Giovanni (footballer, born 1972) explained

Giovanni
Fullname:Giovanni Silva de Oliverra
Birth Date:4 February 1972
Birth Place:Belém, Brazil
Height:1.91m
Position:Attacking midfielder, forward
Youthyears1:1990–1992
Youthclubs1:Tuna Luso
Years1:1992–1994
Clubs1:Tuna Luso
Caps1:38
Goals1:21
Years2:1993
Clubs2:Remo (loan)
Caps2:16
Goals2:5
Years3:1994
Clubs3:Paysandu (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:1994
Clubs4:Sãocarlense (loan)
Caps4:4
Goals4:2
Years5:1994
Clubs5:Santos (loan)
Caps5:11
Goals5:1
Years6:1995–1996
Clubs6:Santos
Caps6:79
Goals6:60
Years7:1996–1999
Clubs7:Barcelona
Caps7:71
Goals7:18
Years8:1999–2005
Clubs8:Olympiacos
Caps8:129
Goals8:60
Years9:2005–2006
Clubs9:Santos
Caps9:28
Goals9:4
Years10:2006
Clubs10:Al Hilal
Goals10:0
Years11:2006–2007
Clubs11:Ethnikos Piraeus
Caps11:8
Goals11:3
Years12:2007
Clubs12:Sport Recife
Caps12:0
Goals12:0
Years13:2009
Clubs13:Mogi Mirim
Caps13:16
Goals13:1
Years14:2010
Clubs14:Santos
Caps14:5
Goals14:1
Nationalyears1:1995–1999
Nationalteam1:Brazil
Nationalcaps1:18
Nationalgoals1:6

Giovanni Silva de Oliveira (born 4 February 1972), better known as Giovanni, is a Brazilian football manager and former player. He played as either an attacking midfielder or a forward.

At club level, Giovanni most notably played for Spanish side Barcelona, Greek side Olympiacos, and Brazilian club Santos. Internationally, he played for the Brazil national team, gaining 18 caps and scoring 6 goals; he was part of the Brazilian team that reached the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final.

In his prime, Giovanni was one of Barcelona's most valuable players, but after the arrival of Louis van Gaal at the club, he got into conflict with the Dutch manager, along with fellow Brazilians Rivaldo (whom van Gaal wanted to use as a left winger, despite his protests) and Sonny Anderson. He famously called van Gaal "a Hitler for Brazilians, and an egomaniac".[1] At Olympiacos Giovanni had the happiest and most successful days of his career, and is still remembered as a club legend by supporters.[2]

Club career

Early career

Born in Belém but raised in Abaetetuba, Pará,[3] Giovanni started his career with lowly amateurs Taça Luz in 1990, and moved to Tuna Luso shortly after.[4] After impressing in the youth setup, he made his first team debut in a 2–1 Copa do Brasil win over CSA, scoring a brace.[5]

Giovanni scored 17 goals in the 1992 Campeonato Paraense, with five of them coming in a 8–0 home routing of .[5] In 1993, he was loaned to Série A side Remo, but could not repeat the same success.[5]

In 1994, after a very brief period where he featured in two friendly matches for Paysandu (where he considered quitting the sport),[6] Giovanni played for Sãocarlense in the Campeonato Paulista Série A2.[5] He played only four matches in two months, and was subsequently set to move to Palmeiras; however, after becoming ill while waiting for his medical, he returned to his hometown and the move never materialized.[3]

Santos

As his last match for Sãocarlense was televised, Giovanni impressed Santos president Samir Abdul-Hak, who decided to sign him on loan until the end of the year.[7] [5] He made his debut for the club on 25 September, replacing Ranielli in a 4–1 away success over former club Remo,[8] and scored his first goal on 30 October in a 1–0 win over Paraná.[9]

For the 1995 season, Giovanni was bought by Santos, with club legend Pelé himself funding his transfer.[10] A starter during the 1995 Campeonato Paulista, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 home routing of Ponte Preta.[11] He repeated the feat on 20 October, in a victory over Grêmio for the same scoreline.[12]

Giovanni scored 17 goals in the 1995 Série A as Santos finished runners-up in the tournament; in the semi-finals against Fluminense, Santos lost 4–1 in the first leg away, and Giovanni dyed his hair red to show faith in the team. He displayed a splendid game in the second leg and Santos managed to win 5–2, with Giovanni scoring twice and assisting the club's final goal, which was scored by Marcelo Passos. Unfortunately, he could not help Santos overcome Botafogo in the final game. Nonetheless, he is still known to many Santos supporters as "Messias" (Messiah) and his fans named themselves "Giovanni's Witnesses" – a reference to the religion "Jehovah's Witnesses".[13]

On 7 April 1996, Giovanni scored four goals in a 8–2 win over União São João.[14] He scored two hat-tricks against Ferroviária[15] and Araçatuba,[16] and finished the 1996 Paulista as the top scorer with 24 goals.[17]

Barcelona

On 18 June 1996, Giovanni moved abroad for the first time in his career, after signing with Spanish club Barcelona,[18] for a rumoured fee of US$ 7.8 million.[19] He was a first team regular for two seasons and scored 18 goals overall. Barcelona fans still remember him for his ability to score game-winning goals against rivals Real Madrid. In his first year with Barcelona he won the 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup under manager Bobby Robson.[20] When Louis van Gaal took the lead in his third year at the club, however, he eventually fell out of favour with the Dutch manager, along with compatriot Sonny Anderson, despite scoring crucial goals in games such as the 1997 UEFA Super Cup second leg game against Borussia Dortmund.[21] [22] Due to his poor relationship with van Gaal, Giovanni left for Greek club Olympiacos in the summer of 1999, for a record transfer fee of £10,800,000. Later on in his career, he caused some controversy, by referring to van Gaal as a Hitler for Brazilians, and an egomaniac.[1]

Olympiacos

In Greece, Giovanni soon established himself as one of the best players of the Greek league.

A flamboyant striker, he was known for his inventive dribbling, passing range, and ability to lob the goalkeeper, as well as for having a penchant to beat opposing defenders by passing the ball through their legs (a move known as the nutmeg). His technique on the ball and the variety of fascinating moves he deployed during matches saw him become a highly popular player and a heroic figure to the Olympiacos fans, and he is regarded as one of the club's best ever players. His talent and skills earned him the nickname "magos" (μάγος) "wizard" in Greece.[23] [24]

On 20 May 2002, Giovanni renewed with Olympiacos for three years.[25] He was the leading goalscorer in Greece in the 2003–04 season with 21 goals.

Santos return

On 27 May 2005, Santos confirmed the return of Giovanni.[26] During the season, he appeared in 29 games and scored four goals, but after only one match into the 2006 campaign, he was told to leave by manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo.[27]

Late career

After his short return to Brazil, Giovanni played for several clubs abroad, such as Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal,[28] Greek club Ethnikos Piraeus, before returning to Brazil to play for Sport Recife in April 2007.[29] However, weeks after arriving at the latter, he left the club as manager Alexandre Gallo also departed.[30]

In November 2008, after more than a year without playing, Giovanni was convinced to come out of retirement by his friend Rivaldo,[31] and signed for Mogi Mirim.[32]

Second return to Santos

After passing the team's medical exams, Giovanni returned to Santos on 13 January 2010, with a contract until August.[33] Although he played very few matches for the club, he finally managed to win his first title with Santos, the Campeonato Paulista. In June 2010 season, he announced his retirement from professional football.[34]

International career

Giovanni earned 18 caps with the Brazil national team, scoring six goals for the "seleção". He was a member of the team that won the 1997 Copa América, and also represented his Country during the 1998 World Cup in France, where Brazil went on to reach the final, only to suffer a 3–0 defeat to the host nation.

Style of play

A versatile playmaker, his natural and favorite position was as an attacking midfielder, but he could also play as a forward, being an exceptional goalscorer. He was predominantly known for his world-class technique, his exceptional dribbling skills, and his outstanding flair and creativity on the ball, which saw him employ a variety of crafty moves, as well as his passing accuracy and goalscoring ability.

Career statistics

Club

ClubSeasonLeagueState LeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Remo1993Série A165165
Sãocarlense1994Paulista A24242
Santos1994[35] Série A111000000111
1995[36] 251728192[37] 24[38] 25940
1996[39] 00262410002724
Total361854431022429765
Barcelona1996–97La Liga307418[40] 31[41] 14312
1997–98279525[42] 44[43] 34118
1998–99142116220235
Total71181041997410735
Olympiacos1999–2000Alpha Ethniki148336[44] 42315
2000–0119711118[45] 33821
2001–02214810403314
2002–03221041503111
2003–04282172614124
2004–052510829[46] 04212
Total12960412938820897
Santos2005Série A2742[47] 0294
20060010000010
Total274100020304
Ethnikos2006–07Beta Ethniki831093
Mogi Mirim2009Paulista161161
Santos2010Série A10412071
Career total288108794755336119116494213

International

Brazil national team
YearAppsGoals
199560
199642
199732
199821
199931
Total186

International goals

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 31 August 1996 Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands 1 – 0 2–2 Friendly
2. 13 November 1996 Estádio Couto Pereira, Curitiba, Brazil 1 – 0 2–0 Friendly
3. 26 February 1997 Estádio Serra Dourada, Goiânia, Brazil 1 – 0 4–2 Friendly
4. 2 – 0
5. 3 June 1998 Stade Bauer, Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France 1 – 0 3–0 Friendly
6. 5 June 1999 Estádio Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil 2 – 0 2–2 Friendly

Honours

Club

Barcelona

Olympiacos

Al-Hilal

Santos

International

Brazil

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Smakeloze Giovanni: "Van Gaal is net Hitler". 6 July 2016.
  2. Web site: Τζιοβάνι: Αφιέρωμα στον μάγο που δεν θα ξεχάσουμε ποτέ.. 6 July 2016. dead. https://archive.today/20140624170025/http://www.sportylife.gr/unrated/Ziovanni-afierwma-ston-mago-pou-den-tha-ksexasoume-pote. 24 June 2014. mdy-all.
  3. Web site: Personalidade, golaços, dribles e silêncio: Giovanni completa 48 anos e festeja na web. Personality, great goals, dribbles and silence: Giovanni turns 48 and celebrates on the web. O Liberal. pt-BR. 4 February 2020. 7 July 2022.
  4. Web site: O brilho do Pará nas duas camisas. The glare of Pará on the two shirts. Dol. pt-BR. 17 December 1991. 7 July 2022.
  5. Web site: Giovanni atuando nos clubes paraenses. Giovanni playing in the clubs of Pará. O Curioso do Futebol. pt-BR. 2 April 2020. 7 July 2022.
  6. Web site: Paraense Giovanni, quase Deus para os gregos. Paraense Giovanni, nearly a god to the Greek. O Liberal. pt-BR. 4 February 2020. 7 July 2022.
  7. Web site: Lembra Dele? Giovanni, o 'Messias' santista, reclama de injustiça em 98. Remember him? Giovanni, the 'Messiah' santista, complains about injustice in 98. ge. pt-BR. 12 September 2013. 7 July 2022.
  8. Web site: Santos ganha o jogo, mas não o ponto extra. Santos win the match, but not the extra point. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 26 September 1994. 7 July 2022.
  9. Web site: 30/10/1994 – Santos 1 x 0 Paraná – Campeonato Brasileiro. Acervo Santista. pt-BR. 7 July 2022.
  10. Web site: Empresa de Pelé ajudou Santos a contratar Giovanni. Pelé's company helped Santos to buy Giovanni. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 30 November 2001. 8 July 2022.
  11. Web site: Giovanni marca três gols e lidera Santos na goleada sobre a Ponte. Giovanni scores three goals and leads Santos in the thrashing of Ponte. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 21 March 1995. 8 July 2022.
  12. Web site: Santos vence com 3 gols do meia Giovanni. Santos win with 3 goals from midfielder Giovanni. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 20 October 1995. 8 July 2022.
  13. http://terceirotempo.bol.uol.com.br/quefimlevou/qfl/sobre/giovanni-messias-4254.html GIOVANNI
  14. Web site: Giovanni faz 4 e Santos goleia União. Giovanni scores 4 and Santos thrash União. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 7 April 1996. 8 July 2022.
  15. Web site: Santos goleia a Ferroviária na Vila com três gols de Giovanni. Santos thrash Ferroviária at the Vila with three goals from Giovanni. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 8 July 2022.
  16. Web site: Santos goleia Araçatuba na Vila Belmiro. Santos thrash Araçatuba at the Vila Belmiro. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 27 May 1996. 8 July 2022.
  17. Web site: Giovanni é o artilheiro do Paulista-96. Giovanni is the top scorer of the 96 Paulista. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 7 June 1996. 8 July 2022.
  18. News: El Barca ficha a Giovanni y le fija una cláusula de 3.000 millones. Barca sign Giovanni and give him a 3,000 million clause. El País. es. 18 June 1996. 8 July 2022. Carbonell . Rafael .
  19. Web site: Giovanni dá adeus hoje ao Santos. Giovanni bids farewell from Santos. Folha de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 20 June 1996. 8 July 2022.
  20. [1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]
  21. Web site: UEFA Super Cup - History – UEFA.com. uefa.com. 1 April 1998. 6 July 2016.
  22. [1997 UEFA Super Cup]
  23. Web site: Ο μάγος Τζιοβάνι γράφει για τα μαγικά του στην Ελλάδα!. Pegasus. Interactive. 6 July 2016. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924100630/http://www.sentragoal.gr/article.asp?catid=10532&subid=2&pubid=129194765. dead.
  24. Web site: Τιμή στον "μάγο" Τζιοβάνι! - gavros.gr - ΓΑΥΡΟΣ - Ερυθρόλευκες Ταξιαρχίες . 30 August 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130617174016/http://www.gavros.gr/article/54833/timh-ston-mago-tziobani . 17 June 2013 . mdy-all .
  25. Web site: Giovanni renueva con el Olympiakos. Giovanni renews with Olympiacos. Diario AS. es. 20 May 2002. 8 July 2022.
  26. Web site: Santos confirma Giovanni e deve inscrevê-lo na Libertadores. Santos confirm Giovanni and may register him in the Libertadores. UOL Esporte. pt-BR. 27 May 2005. 8 July 2022.
  27. Web site: Santos descarta Giovanni, Pitbull e Luizão para enfrentar o Mogi. Santos discard Giovanni, Pitbull and Luizão to face Mogi. UOL Esporte. pt-BR. 14 January 2006. 8 July 2022.
  28. Web site: Giovanni no Al Hilal. Giovanni at Al Hilal. Diário do Nordeste. pt-BR. 24 January 2006. 8 July 2022.
  29. Web site: Sport Recife apresenta meia-atacante Giovanni, ex-Santos. Sport Recife present attacking midfielder Giovanni, formerly of Santos. O Estado de S. Paulo. pt-BR. 17 April 2007. 8 July 2022.
  30. Web site: A passagem relâmpago de Giovanni pelo Sport. The flash stint of Giovanni at Sport. O Curioso do Futebol. pt-BR. 2 April 2018. 8 July 2022.
  31. Web site: Amizade com Rivaldo fez Giovanni repensar aposentadoria. Friendship with Rivaldo made Giovanni think back about retirement. ESPN Brasil. pt-BR. 25 December 2008. 8 July 2022.
  32. Web site: Giovanni é anunciado como reforço do Mogi Mirim para o Paulistão 2009. Giovanni is announced as an addition of Mogi Mirim for the 2009 Paulistão. GloboEsporte.com. pt-BR. 15 November 2008. 8 July 2022.
  33. Web site: Com grande festa, Santos apresenta Giovanni nesta quarta. With a great party, Santos present Giovanni this Wednesday. Terra. pt-BR. 13 January 2010. 8 July 2022.
  34. Web site: Giovanni não jogará mais pelo Santos, e diretoria prepara despedida. 6 July 2016.
  35. Web site: Temporada 1994. January 1994 . 1994 season. Acervo Santista. pt-BR. 8 July 2022.
  36. Web site: Temporada 1995. 1995 season. Acervo Santista. pt-BR. 8 July 2022.
  37. Appearance(s) in Supercopa Libertadores
  38. Appearance(s) in Copa dos Campeões Mundiais
  39. Web site: Temporada 1996. January 1996 . 1996 season. Acervo Santista. pt-BR. 8 July 2022.
  40. Appearance(s) in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
  41. Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España
  42. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  43. Two appearances and one goal in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances and two goals in Supercopa de España
  44. Five appearances and four goals in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Cup
  45. Six appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Cup
  46. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Cup
  47. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana