Ivan Rocha Explained

Ivan Rocha
Fullname:Ivan Rocha Limas
Birth Date:14 January 1969
Birth Place:São Paulo, Brazil
Height:1.85 m
Position:Defender
Youthyears1:1983–1987
Youthclubs1:São Paulo
Years1:1987–1992
Years2:1992–1994
Years3:1994–1996
Years4:1996
Years5:1997
Years6:1997
Years7:1998
Years8:1998–1999
Years9:1999–2000
Years10:2000–2001
Years11:2002
Years12:2003
Years13:2003
Clubs1:São Paulo
Clubs2:Valladolid
Clubs3:Atlético Madrid
Clubs4:Valladolid (loan)
Clubs5:Logroñés (loan)
Clubs6:Atlético B
Clubs7:Mallorca (loan)
Clubs8:Alavés
Clubs9:Numancia
Clubs10:Elche
Clubs11:Sport
Clubs12:União São João
Clubs13:Paulista
Caps1:35
Caps2:56
Caps3:13
Caps4:0
Caps5:5
Caps6:14
Caps7:7
Caps8:24
Caps9:28
Caps10:24
Goals1:2
Goals2:12
Goals3:2
Goals4:0
Goals5:0
Goals6:1
Goals7:0
Goals8:0
Goals9:1
Goals10:2
Nationalyears1:1985
Nationalteam1:Brazil U17
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0

Ivan Rocha Limas (born 14 January 1969), known as Rocha, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played mainly as a central defender but also as a left back.

Club career

Rocha was born in São Paulo, and joined São Paulo FC's youth setup in 1983. Promoted to the first team in 1987, he was first-choice during the team's 1989 Campeonato Paulista-winning campaign while also being a regular starter during the 1990 season where they finished runners-up in the Série A; in the 1992 edition of the Copa Libertadores he featured in both legs of the finals as a left back, position where he acted during most of his spell under Telê Santana as the manager believed he was "more skillful" than Ronaldão, the habitual starter.[1]

In 1992, 23-year-old Rocha joined Real Valladolid and helped to promotion from Segunda División in his first year. Having played in only 21 matches the defender scored an impressive nine goals (mostly from penalties), second-best in the squad with José Amavisca.[2]

After another season, Rocha signed with fellow La Liga club Atlético Madrid. He played very rarely for the Colchoneros, also being loaned several times during his stint in Madrid (Valladolid again, CD Logroñés and RCD Mallorca) and being afflicted by several injuries.[3]

Atlético released Rocha in the summer of 1998, and he played three more seasons in the country, one apiece with Deportivo Alavés, CD Numancia[4] and Elche CF, the latter in the second division. In 2002 he returned to his country and appeared for Sport Club do Recife, União São João Esporte Clube and Paulista Futebol Clube,[5] retiring at the age of 34 and later becoming a players' agent.[6] [7] [3]

Honours

São Paulo

1991[8]

1989,[9] 1991[8]

1992[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ivan Rocha. Que Fim Levou?. Portuguese. 26 September 2018.
  2. News: El ascenso de 1993. The promotion of 1993. El Norte de Castilla. Valladolid. Spanish. 22 April 2007. 26 September 2018.
  3. News: Qué fue de… Ivan Rocha: un central brasileño para siete equipos españoles. What happened to… Ivan Rocha: a Brazilian stopper for seven Spanish teams. 20 minutos. Casado. Edu. Madrid. Spanish. 8 June 2015. 26 September 2018.
  4. News: Breve enciclopedia numantina. Brief numantina encyclopedia. Desde Soria. Spanish. 29 May 2013. 14 October 2019.
  5. Web site: 1992: Por onde andam os principais nomes daquele São Paulo x Newell's?. 1992: What happened to the big names of that São Paulo x Newell's?. Patadas y Gambetas. Torraga. Tales. Portuguese. 16 June 2017. 27 September 2018.
  6. News: Paulista declara guerra a empresário. Paulista wage war on agent. O Estado de S. Paulo. São Paulo. Portuguese. 3 March 2005. 27 September 2018.
  7. Web site: Agora agente, Falcão compra direitos de 11 garotos no Corinthians. Now an agent, Falcão buys rights to 11 kids at Corinthians. ESPN Brasil. Portuguese. 10 December 2009. 27 September 2018.
  8. Web site: São Paulo Futebol Clube Matches – 1991. RSSSF. 27 September 2018.
  9. Web site: São Paulo Futebol Clube Matches – 1989. RSSSF. 27 September 2018.
  10. Web site: São Paulo FC – All players in Copa Libertadores. RSSSF. 27 September 2018.