Wanderley (footballer, born 1938) explained

Wanderley
Fullname:Wanderley Machado da Silva
Birth Date:3 June 1938
Birth Place:Niterói, Brazil
Death Place:Massanassa, Spain
Position:Forward
Years1:?–1961
Years2:1961–1962
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:1962–1967
Caps3:104
Goals3:47
Years4:1967–1970
Caps4:56
Goals4:21
Years5:1970–1972
Caps5:9
Goals5:0
Totalcaps:169
Totalgoals:68
Nationalyears1:1960
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:1

Wanderley Machado da Silva (3 June 1938 – 5 March 2020), known simply as Wanderley, was a Brazilian footballer who played as a forward.

He all but spent his professional career in Spain, with Levante, Málaga and Hércules.

Wanderley was part of Brazil's 1960 Summer Olympics team.

Club career

Born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Wanderley began his career at CR Vasco da Gama. Profiting from his brother's signature with Valencia CF he also moved to Europe, but after being shown the door by the latter club, joined neighbouring Elche CF.

In 1962, Wanderley signed for Levante UD also in the Valencian Community, being only registered on 1 January 1963.[1] He enjoyed a prolific first season, scoring 12 goals in only 16 matches and helping to their first-ever promotion to La Liga.[2] [3]

Wanderley made his debut in the Spanish top division on 15 September 1963, in a 4–4 away draw against RCD Español.[4] He scored his first goal in the competition on the 28th, but in a 5–3 loss at Valencia.[5]

Wanderley was an ever-present figure for the Granotes in the following campaigns, scoring a hat-trick in the 4–2 home victory over Atlético Ceuta on 15 January 1967.[6] He left in that summer, and subsequently represented CD Málaga and Hércules CF, retiring in 1972 aged 34.[3]

International career

Wanderley appeared with the Brazil under-23 team at the 1960 Summer Olympics, appearing in all the matches and scoring in a 4–3 win against Great Britain. The nation was eliminated in the group stage by hosts Italy.[7] [8]

Personal life and death

Wanderley's older brother, Waldo, was also a footballer and a forward. He spent most of his career with Fluminense FC and Valencia, and the pair were teammates at Hércules.[9]

Wanderley settled in the Valencian municipality of Massanassa after retiring. On 5 March 2020, he died due to Alzheimer's disease at the age of 81.[10]

Notes and References

  1. News: Wanderley 'El Mochila'. Wanderley 'The Backpack'. Las Provincias. es. 15 April 2015.
  2. Web site: Todos los ascensos del Levante a Primera División. All Levante promotions to Primera División. El Desmarque. es. 29 April 2017. 15 August 2024.
  3. News: Fallece Wanderley, el goleador que llevó al Levante a Primera. Death of Wanderley, the scorer who took Levante to Primera. Diario AS. Luis. Sancho de Rosa. es. 6 March 2020. 15 August 2024.
  4. News: Español 4–4 Levante. Mundo Deportivo. es. 16 September 1963. 17 April 2015.
  5. News: Valencia 5–3 Levante. Mundo Deportivo. es. 29 September 1963. 17 April 2015.
  6. News: Levante 4–2 Ceuta. Mundo Deportivo. es. 16 January 1967. 15 April 2015.
  7. Web site: XVII. Olympiad Rome 1960 Football Tournament. RSSSF. Macario. Reyes. 21 December 2021.
  8. Web site: Wanderley. Olympedia. 10 December 2021.
  9. News: Triunfo con los hermanos Waldo y Wanderley. Win with brothers Waldo and Wanderley. Diario Información. es. 15 February 2015. 17 April 2015.
  10. Web site: Fallece Wanderley, el goleador que llevó al Levante a 1era. Death of Wanderley, the scorer who took Levante to the 1st. Prensa Libre Online. es. 6 March 2020. 6 March 2020.