ZÉ CARLOS: A GREAT GOALKEEPER

Zé Carlos Goalkeeper

In 1975 I was working at Olaria A.C., in the Professional as Physical Trainer and Technical Assistant to Professor Américo Faria. I had already graduated in Soccer Coach, in 1974 as required by law, and worked with the Base Categories, amateurishly, without remuneration, at E.C. Cocotá, having been Champion of Rio de Janeiro in 1973, considered the Coach of the Year of the Autonomous Department.

Recommended by the Friends of the Physical Education Class, Prof. Master Doctor Jayme Pimenta Valente and Prof. Sebastião Barroso Lazaroni, promoted in Category at the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, I received an invitation and soon accepted to be the Coach of the Infanto Juvenil (which in 1979 became Juvenile) and Physical Trainer of the Juvenile (which became Juniors in 79). And we started the work on 1st. January 1976.

Presented to the Football Department, we soon started the planning, receiving the remaining Athletes from the previous year, born in 1959, seeking reinforcements in other clubs, intensifying the Experience of new players with the experienced Plínio, and organizing with the Infantil directed by Djair and the Excellent Prof. Isaias Tinoco, the ascension of the players who had exceeded the age of Infantile, According to the opinion of those who worked with them in the previous season (which I was not aware of, because I was working at another club and professionally), some of them have been at the club for years. In addition to the evaluation of those responsible for the Children’s category, the initial one at the time, we organized two events, on close days, of training games between 61-year-old starters, who were over-aged, against 62-year-olds, who would play that year of ’76, and the 61-year-old reserves vs. the 62-year-old reserves.

With the set of information received from those responsible for the Infant category and my perception in the training games, we listed the players to join the remnants of the previous Infanto and those acquired on the recommendation of the club.

That’s where Zé Carlos comes in! The 2 goalkeepers of 61 were good, like all players, but of average height, with few prospects of growth, considering my own experience and general observation (in 69 I decided to stop at Juvenil do Olaria, being well regarded, respected, champion and starter, (Champion of Schools in 68 – players up to 17 years old), because I was short and I knew that the ideal was to have good height, with rare exceptions, Ubirajara Motta, Claudio, Campos who confirm the rule). I decided to include in the promotion 2 players of 62, old enough to play in the Infantil that year of 1976, for having stood out in the training games I watched: 1 was a centre-forward, left-footed, tall, strong, with excellent technique and game intelligence for his age, goalscorer: Ronaldo Sereno (who deserves a chapter of his own). The other was Zé Carlos – José Carlos da Costa Araujo, born on February 7, 62, very tall for his age, much taller than the 2 of 61 and the holder of 62. By growing up he still looked uncoordinated technically, but he had all the qualities for a goalkeeper, attentive, concentrated, courageous and with good overall posture. The goal kick didn’t even leave the penalty area. My intuition determined it, as I have always followed.

He would still have 1 year of kindergarten, but in the Infanto, where he would have 3, he was able to improve and mature more quickly, for several reasons, and already in 78 he was a starter in the Infanto (which in 1979 was renamed Juvenile, when the Juvenile became juniors), always from then on with two years before the age of the nineteenth.

He trained a lot, he was disciplined, he had the psychological qualities for the position, he had good examples in the same category, Canarinho, Nilo, Jadir, Paulo Cesar, in the Juvenile, Rodolfo, Helio dos Anjos, and in the Professional, Raul, Cantarelli, Luiz Alberto, excellent technically and morally! He participated in the Golden Phase of C.R.do Flamengo.

He developed rapidly, but the growth phase still created deficiencies in the technical area, such as the low slip, the flattening and the replacement with the feet. In a game for Infanto in 78, against Bonsucesso, in Gávea, for the Rio de Janeiro championship that Flamengo won, the game was 0-0, full-back Toninho advances, the exceptional Figueiredo opens to receive on the side of the area, Zé Carlos passes and runs to receive (at that time he could delay the ball by the player to the goalkeeper), Figueiredo dominates and returns in the direction of our Goalkeeper who bends down without closing his legs well, the ball passes between them and is left clean for the excellent center-forward Neilson, from Bonsussa, who scores the goal, despite the attempt to recover by our goalkeeper, who despaired, took off his shirt and almost crying came towards the locker rooms. Halfway there I interrupted him, shouting at him to put on his shirt immediately and go back to the goal, to close the goal, which had already saved us from defeat so many times. It worked, he wore the number 1 shirt, came back, closed the goal, we won and he continued his career with another good lesson, arriving at Junior 2 years early, and still young to the Professional World Champion in 1981, in Japan and later to the National Team.

Great boy, simple and cheerful, product of his good Family, who remembers, always Brother and Mother present at the games, high group spirit, so are the Professional Athletes, conjugation of the Man with the Player, in a club that traditionally reveals players, the Pratas-da-Casa, Ouro-da-Casa! The starter in ’81 was Raul, a great player, so big and fast in his feet and hands that he almost never fell, this bothered coaches who liked to train players by bridging. He didn’t go to the World Cup, worse for Brazil!

The most important game of Zé Carlos’ life was a training match! I’ve always said to my Athletes: maximum dedication at every moment on and off the field, sometimes an Observer of the Professional, of a Club of greater investment, or of the National Team is around without being noticed, writing everything down!

Rest in Peace, Zé Carlos, R.I.P. because when he was still young he went to Heaven, he certainly fulfilled his Mission here!

Thank you for everything – it was great to work with and learn from you!

P.S. – Today is Birthday of by beloved Neigbhor and Friend Paula: Happy Birthday!

P.S. 2 – Today is Birthday of my Friend and Golden Pioneer Submarine Nequinha! Let´s Dance!

José Carlos da Costa Araújo, conhecido como Zé Carlos, foi um futebolista brasileiro e goleiro do Flamengo nas décadas de 80 e 90. Ele nasceu no Rio de Janeiro em 7 de fevereiro de 1962 e faleceu prematuramente aos 47 anos, em 24 de julho de 2009, vítima de câncer no abdômen¹ ².

Zé Carlos marcou época no Flamengo, onde permaneceu por 13 anos, entre 1984 e 1997. Durante sua carreira, ele realizou defesas impressionantes, destacando-se por sua agilidade e reflexos. Ele foi o goleiro titular no lendário time do Flamengo em 1987, conquistando títulos importantes, como o Campeonato Brasileiro de 1987 e a Copa do Brasil de 1990¹.

Além do Flamengo, Zé Carlos também atuou por outros clubes, incluindo o Cruzeiro, o Vitória de Guimarães (Portugal) e o Vitória (Brasil). Ele foi um jogador respeitado e deixou sua marca no mundo do futebol brasileiro. Sua partida precoce deixou saudades entre os torcedores e colegas de profissão ¹ ³ ⁴.

José Carlos da Costa Araújo, o Zé Carlos (Rio de Janeiro, 7 de fevereiro de 1962 — Rio de Janeiro, 24 de julho de 2009), foi um futebolista brasileiro, goleiro do Flamengo nas décadas de 80 e 90.

Era membro da Ordem DeMolay, tendo iniciado no capítulo Rio de Janeiro 001 do Brasil e Mater da América Latina^[^{carece de fontes}^].

Carreira

No início de sua carreira, Zé Carlos atuou pelo Americano-RJ e Rio Branco-ES. Entretanto, sua carreira acabou sofrendo uma guinada em 1984, quando o goleiro foi contratado pelo Flamengo. ? ? ?

Entre 1986 e 1991, Zé Carlos foi o goleiro titular do Flamengo e, apesar de nunca ter sido uma unanimidade entre os torcedores, sempre se destacou por realizar defesas impossíveis, de puro reflexo e elasticidade.

Durante as eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 1990 atuou em duas partidas e, em seguida, foi convocado para disputar aquela Copa, na reserva de Taffarel e Acácio.

Em 1991, com a chegada de Gilmar, Zé Carlos perde espaço no time do Flamengo e deixa o clube.

Após deixar o Flamengo, teve rápida passagem pelo Cruzeiro e, em seguida, transferiu-se para o futebol português, onde defendeu o Vitória de Guimarães, o Farense, o Felgueiras e o FC Pedras Rubras.

No retorno ao Brasil, em maio de 1996, voltou a atuar pelo Flamengo. No entanto, pouco mais de um ano depois e a falha na final do torneio Rio-São Paulo de 1997, deixou a Gávea pela última vez e foi defender o Vitória.

Zé Carlos jogou pelo Flamengo em suas duas passagens 354 jogos, 184 vitórias, 90 empates e 80 derrotas; 1 gol. Ele foi o goleiro titular no lendário time de 1987. Principais títulos pelo Mengão, Carioca de 1986 e 1996, Campeonato Brasileiro de 1987, Copa do Brasil 1990.^[1]

No Vitória participou das vitoriosas campanhas do Campeonato Baiano e da Campeonato do Nordeste.

Antes de sair do Flamengo, Zé Carlos foi o segundo goleiro da história do clube a marcar um gol, em cobrança de pênalti.

Antes de encerrar a carreira, Zé Carlos ainda jogou pelo XV de Piracicaba, América-RJ e Tubarão-SC.

Jogos marcantes

No Campeonato Brasileiro de 1988, logo após retornar de seu compromisso com a Seleção Brasileira depois do término das Olimpíadas de Seul, Zé Carlos reestreou na equipe do Flamengo em uma partida contra o Grêmio e foi aplaudido e chamado de rei pela torcida do Flamengo, pois após sua equipe empatar em 0 a 0 com a equipe gaúcha e a partida ser decidida nos pênaltis (leia o regulamento do Campeonato Brasileiro de 88 para mais detalhes), o goleiro defendeu dois pênaltis e garantiu a vitória do Flamengo por 4 a 2.^[2]

Pós-carreira

Em 2006, Zé Carlos ocupou o cargo de gerente de futebol no América-RJ.
Em 2007, Zé Carlos ocupou o cargo de gerente de futebol no Campo Grande-RJ
Zé Carlos participou, em 27 de dezembro de 2007, do jogo comemorativo de 20 anos da conquista do Módulo Verde do Campeonato Brasileiro de 1987. Zé Carlos e todos os demais titulares que venceram a equipe do Internacional na final da competição (com exceção de Jorginho e Bebeto) atuaram contra o Time dos Amigos de Zico.^[3]

Falecimento

No dia 24 de julho de 2009, Zé Carlos morreu devido a um câncer no abdômen.^[4]^[5] Foi sepultado no Cemitério São João Batista no dia seguinte^[6]

Dentre várias homenagens, dois dias depois da morte de Zé Carlos, o amigo e companheiro de equipe no Flamengo e na Seleção Brasileira Andrade, estando interinamente no comando do Flamengo, dedicou ainda em campo e emocionado a primeira vitória do clube sobre o Santos em jogos oficiais dentro da Vila Belmiro ao falecido companheiro. Também foi homenageado pelo goleiro Bruno, que usou uma camisa com seu nome no dia da conquista do título do Campeonato Brasileiro de 2009 pelo Flamengo.

Títulos

Flamengo