César Sampaio Explained

César Sampaio
Fullname:	Carlos César Sampaio Campos
Birth Date:	1968 3, df=yes
Birth Place:	São Paulo, Brazil
Height:	1.77 m
Position:	Defensive midfielder
Currentclub:	Flamengo (assistant coach)
Years1:	1986–1991
Years2:	1991–1994
Years3:	1995–1998
Years4:	1999–2000
Years5:	2000–2001
Years6:	2001
Years7:	2002
Years8:	2003–2004
Years9:	2004
Clubs1:	Santos
Clubs2:	Palmeiras
Clubs3:	Yokohama Flügels
Clubs4:	Palmeiras
Clubs5:	Deportivo La Coruña
Clubs6:	Corinthians
Clubs7:	Kashiwa Reysol
Clubs8:	Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Clubs9:	São Paulo
Caps1:	82
Goals1:	2
Caps2:	60
Goals2:	5
Caps3:	116
Goals3:	13
Caps4:	22
Goals4:	2
Caps5:	10
Goals5:	0
Caps6:	9
Goals6:	0
Caps7:	26
Goals7:	3
Caps8:	55
Goals8:	5
Caps9:	25
Goals9:	1
Totalcaps:	406
Totalgoals:	32
Nationalyears1:	1990–2000
Nationalteam1:	Brazil
Nationalcaps1:	47
Nationalgoals1:	6
Manageryears1:	2016–2022
Managerclubs1:	Brazil (assistant coach)
Manageryears2:	2023–
Managerclubs2:	Flamengo (assistant coach)

Carlos César Sampaio Campos (born 31 March 1968) is a Brazilian football pundit and retired footballer, who played as a midfielder. He currently serves as an assistant coach of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Flamengo.

Club career

A former defensive midfielder, César Sampaio is one of the few players who played for the four major clubs from São Paulo (Santos, Palmeiras, Corinthians and São Paulo). A Palmeiras legend, he is considered one of the greatest players in the club's history, having played with the team from 1991 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2000. He won the Bola de Ouro (Brazilian Golden Ball award) twice, in 1990 and 1993.

International career

César Sampaio joined the Brazil national football team during the Copa América in 1993, also took part at the 1995 edition of the tournament (where they finished as runners-up), but was not part of the team during the FIFA World Cup finals in neither 1990 nor 1994.

He was later also part of the Brazilian squad that won both the Copa América and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1997, and played for Brazil at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, where he made six appearances in the team's run to the final, which they lost to the hosts of the tournament, France.^[1] At the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, he became remembered for scoring the first goal of the entire tournament in the 4th minute of Brazil's opening match against Scotland, a header from a corner by Bebeto on the left.^[2] He also scored a brace in Brazil's 4–1 victory against Chile in the round of 16 during the same tournament.^[3]

Sampaio is also remembered for helping Ronaldo when he suffered a convulsive fit in the night before the 1998 FIFA World Cup final.^[4]

Style of play

Sampaio has been described by FIFA.com as a "modern defensive midfielder who combined being an enforcer with playmaking from deep," and as a player who filled the void left by Dunga as the anchor in Brazil's midfield following his retirement after the 1998 World Cup, by dominating "the engine room." He is considered to be one of Palmeiras's greatest players ever.^[5] ^[6]

After retirement

César Sampaio retired from professional football in 2004. He has recently said that he wants to become a manager and he is starting his coaching badges.

He later served as an assistant coach and scout for the Brazil national team, as part of the team's coaching staff during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.^[7] ^[8]

Career statistics

Club

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Brazil			League		Copa do Brasil		League Cup		Total
1986	Santos	Série A	10	0					10	0
1987			7	0					7	0
1988			15	0					15	0
1989			16	0					16	0
1990			17	1					17	1
1991			17	1					17	1
1992	Palmeiras	Série A	18	2					18	2
1993			20	2					20	2
1994			22	1					22	1
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		Total
1995	Yokohama Flügels	J1 League	32	0	2	1	colspan="2"	-	34	1
1996			27	5	2	0	14	2	43	7
1997			29	6	2	0	9	1	40	7
1998			28	2	5	0	0	0	33	2
Brazil			League		Copa do Brasil		League Cup		Total
1999	Palmeiras	Série A	15	2					15	2
2000	Palmeiras	Série A	7	0					7	0
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Copa de la Liga		Total
2000–01	Deportivo La Coruña	La Liga	10	0					10	0
Brazil			League		Copa do Brasil		League Cup		Total
2001	Corinthians	Série A	9	0					9	0
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		Total
2002	Kashiwa Reysol	J1 League	26	3	0	0	6	0	32	3
2003	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	J2 League	41	5	4	0	colspan="2"	-	45	5
2004	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	J1 League	14	0	0	0	2	0	16	0
Brazil			League		Copa do Brasil		League Cup		Total
2004	São Paulo	Série A	25	1					25	1
Country	Brazil		198	10					198	10
	Japan		197	21	15	1	31	3	243	25
	Spain		10	0					10	0
Total			405	31	15	1	31	3	451	35