Deleu | |
Fullname: | Wanderlei dos Santos |
Birth Date: | 9 March 1940 |
Birth Place: | Bebedouro, Brazil |
Position: | Right back |
Youthclubs1: | Inter de Bebedouro |
Years1: | 1961–1965 |
Clubs1: | São Paulo |
Caps1: | 169 |
Goals1: | 0 |
Years2: | 1965–1967 |
Pcupdate: | 26 September 2023 |
Wanderlei dos Santos (born 9 March 1940), better known as Deleu, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a right back.[1] [2]
Revealed at Internacional de Bebedouro, he arrived at São Paulo FC along with another athlete on the team, the forward Sabino. He was an excellent on tackle, being considered the terror of left wingers.[3] Deleu ended his career at Guarani FC in 1967.[4]
Deleu's nickname was originally Delei (from Wanderlei), but due to a newspaper error it ended up being Deleu. As the player got angry with the confusion, Deleu ended up scoring among the other athletes. He was a staunch anti-smoking activist, at a time when most football players smoked frequently. Years after retiring, he became a bailiff in Paraná.[5]