Zé Elias Explained

Zé Elias
Fullname:José Elias Moedim Júnior
Birth Date:25 September 1976
Birth Place:Guarulhos, Brazil
Height:1.78 m
Position:Defensive midfielder
Central midfielder
Youthclubs1:Corinthians
Years1:1993–1996
Caps1:60
Goals1:2
Years2:1996–1997
Caps2:23
Goals2:0
Years3:1997–1999
Caps3:33
Goals3:0
Years4:1999–2000
Caps4:19
Goals4:0
Years5:2000–2003
Caps5:49
Goals5:2
Years6:2003–2004
Caps6:19
Goals6:1
Years7:2004–2005
Caps7:25
Goals7:1
Years8:2006
Caps8:0
Goals8:0
Years9:2006
Caps9:1
Goals9:0
Years10:2006–2007
Caps10:12
Goals10:1
Years11:2008
Years12:2008–2009
Caps12:16
Goals12:0
Totalcaps:257
Totalgoals:7
Nationalyears1:1995–1999
Nationalcaps1:11
Nationalgoals1:0

José Elias Moedim Júnior (born 25 September 1976), commonly known as Zé Elias, is a Brazilian football pundit and retired footballer. A defensive or central midfielder, he played for 12 teams in seven countries. He is a football analyst for ESPN Brasil.

Club career

Born in Guarulhos, Zé Elias was one of the youngest players to ever appear for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. He had already gained strong interest from PSV Eindhoven during his beginnings as a senior, which happened at the age of 17.

After becoming an undisputed starter at Corinthians, and first appearing for the Brazil national team at 19, Zé Elias went overseas, representing with moderate individual success Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Inter Milan, Bologna F.C. 1909, Olympiacos F.C. and Genoa CFC. He won three consecutive Superleague Greece championships with the fourth club, but appeared sparingly in the process (a maximum of 18 league appearances).

After a return to Brazil with Santos FC, Zé Elias had short-lived stints with FC Metalurh Donetsk, Guarani Futebol Clube, AC Omonia and Londrina Esporte Clube. He retired as a player in March 2008, and assumed a scouting role in Brazil for Inter Milan; however, in June, he signed a contract with SC Rheindorf Altach for the 2008–09 season, before announcing his retirement again.

International career

Zé Elias was capped eleven times for Brazil. He received his first call-up on 29 March 1995, in a friendly with Honduras which ended 1–1.

Zé Elias represented the country at the 1996 Summer Olympics where he won bronze, and later at the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup in a runner-up finish, losing 0–2 in the final against Mexico.

Personal life

Elias' younger brother, Rubinho, is also a professional footballer. A goalkeeper, he played most of his career in Italy.[1]

Honours

Club

Corinthians

1995

1995

Inter

1997–98

Olympiacos

2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03

Runner-up 2000–01, 2001–02

Santos

2004

International

Brazil

Runner-up 1996

Bronze medal 1996

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sorpresa: un portiere brasiliano è Rubinho, fratello di Ze Elias. Surprise: a Brazilian goalkeeper is Rubinho, Ze Elias's brother. La Repubblica. it. 17 July 2006. 11 December 2015.