Sonny Anderson

Brazilian footballer (born 1970) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anderson da Silva (born 19 September 1970), better known as Sonny Anderson, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a striker. A prolific goalscorer at the club level, he was best known for his spells with Lyon, Monaco (he played most of his abroad career in France, amassing Ligue 1 totals of 221 matches and 138 goals) and Barcelona.

Full name Anderson da Silva
Date of birth (1970-09-19) 19 September 1970 (age 55)
Place of birth Goiatuba, Brazil
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Sonny Anderson
Sonny Anderson in 2022
Personal information
Full name Anderson da Silva
Date of birth (1970-09-19) 19 September 1970 (age 55)
Place of birth Goiatuba, Brazil
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Striker
Youth career
1987 XV de Jaú
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1991 Vasco da Gama 42 (1)
1992 Guarani 18 (4)
1992–1994 Servette 52 (31)
1994 Marseille 20 (16)
1994–1997 Monaco 91 (51)
1997–1999 Barcelona 47 (16)
1999–2003 Lyon 110 (71)
2003–2004 Villarreal 38 (13)
2004–2005 Al-Rayyan 20 (24)
2005–2006 Al-Gharafa 19 (6)
Total 457 (231)
International career
1987 Brazil U17 2 (0)
1989 Brazil U20 6 (3)
1997–2001 Brazil 6 (1)
Managerial career
2011 Neuchâtel Xamax
* Club domestic league appearances and goals
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He participated with Brazil in the 2001 Confederations Cup, and won a total of six caps for his country, scoring one goal.

Club career

Born in Goiatuba, Goiás, Anderson started playing professionally with CR Vasco da Gama, but failed to make an early impression. After failing to score in 18 matches in his last year, he moved to Guarani.

Anderson's first abroad experience came with Servette FC, and his impact was instant, scoring 18 goals in his first season then helping the club to the national league in the following by netting 11 in just the first half of the campaign, as he left in January 1994 to Olympique de Marseille.

After six months, with L'OM relegated due to a bribery scandal, Anderson moved to fellow Division 1 side AS Monaco FC, scoring at an equally impressive pace and winning team (1997 league) and individual accolades alike.

In 1997, Anderson joined FC Barcelona: having to battle for first-choice status with the likes of Luis Enrique and Patrick Kluivert, he fared well, scoring ten times in La Liga alone in his first season, as the Catalans won the double.[1] In his second year, which included some run-ins with manager Louis van Gaal,[2][3] he played less, which prompted a return to France with rising Olympique Lyonnais, for approximately €18 million. He would be a very important attacking figure as the team won the first two of seven consecutive national championships.

Aged 33, free agent Anderson returned to Spain with Villarreal CF.[4] In his only full campaign he scored 12 times, including against Real Madrid (1–0, after only two minutes on the pitch), former club Barcelona (2–1, in the 89th minute) and Valencia CF (1–0), while also helping the Yellow Submarine to the semifinals of the UEFA Cup.[5]

After being instrumental in Villarreal's 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup win,[6] Anderson finished his career in Qatar. He then returned to Lyon, going on work with the team's strikers.[7]

In June 2007, Anderson played a farewell match at the Stade de Gerland, in a match facing his friends and the 2002 French champions. Four years later he rescinded his link with Lyon and started a coaching career, joining Neuchâtel Xamax in Switzerland.[8] On 24 July, after only two league games, he was sacked.[9]

International career

Anderson could not translate his club success to the international front. He only won six caps for the Brazil side, the first coming in a friendly against South Korea on 11 August 1997, in which he scored his only international goal.[10] He was also a member of the team that took part at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, and obtained his final international cap that same year.[citation needed]

Career statistics

Club

More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vasco 1988 Série A 3000000030
1989 Série A 9000000090
1990 Série A 121000050171
1991 Série A 180000000180
Total 42100005000471
Guarani 1992 Série A 18400000000184
Servette 1992–93 Nationalliga A 35203520
1993–94 Nationalliga A17114[a]22113
Total 5231000042005633
Marseille 1993–94 Division 1 20162016
Monaco 1994–95 Division 1 231112332716
1995–96 Division 1 342110212[a]13923
1996–97 Division 1 3419003410[a]44727
Total 915122881250011366
Barcelona 1997–98 La Liga 2310505[b]14[c]03711
1998–99 La Liga 246106[b]43110
Total 47166000115406821
Lyon 1999–2000 Division 1 322320328[d]34528
2000–01 Division 1 2922423214[b]55031
2001–02 Division 1 251421205[e]33418
2002–03 Division 1 241200007[f]51[g]03217
Total 11071838434161016194
Villarreal 2003–04 La Liga 35120018[h]75319
2004–05 La Liga 31007[i]4105
Total 381300002511006324
Al-Rayyan 2004–05 Qatar Stars League 2024000000002024
Al-Gharafa 2005–06 Qatar Stars League 19600000000196
Career total 4572331651612913950585289
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  1. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  2. Two appearances in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances in Supercopa de España
  3. Six appearances and three goals in UEFA Cup, two appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Four appearances and three goals in UEFA Cup, one appearance in UEFA Champions League
  5. Six appearances and five goals in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Cup
  6. Twelve appearances and six goals in UEFA Cup, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  7. Seven appearances and four goals in UEFA Intertoto Cup

Honours

Vasco da Gama

Servette

Monaco

Barcelona

Lyon

Villarreal

Individual

References

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