He helped the team win many titles. In his first time at Flamengo, he led them to victory in the 1981 Copa Libertadores. They also won the 1981 Intercontinental Cup. Flamengo also won four national titles (1980, 1982, 1983, and 1987).

On the field, Zico scored goals in many amazing ways. He was also a fantastic assister and helped organize the team's play. He was known for his excellent vision of the field. Zico could use both feet to play and was an expert at free kicks.

Udinese: An Italian Adventure

After getting offers from A.S. Roma and A.C. Milan, Zico decided to move to Italy. Udinese offered a lot of money for him. This huge amount of money caused problems with the FIGC (Italian Football Federation). They tried to stop the transfer, asking for financial guarantees. This made the fans in Udine very angry. They protested in the streets, shouting "O Zico, o Austria!" (meaning "Either Zico or Austria"). In the end, the deal went through. Zico's move made Flamengo fans sad, but it made Udinese fans dream of better times.

In the 1983–84 Serie A season, his first in Italy, Zico played very well. His partnership with Franco Causio helped Udinese gain respect from big clubs like Juventus and Roma. His free kicks were so powerful that TV sports shows debated how to stop them. Even with his great performance, Udinese finished ninth. Zico scored 19 goals, just one less than the top scorer Michel Platini. He played 4 fewer matches due to an injury. He was also voted 1983 Player of the Year by World Soccer Magazine.

His next season was affected by injuries. He also complained that the club was not signing enough good players. This made the team too dependent on him. Zico played an amazing final match for Udinese against Diego Maradona's Napoli. After this, he returned to Brazil and Flamengo. He is still loved by all Udinese fans today.

Back to Flamengo: More Triumphs

Just one month after returning to Flamengo, Zico suffered a serious knee injury. A strong tackle from Bangu's defender Marcio Nunes caused it. This injury stopped his career for several months. It even affected his performance in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

After recovering, things got better for Zico in 1987. He led Flamengo to win the Copa União title. December 1989 marked Zico's last official game for Flamengo. It was a Brazilian National Championship match against their rivals Fluminense. Zico scored the first goal, and Flamengo won the match 5–0.

Two months later, at Maracanã, he played his very last game as a Flamengo player. He faced a World Cup Masters team with famous players like Eric Gerets, Claudio Gentile, Franco Causio, Alberto Tarantini, Jorge Valdano, Mario Kempes, Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Falcão.

Zico played 731 matches for Flamengo, which is the second-most appearances for the club. His 508 goals make him the club's all-time top scorer. The achievements of this great Flamengo idol inspired the Brazilian singer Jorge Ben Jor to write a song about him. The song was called Camisa 10 da Gávea. This helped create the special feeling around the club's number 10 jersey.

Brief Retirement and Politics

Zico played for Brazil in the World Cup of Masters. He scored in the finals of the 1990 and 1991 tournaments.

After Brazil's first presidential election in many years, the new president Fernando Collor de Mello made Zico his Minister of Sports. Zico worked in this political role for about a year. His most important work was creating a law about the business side of sports teams.

Kashima Antlers: A New Chapter in Japan

In 1991, Zico stopped his political work. He accepted an offer to join Sumitomo Metals in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. At that time, the club was in the second division. Zico's goal was to help the club get into Japan's first fully professional football league, the J1 League, which was starting in 1993.

Zico played for Sumitomo in 1991–92. This was the last season before the old Japan Soccer League ended. He finished as the top scorer in the second division. When the new league started, the club was renamed Kashima Antlers. In their first J.League match, Zico scored three goals in a 5–0 win. Many people did not expect this small-town club to compete with richer teams. However, Zico helped the Antlers win the J.League Suntory Series and finish second in their first season. This helped the club become one of the league's best teams. On 15 June 1994, he scored the last goal of his playing career. It was in a 2–1 win over Júbilo Iwata.

Zico's discipline, talent, and professionalism fit very well with Japanese culture. His influence earned him the nickname サッカーの神様 (sakkā no kamisama) from Japanese fans. He became a local legend in Japan. He built a strong team from almost nothing and put the city of Kashima on the map. There is a statue in his honor outside Kashima Soccer Stadium.

Zico's International Career with Brazil

An event related to the Brazil national football team almost made Zico quit football. He played his first international game in the South American qualifier for the 1972 Summer Olympics. He played 5 matches and scored the goal that qualified Brazil against Argentina. Despite this, he was not chosen for the Munich games. He felt very disappointed and told his father he wanted to stop playing football. He even missed training at Flamengo for 10 days. Later, his brothers convinced him to keep playing.

In the first group match of the 1978 World Cup against Sweden, Zico headed a corner kick into the goal in the last minute. This seemed to break a 1–1 tie. But the Welsh referee Clive Thomas disallowed the goal. He said he had blown the whistle to end the match while the ball was still in the air. In the second round, Zico scored from a penalty in a 3–0 win over Peru. Brazil eventually won a bronze medal at the tournament, beating Italy for third place.

Zico also won another bronze medal with Brazil in the 1979 Copa América. He scored two goals in that tournament.

The 1982 World Cup featured Zico as part of an amazing team. He played alongside Falcão, Sócrates, Éder, Cerezo, and Júnior. Zico scored 4 goals and was involved in eight goals for Brazil. However, the team was defeated 3–2 by Paolo Rossi and Italy. This happened in the final match of the second round group stage.

He played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup even though he was still injured. He only came on as a substitute in the second half during the tournament. In the quarter-final match against France, he helped Brazil win a penalty. But he then missed his kick. The match ended in a tie, leading to a shootout. Zico scored his goal in the shootout. However, penalties missed by Sócrates and Júlio César meant Brazil was knocked out.

In March 1989, Zico played his farewell match for the Seleção (Brazil national team). He lost 1–2 to a World All-Stars team at Stadio Friuli. This was a tribute to Udine, the city that had welcomed him six years before.

Zico's Style of Play

Zico was a classic number 10 player. He usually played as an attacking midfielder. But he could also play in other attacking and midfield roles. He was sometimes a central midfielder, a second striker, or even an outside forward. He is seen as one of the greatest footballers ever.

Zico was a small but quick player. He had amazing technique, ball control, and dribbling skills. He loved to use tricks and feints to get past opponents. Former Dutch player Ruud Gullit called Zico "one of the best dribblers in the history of the game." He described him as "very nimble."

Even though he wasn't physically big, Zico was a complete and very creative player. He had excellent vision and is considered one of the best passers ever. He was known for his special no-look passes. Besides creating chances, Zico was also a great goalscorer. He had powerful and accurate shots, making him very effective in front of goal. Many experts consider him one of the greatest goalscorers in football history.

He was also a set-piece specialist. He was famous for his ability to bend the ball and score from free kicks. He is considered one of the greatest free-kick takers of all time. Zico's unique free kick technique involved leaning back and raising his knee high when hitting the ball. This allowed him to lift the ball high over the wall before it dropped down. He could score free kicks even from close range. Because of his technique and accuracy, he could place the ball in any corner of the goal. This made it very hard for goalkeepers. His skills from set-pieces inspired other great players like Roberto Baggio and Andrea Pirlo.

Besides his football skills, Zico was known for his leadership and strong will. He was also dedicated and had an amazing work ethic. He often stayed after training to practice his free kicks. Throughout his career, Zico was nicknamed O Galinho (meaning "The Little Rooster" in Portuguese).

Despite his great talent, Zico's career was often affected by injuries.

Zico's Retirement and Coaching Career

Zico retired from professional football during the 1994 season. But he received an invitation to play beach soccer. He won the Beach Soccer World Cup 1995. He was the top scorer with 12 goals and was named the best player of the tournament.

In 1995, he returned to Kashima to become the Antlers' technical adviser. He split his time between Japan and Brazil, where he still played beach soccer. One year later, in 1996, he won his second Beach Soccer World Cup with Brazil. He scored in the final against Uruguay. He also founded CFZ (Zico Football Centre) in Rio de Janeiro. In 1999, Zico founded another club called CFZ de Brasília.

Coaching Japan

After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the Japan Football Association chose Zico as the new coach. He didn't have much coaching experience, but he knew Japanese soccer well from his playing days. He also worked as Kashima's technical director. Zico wanted his team to play with a free, attacking style.

His time as coach started a bit rough. Japan lost 4–1 to Argentina in 2003. They did well in the Confederations Cup that year. But in early 2004, they struggled again. They barely beat Oman in a World Cup qualifier. Some players were even suspended after a drinking incident. There were rumors that Zico might resign, and some fans wanted him fired.

However, he stayed and led Japan to win the 2004 Asian Cup. This was a great achievement, especially with Chinese fans trying to intimidate them. He then helped Japan qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup with only one loss.

Despite the difficult start and injuries to key players, Zico led Japan to their third World Cup finals. They also won their third Asian Cup title in four tries. His Japanese team played with a style influenced by Brazil's short passing. Zico was flexible and could switch between different formations. His team also had good results in Europe, beating Czech Republic and Greece. They also drew with England, Brazil, and Germany.

However, Japan did not win any matches at the World Cup finals. They lost twice (to Australia and Brazil) and drew once (to Croatia). They scored only two goals and let in seven. Zico resigned from Japan after the World Cup.

Coaching Fenerbahçe

In July 2006, Zico signed a two-year deal to coach Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He won the league title in 2007 and the Turkish Super Cup in his first year. Under his leadership, Fenerbahçe reached the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time ever. They beat Sevilla on penalties to reach the quarter-finals. Fenerbahce beat Chelsea 2–1 in the first game, but Chelsea won 2–0 in the second game, knocking Fenerbahce out. This was Fenerbahce's best performance in UEFA competitions.

Fenerbahçe fans gave Zico a new nickname: Kral Arthur (meaning "King Arthur" in Turkish). On 10 June 2008, he resigned as Fenerbahçe manager because they could not agree on a new contract.

Coaching Bunyodkor, CSKA Moscow, and Olympiacos

In 2008, Zico coached FC Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan. There, he won the Uzbekistani Cup and the Uzbek League. He then took over at Russian club CSKA Moscow. But he was fired on 10 September 2009.

Less than a week later, Zico signed a 2-year contract with Olympiacos in Greece. Even with many injured players, he led the Greek club to a good second place in their Champions League group. This meant they qualified for the knockout stage. His first results in the Greek Superleague were also impressive. But this success did not last. Fans started to complain about the results and the team's playing style. They were knocked out of the Greek cup by a second-division team. On 19 January 2010, Zico was sacked after a 0-0 draw against Kavala. His team had only lost two times in the Greek Superleague.

Coaching Iraq and Al-Gharafa

Zico signed a contract with the Iraq Football Federation on 28 August 2011. He first managed the national team in a match against Jordan on 2 September 2011. Zico resigned as coach of the Iraqi national team on 27 November 2012. He said the country's football association did not keep their promises in his contract. He had ten wins, six draws, and five losses in 21 games with Iraq.

On 6 August 2013, he signed a two-year deal to coach Al-Gharafa in Qatar.

Coaching FC Goa

Indian Super League team FC Goa signed Zico as their coach for the first season in 2014. Goa started slowly, but they qualified for the semifinals by beating Chennaiyin FC. In 2015, FC Goa did very well and reached the final. However, Goa lost 3–2 to Chennaiyin FC. Zico became a legend among the local fans in Goa. In January 2017, FC Goa confirmed they were ending their three-year partnership with Zico. They made this decision together because of challenges for the upcoming season.

Zico's Administrative Roles

Zico was a director at Kashima Antlers between 1996 and 2002.

On 30 May 2010, it was announced that Zico would become the new football director for Flamengo. This was a four-year deal, bringing him back to the team where he won his biggest honors after 25 years. However, this return lasted only five months. He resigned because of disagreements with the club's board.

On 10 June 2015, Zico officially announced he would run for the FIFA presidency. This happened after Sepp Blatter resigned due to corruption claims.

In August 2018, Zico returned to Kashima Antlers as technical director. This was 16 years after his last time as a director at the club.

Zico's Personal Life

Zico's grandfathers were both Portuguese. His father, José Antunes Coimbra, was also Portuguese. He came to Brazil when he was 10. Zico's mother, Matilde Ferreira da Silva Costa, was born in 1919. She passed away in 2002. Because of his family, Zico also has Portuguese citizenship, as well as Brazilian.

Zico was the youngest of six children. His siblings were Maria José (Zezé), Antunes, Nando, Edu, and Antônio (Tonico).

In 1969, Zico met his future wife, Sandra Carvalho de Sá. They got engaged in 1970 and married in 1975. Sandra's sister, Sueli, is Edu's wife. Zico has three sons: Arthur Jr., Bruno, and Thiago. Zico is also a character in the famous Classic Eleven team from the FIFA video games. Zico is a Roman Catholic. He is also a distant relative of the Portuguese footballer Eduardo Quaresma.

Honours

Player

Club Achievements

Flamengo

• Campeonato Carioca (State Championship): 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979 (twice), 1981, 1986
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Brazilian National League): 1980, 1982, 1983
• Copa União: 1987
• Copa Libertadores (South American Club Championship): 1981
• Intercontinental Cup (World Club Championship): 1981

Kashima Antlers

• J.League Suntory Series: 1993

International Achievements

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup third place: 1978
• Copa América third place: 1979
• Taça do Atlântico: 1976
• Copa Río Branco: 1976
• Taça Oswaldo Cruz: 1976
• Bicentennial Cup: 1976

Brazil U23

• CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic: 1971

Individual Awards

• Bola de Ouro (Best Brazilian Player): 1974, 1982
• Bola de Prata (Best Brazilian Team of the Year): 1974, 1975, 1977, 1982, 1987
• Campeonato Carioca top scorer: 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982
• South American Footballer of the Year: 1977, 1981, 1982
• Brazilian season top scorer: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982
• FIFA XI: 1979, 1982
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top scorer: 1980, 1982
• Copa Libertadores Best Player: 1981
• Copa Libertadores top scorer: 1981
• Intercontinental Cup MVP Award: 1981
• FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot: 1982
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1982
• World Soccer Player of the Year: 1983
• Serie A Player of the Year: 1984
• Beach Soccer World Championship Top Scorer: 1995
• Beach Soccer World Championship Best Player: 1995
• FIFA Order of Merit: 1996
• FIFA 100: 2004 (list of greatest living players)
• Golden Foot Legends Award: 2006
• Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame: 2010
• Japan Football Hall of Fame: 2016
• IFFHS 3rd Best Brazilian Player of the 20th century
• IFFHS 7th Best South American Player of the 20th century
• FIFA 7th Best Player of the 20th century

Records

• Top scorer in Flamengo's history – 508 goals
• Top scorer in Maracanã Stadium – 333 goals
• Japan Soccer League record for goals scored in straight matches – 11 goals in 10 matches (1992)
• Flamengo record holder – Top scorer in a single season – 81 goals (1979)

Manager Achievements

Fenerbahçe

• Süper Lig: 2006–07
• Turkish Super Cup: 2007

Bunyodkor

• Uzbekistani Cup: 2008
• Uzbek League: 2008

CSKA Moscow

• Russian Super Cup: 2009
• Russian Cup: 2008–09

Japan

• Asian Cup: 2004

Images for kids

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  Zico in 2009 as manager of PFC CSKA Moscow