Zico (footballer)
Brazilian footballer and manager (born 1953)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arthur Antunes Coimbra (Portuguese pronunciation: [aʁˈtuʁ ɐ̃ˈtũnis koˈĩbɾɐ], born 3 March 1953), better known as Zico ([ˈziku]), is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. A creative playmaker with excellent technical skills, vision and an eye for goal, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and also considered one of the best free kick specialists in history.[2][3][4][5] According to one estimate, Zico has scored the most direct free kicks in history, with 101 goals including friendlies, among which 62 are verified in official games.[6][7]
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Zico managing Iraq in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arthur Antunes Coimbra | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 3 March 1953 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Kashima Antlers (technical adviser) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1971 | Flamengo | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1983 | Flamengo | 212 | (123) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1985 | Udinese | 39 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1989 | Flamengo | 37 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1994 | Kashima Antlers | 45 | (35) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 333 | (192) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1986 | Brazil | 71 | (48) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Kashima Antlers | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | CFZ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Fenerbahçe | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Bunyodkor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | CSKA Moscow | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Olympiacos | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Iraq | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Al-Gharafa | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Goa | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Kashima Antlers (technical director) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Kashima Antlers (technical adviser) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Renowned for his technical brilliance, Zico was once described by Pelé as "the one player that came closest to me throughout the years".[8] During his playing career, Zico was elected as the 1981[9] and 1983 Player of the Year. In 1999, Zico came seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century grand jury vote, and in 2004 was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[10][11]
With 48 goals in 71 official appearances for Brazil, Zico is the fifth highest goalscorer for his national team.[12] He represented Brazil in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. Although Brazil did not win any of those tournaments, the 1982 side is regarded as one of the greatest teams in the history of the World Cup.[13] He is widely considered the greatest Brazilian never to win the World Cup.
Zico has coached the Japan national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, previously winning the 2004 Asian Cup with the squad. He has also coached Fenerbahçe, who reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League in the 2007-8 season under his command. He has also coached CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos[14] and the Iraq national team.[15] He works as technical director at Kashima Antlers.
Early years
Born in 1953, Zico grew up in a family of Portuguese descent in the working-class neighbourhood of Quintino Bocaiuva, Rio de Janeiro. From an early age, he was renowned for his footballing ability, regularly impressing local spectators while playing against older children and teenagers. As a child, Zico played for Juventude, a local futsal street team run by his older brothers and friends, and had also begun playing for futsal club River Futebol Clube on Sundays.
His nickname originated from increasingly shortened versions of the endearment Arthurzinho ("Little Arthur") which then became Arthurzico, then Tuzico and, finally, Zico, a version created by his cousin Ermelinda "Linda" Rolim.[16]
In 1967, at 14 years old, he had a scheduled trial at América, where his brothers Antunes[17] and Edu were professional players. But on a Sunday, during a River match, Zico scored nine goals and caught the attention of radio reporter Celso Garcia, who asked Zico's father, José Antunes Coimbra to take him to a trial at Flamengo instead. A fervent Flamengo supporter, José Antunes encouraged Zico to take the opportunity and arranged a trial with the club.
Youth career
A physically slight teenager, Zico underwent an intensive muscle and body development program pioneered by physical education teacher José Roberto Francalacci. A combination of hard work and a special diet sponsored by Flamengo enabled Zico to develop the physique essential for his professional success.[18]
Between 1971 and 1972, Zico moved between Flamengo's youth and professional squads. Coach Fleitas Solich had confidence in Zico's abilities and promoted him to the first team, but after Mario Zagallo took over, Zico was considered too young and returned to the youth side. Zico's situation improved when Joubert, his first youth coach, became Flamengo's manager and permanently promoted him after 116 matches and 81 goals in the youth team.
Club career
Flamengo (1971–1983)
Considered the greatest player in Flamengo's history[19], Zico propelled the club to unprecedented heights. Along with many other titles, he most notably led the team to their first victories in the 1981 Copa Libertadores and the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, as well as four national titles (1980, 1982, 1983 and 1987). On the pitch, Zico was renowned for his immense creativity, versatile goalscoring ability and vision. A two-footed player, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest free kicks specialists in football history.[13]
Udinese (1983–1985)
Although Zico had turned down a 3-million dollar offer from A.C. Milan to stay at Flamengo in 1981, renewed European interest following the 1982 World Cup led Roma and A.C. Milan to once again pursue the Brazilian playmaker in 1983. Flamengo eventually accepted a 4-million dollar bid from Udinese for Zico. The size of the transfer prompted larger clubs to pressure the FIGC (Italian Football Federation), which initially blocked the move while requesting financial guarantees. This caused a commotion in Udine as enraged Friulians flocked to the streets in protest against the Italian federation and the federal government. Friuli had been ruled by Habsburg Austria for centuries, and Friulian football fans adopted the protest slogan "O Zico, o Austria!" ("Either Zico or Austria"). At the end of the controversy, the deal went through. Although the move saddened Flamengo supporters, Zico quickly became an idol in Udine, bringing hope and joy to the region.
In the 1983–84 Serie A season, his first in Italy, his partnership with Franco Causio promised to take Udinese to a higher level, gaining respect from giants Juventus and Roma. His free kicks caused such an impact that TV sports programs would debate how to stop them. Despite his excellent performance, the club's season ended in disappointment as Udinese, in spite of scoring almost twice as many goals as the previous year, only gathered 32 points and was ninth in the final standing, losing three places in comparison to 1982–83. Zico scored 19 goals,[20] one fewer than top scorer Michel Platini, having played 4 fewer matches than the French footballer due to an injury. Zico was voted as 1983 Player of the Year by World Soccer Magazine.
His following season would be punctuated by injuries and suspensions for conflicts with referees. Amid coaching changes and a growing lack of direction from management, Zico became increasingly critical of the Udinese board's failure to build on the ambitious project initially promised. During this time, Zico also faced tax evasion charges from Italian authorities due to an issue with the contract he had signed with Udinese. In his final match for the club, Zico produced a memorable performance against Diego Maradona's Napoli. He subsequently rejoined Flamengo with financial backing from a group of sponsors.
At Udinese, Zico became a prominent player known for his goal-scoring performances and remains well regarded by supporters.[21][22]
Return to Flamengo (1985–1989)
One month into his return, Zico suffered a debilitating knee injury after a violent tackle from Bangu defender Marcio Nunes. Although the injury required multiple surgeries and there were serious doubts about his recovery, Zico was considered indispensable to the Brazilian National Team and called up for the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where his form and mobility were visibly affected.
After more surgeries, in 1987, Zico led Flamengo to the Copa União title.[23][24]
December 1989 marked Zico's last official appearance for Flamengo in a Brazilian National Championship match against rivals Fluminense. Zico scored the first goal and Flamengo won the match 5–0.[25]
Two months later, at the Maracanã, he would play his last match ever as a Flamengo player, facing a World Cup Masters team composed of names like Eric Gerets, Claudio Gentile, Franco Causio, Alberto Tarantini, Jorge Valdano, Mario Kempes, Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paulo Roberto Falcão.[26] With 731 matches for Flamengo, Zico is the player with the 2nd most appearances for the club. His 508 goals make him the club's top scorer ever.[27]
The achievements of the greatest idol in Flamengo's history inspired the Brazilian singer Jorge Ben Jor to write a song in his honour – Camisa 10 da Gávea – helping create the mystique of the club's number 10.[28][29]
Brief retirement
Zico represented Brazil in the World Cup of Masters, scoring in the final of the 1990 and 1991 editions.
After Brazil's first presidential election in many years, the new president Fernando Collor de Mello appointed Zico as his Minister of Sports. Zico stayed at this political assignment for about a year and his most important contribution was a piece of legislation dealing with the business side of sport teams.
Kashima Antlers (1991–1994)
In 1991, Zico interrupted his political assignment when he accepted an offer to join the Sumitomo Metals in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, at the time in the second tier, to help the club secure a place in Japan's first fully professional football league that was set to officially launch in 1993 – J1 League. Zico played for Sumitomo in 1991–92, the last season before the old Japan Soccer League was disbanded, and finished as the second division's top scorer. When the new league launched, In the opening match of the J.League he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Nagoya Grampus.[30] The small town club, promoted and rebranded Kashima Antlers, was not expected to compete with richer, more glamorous clubs like Yokohama Marinos and Verdy Kawasaki. Zico, however, helped the Antlers to win the J.League Suntory Series and a runners-up finish in its inaugural season, leading the club to cement its place among the league's elite. On 15 June 1994, he scored the final goal of his career in a 2–1 win over Júbilo Iwata.[31]
His discipline, talent and professionalism meshed very well with Japanese culture and his influence earned him the nickname サッカーの神様 (sakkā no kamisama) from Japanese football fans.[32] He became a local legend in Japan for having built a contender from almost nothing and putting the city of Kashima on the map. A statue in his honor stands outside Kashima Soccer Stadium.[33]
International career
An episode related to Brazil national football team almost made Zico give up on his career. He made his international debut in the South American qualifier to the 1972 Summer Olympics tournament playing 5 matches and scoring the qualifying goal against Argentina. Despite this fact, he wasn't called up to the Munich games. He felt extremely frustrated and told his father in dismay he wanted to stop playing football. He was even absent from training at Flamengo for 10 days, being later convinced otherwise by his brothers.
In the opening group match of the 1978 World Cup against Sweden, Zico headed a corner kick into the goal in the final minute of the match, apparently breaking a 1–1 tie. However, in a call that became infamous, the Welsh referee Clive Thomas disallowed the goal, saying that he had blown the whistle to end the match while the ball was still in the air from a corner.[34] In the second round, he scored from a penalty in a 3–0 win over Peru. Zico eventually won a bronze medal with Brazil at the tournament, defeating Italy in the 3rd place final.[35]
Zico also won another bronze medal with Brazil in the 1979 Copa América, where he scored two goals.
The 1982 World Cup would see Zico as part of a fantastic squad, side by side with Paulo Roberto Falcão, Sócrates, Éder Aleixo, Toninho Cerezo and Léo Júnior. In spite of his 4 goals and the great amount of skill in that squad (Zico was involved in eight consecutive goals scored by Brazil), the team was defeated 3–2 by Paolo Rossi and Italy in the final match of the second round group stage.[34]
He played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup while still injured and only appeared as a second-half substitute throughout the tournament;[34] in the quarter-final match against France during regulation time, he helped Brazil win a penalty, but then missed his kick.[36] The match ended in a tie which led to a shootout. Zico then scored his goal, but penalties missed by Sócrates and Júlio César saw Brazil knocked out of the tournament.[34]
Having been cleared of all the tax evasion charges by Italian officials in 1988,[37] Zico decided to pay a tribute to Udine, the city that had madly welcomed him six years before, and played his farewell match for the Seleção in March 1989 losing 1–2 to a World All-Stars team at Stadio Friuli.[citation needed]
Style of play
A classic number 10, Zico usually played as an attacking midfielder, although he was also capable of playing in several other attacking and midfield positions, and was also deployed as a central midfielder, as a second striker or inside forward, or even as an outside forward; he is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.[38][37][39][40] A diminutive playmaker, with a small, slender physique, although he was naturally right-footed, he was essentially a two-footed player, who was known for his flair, speed, exceptional technique, ball control and dribbling skills, as well as his use of tricks and feints to beat opponents with the ball.[2][3][13][39][41][42][43][44][45] Former Dutch international Ruud Gullit rated Zico as "one of the best dribblers in the history of the game", describing him as "very nimble".[46] Although he was not physically imposing, Zico was a quick, complete and highly creative player, with excellent vision, who is considered to be one of the best passers of all time and was known for his trademark no-look passes.[3][39][41][42][43][47][48] In addition to being an elite creator of goalscoring opportunities, Zico was also a prolific goalscorer himself and an excellent finisher, due to his powerful and accurate striking ability, which made him extremely clinical in front of goal; as such he is also regarded by pundits as one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the game.[2][3][38][4][39][44]
He was also a set-piece specialist, who was renowned for his ability to bend the ball and score from dead ball situations and is considered to be one of the greatest free-kick takers of all time.[2][38][5][13][39] Zico's unique free kick technique, which saw him place significant importance on his standing foot, often saw him lean back and raise his knee at a very high angle when hitting the ball with his instep, thus enabling him to lift it high over the wall, before it dropped back down again; his method of striking the ball allowed him to score free kicks even from close range, within 20 to 16 metres from the goal, or even from just outside the penalty area. Moreover, due to his technique, mentality, unpredictability and accuracy in dead ball situations, he was capable of placing the ball in either top or bottom corner on either side of the goal, which made it difficult for goalkeepers to read his free kicks.[39][49][50] His ability from set-pieces inspired several other specialists, such as Roberto Baggio and Andrea Pirlo.[51][52]
In addition to his footballing skills, Zico was also known for his leadership, mental strength and determination, as well as his stamina, dedication and for having an outstanding work-ethic;[34][41][49] indeed, he was often known for staying behind in training to practice and refine his free kicks.[49] Throughout his career, Zico was nicknamed O Galinho ("The Little Rooster", in Portuguese).[53]
Despite his ability, his career was plagued by injuries.[54]
Retirement
Zico retired from professional football during the 1994 season but received an invitation to play beach soccer, winning the Beach Soccer World Cup 1995. Scoring 12 goals, he was the top scorer and was named the best player of the tournament. He returned to Kashima to become the Antlers' technical adviser in 1995, splitting his time between Japan and Brazil – where he still managed to find time to play beach soccer. One year later, in 1996, he won his second Beach Soccer World Cup with Brazil, scoring in the final against Uruguay. He founded CFZ (Zico Football Centre) in Rio de Janeiro. Zico founded another club, named CFZ de Brasília, in 1999.
Coaching career
Japan
After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Japan Football Association looked for a replacement for the outgoing Philippe Troussier, and chose Zico as his successor. Despite his lack of coaching experience besides his stint as Brazil's technical coordinator during the 1998 World Cup, Zico had great understanding of Japanese soccer from his playing days and his role as Kashima's technical director. In addition, JFA had grown tired of Troussier's clashes with the media while the players were frustrated with his micromanagement. In contrast, Zico commanded respect from reporters and urged players to express themselves on the pitch.[55]
Although Zico attempted to instill a free-flowing, attacking mentality to the team, his regime got off to an uneven start, which included a 4–1 loss to Argentina in 2003. Japan had a respectable showing at that year's Confederations Cup but struggled again in the beginning of 2004, only narrowly beating Oman in the first stage of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and several players were suspended after a drinking incident.[56] Although Japan had not lost in its nine previous matches, he was rumored to be on the verge of resigning and a small group of fans marched in the streets of Tokyo demanding his firing.[57]
He stayed on, however, and won the 2004 Asian Cup despite intimidation from Chinese fans and a team that featured just one European-based player, Shunsuke Nakamura.[58] He then helped Japan qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup with just one loss.
Despite the rocky start, injuries to key players and even a bizarre offer from Garforth Town,[59] Zico led Japan to its third World Cup finals appearance and the third Asian Cup title in four tries. His Japanese team was heavily influenced by Brazil's short passing style and he was flexible enough to switch between 4–4–2 and 3–5–2 formations. In addition, he has had a respectable record on European soil, beating Czech Republic and Greece and drawing with England, Brazil and Germany.
However, Japan failed to win a single match at the Finals, losing twice (to Australia and Brazil) and drawing once (to Croatia), and scoring just two goals while conceding seven. He resigned from Japan at the end of the World Cup campaign.
Fenerbahçe
In July 2006, signed a two-year deal with Fenerbahçe.[60] He won the league title in 2006-07 and won Turkish Super Cup on the first year of his job. Under his command Fenerbahçe qualified to the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time in club history, where they beat Sevilla on penalties to advance to the quarter-finals.[61] Fenerbahce beat Chelsea 2–1 in the first leg, but Chelsea won 2–0 at Stamford Bridge to eliminate Fenerbahce. This was Fenerbahce's best performance in UEFA competitions.
Zico was given a new nickname by Fenerbahçe fans: Kral Arthur (meaning "King Arthur" in Turkish). For the team's nickname King Arthur and his Knights. On 10 June 2008, he resigned as Fenerbahçe manager after failing to agree on contract terms.[62]
On 8 September 2008, Zico revealed that he would be interested taking over the vacant managers position at Newcastle United following the resignation of Kevin Keegan. He is quoted saying "The Newcastle job is one that I would be very interested in taking. It would be a privilege and an honour, I've always wanted to experience the Premier League as I believe I could enjoy much success coaching in England."
Bunyodkor, CSKA Moscow and Olympiakos
In 2008, he coached FC Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, where he won the Uzbekistani Cup and the Uzbek League. He subsequently took over at Russian side CSKA Moscow but was fired on 10 September 2009.
Less than a week later Zico signed a 2-year contract with Olympiacos.[63][64] Despite the absence of numerous first-team players due to injuries, he led the Greek club to a comfortable second place in Group H of the Champions League, earning the qualification to the knockout stage. In the Greek Superleague, his first results were also impressive, but the success lasted only till early winter, when the fans started to complain about both the results and the playing style of the team after a Greek cup elimination at the hands of second division side Panserraikos. On 19 January 2010, after a 0-0 draw against Kavala, Zico was sacked, although his team lost only two times (twelve wins and four draws) in the Greek Superleague.[65][14]
Iraq
He signed a contract with the Iraq Football Federation on 28 August 2011 and first managed the national team in a match against Jordan on 2 September 2011. Zico resigned as coach of the Iraqi national team on 27 November 2012 after little more than a year in the post, saying the country's football association had failed to fulfill the terms of his contract. He had ten wins, six draws and five losses in 21 games with Iraq.
Al-Gharafa
On 6 August 2013, he signed a two-year deal to coach Al-Gharafa of Qatar. [66]
Goa
Indian Super League side Goa signed Zico as their coach for the debut season in 2014.[67] Though Goa had a slow start to the season, they ultimately qualified for the semifinals with a game in hand by defeating Chennaiyin.[68] In 2015, Goa did really well to reach the final. Eventually, Goa lost 3–2 to Chennaiyin. Zico has been regarded as Goa's new legend among the local fan base. In January 2017, Goa confirmed ending their three-year association with Zico. Keeping the logistical challenges of the upcoming season in mind, the two parties amicably came to this decision.
Administrative roles
Zico was a director at Kashima Antlers between 1996 and 2002.[69]
On 30 May 2010, it was announced that Zico would become the new Flamengo football director on a four-year deal, coming back to the team where he won his most important honors after 25 years. This comeback, however, lasted only five months as he resigned due to disagreements with the board.
On 10 June 2015, Zico officially announced he would run for the FIFA presidency role after the recent announcement of Sepp Blatter's resignation following the alleged corruption surrounding the winning bids from Russia and Qatar to host the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
In August 2018, Zico returned to Kashima Antlers as technical director, 16 years after his previous spell as a director at the club.[70]
Personal life
Zico is the grandson of Fernando Antunes Coimbra (paternal grandfather) and Arthur Ferreira da Costa Silva (maternal grandfather), both Portuguese. His father, José Antunes Coimbra (b. Tondela, 1901; d. Rio de Janeiro, 1986), emigrated to Brazil at the age of 10. Zico's mother, Matilde Ferreira da Silva Costa, was born in 1919, and died in 2002, 16 years after her husband's passing. Through his ancestry, Zico holds Portuguese citizenship in addition to Brazilian nationality.[71]
Zico was the youngest of six children—Maria José (Zezé), Antunes, Nando, Edu and Antônio (Tonico). Antunes, Nando and Edu were also professional footballers.
In 1969, Zico met his future wife, Sandra Carvalho de Sá. In 1970 the couple became engaged and married in 1975.[72][73][74] Sandra's sister, Sueli, is Edu's wife. Zico has three sons, Arthur Jr., Bruno and Thiago.[75] Zico is also a member of the legendary squad Classic Eleven from the FIFA video games series. Zico is Roman Catholic.[76] He is a distant relative of the Portuguese footballer Eduardo Quaresma.[77]
Zico performed as actor in the 1998 children's comedy film Uma Aventura do Zico.[78]
Zico's life and career were depicted in the 2026 documentary film Zico, o Samurai de Quintino.[79]
Playing statistics
Club
- This information is based on Zico's senior career totals.[80]
| Club | Season | Division | League | Regional league | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Flamengo | 1971 | Série A | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 17 | 2 | ||
| 1972 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 1973 | 26 | 8 | 9 | 0 | – | – | 35 | 8 | ||||
| 1974 | 19 | 11 | 31 | 19 | – | – | 50 | 30 | ||||
| 1975 | 27 | 10 | 28 | 30 | – | – | 55 | 40 | ||||
| 1976 | 20 | 14 | 27 | 18 | – | – | 47 | 32 | ||||
| 1977 | 18 | 10 | 29 | 27 | – | – | 47 | 37 | ||||
| 1978 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 19 | – | – | 22 | 19 | ||||
| 1979 | 8 | 5 | 43 | 60 | – | – | 51 | 65 | ||||
| 1980 | 19 | 21 | 26 | 12 | – | – | 45 | 33 | ||||
| 1981 | 8 | 3 | 33 | 25 | – | 13 | 11 | 554 | 39 | |||
| 1982 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 21 | – | 4 | 2 | 48 | 43 | |||
| 1983 | 25 | 19 | – | – | 4 | 3 | 29 | 22 | ||||
| Total | 212 | 123 | 273 | 231 | – | 21 | 16 | 507 | 370 | |||
| Udinese | 1983–84 | Serie A | 24 | 19 | – | 9 | 5 | – | 33 | 24 | ||
| 1984–85 | 15 | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 20 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 22 | – | 14 | 8 | – | 53 | 30 | ||||
| Flamengo | 1985 | Serié A | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 6 | 3 | ||
| 1986 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | – | – | 4 | 3 | ||||
| 1987 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 17 | 6 | ||||
| 1988 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 20 | 4 | ||||
| 1989 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 7 | ||
| Total | 37 | 12 | 29 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 74 | 23 | ||
| Sumitomo Metals | 1991–92 | JSL2 | 22 | 21 | – | 2 | 1 | – | 24 | 22 | ||
| Kashima Antlers | 1992 | J.League | – | – | 12 | 7 | – | 12 | 7 | |||
| 1993 | 16 | 9 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 23 | 12 | ||||
| 1994 | 7 | 5 | – | – | – | 7 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 45 | 35 | – | 21 | 11 | – | 66 | 46 | ||||
| Career total | 333 | 192 | 302 | 239 | 42 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 700 | 469 | ||
1Include Copa do Brasil, Coppa Italia, JSL Cup, J.League Cup, and Emperor's Cup
2Include Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana
3Campeonato Carioca extra tournament
4Include Intercontinental Cup
International
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- Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zico goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 February 1976 | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay |  Uruguay |
— | 2–1 | 1976 Copa Río Branco | [81] |
| 2 | 27 February 1976 | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Argentina |
— | 2–1 | 1976 Roca Cup | [82] |
| 3 | 28 April 1976 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Uruguay |
— | 2–1 | 1976 Copa Río Branco | [83] |
| 4 | 31 May 1976 | Yale Bowl, New Haven, USA |  Italy |
3–1 | 4–1 | 1976 U.S.A. Bicentennial Cup Tournament | [84] |
| 5 | 9 June 1976 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Paraguay |
— | 3–1 | Taça Oswaldo Cruz | [85] |
| 6 | 1 December 1976 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Soviet Union |
— | 2–0 | Friendly | [86] |
| 7 | 9 March 1977 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Colombia |
2–0 | 6–0 | 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification | [87] |
| 8 | 23 June 1977 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Scotland |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [88] |
| 9 | 14 July 1977 | Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia |  Bolivia |
1–0 | 8–0 | 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification | [89] |
| 10 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 11 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 12 | 6–0 | ||||||
| 13 | 1 May 1978 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Peru |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | [90] |
| 14 | 17 May 1978 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Czechoslovakia |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [91] |
| 15 | 14 June 1978 | Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, Argentina | Peru |
3–0 | 3–0 | 1978 FIFA World Cup | [92] |
| 16 | 17 May 1979 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Paraguay |
3–0 | 6–0 | Friendly | [93] |
| 17 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 18 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 19 | 2 August 1979 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Argentina |
1–0 | 2–1 | 1979 Copa América | [94] |
| 20 | 16 August 1979 | Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil | Bolivia |
2–0 | 2–0 | 1979 Copa América | [94] |
| 21 | 24 June 1980 | Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil |  Chile |
— | 2–1 | Friendly | [95] |
| 22 | 29 June 1980 | Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil |  Poland |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly | [96] |
| 23 | 30 October 1980 | Estádio Serra Dourada, Goiânia, Brazil | Paraguay |
1–0 | 6–0 | Friendly | [97] |
| 24 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 25 | 8 February 1981 | Olympic Stadium, Caracas, Venezuela |  Venezuela |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | [98] |
| 26 | 14 February 1981 | Quito, Ecuador |  Ecuador |
1–0 | 6–0 | Friendly | [99] |
| 27 | 14 March 1981 | Estádio Santa Cruz, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil | Chile |
— | 2–1 | Friendly | [100] |
| 28 | 22 March 1981 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Bolivia |
1–0 | 3–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | [101] |
| 29 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 30 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 31 | 29 March 1981 | Estádio Serra Dourada, Goiânia, Brazil | Venezuela |
4–0 | 5–0 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification | [102] |
| 32 | 12 May 1981 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  England |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | [103] |
| 33 | 15 May 1981 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France |  France |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | [104] |
| 34 | 28 October 1981 | Estádio Olímpico, Porto Alegre, Brazil |  Bulgaria |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | [105] |
| 35 | 3 March 1982 | Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil | Czechoslovakia |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly | [106] |
| 36 | 5 May 1982 | Estádio Governador João Castelo, São Luís, Brazil |  Portugal |
3–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | [107] |
| 37 | 19 May 1982 | Estádio do Arruda, Recife, Brazil |  Switzerland |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly | [108] |
| 38 | 27 May 1982 | Estádio Parque do Sabiá, Uberlândia, Brazil |  Republic of Ireland |
7–0 | 7–0 | Friendly | [109] |
| 39 | 18 June 1982 | Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain | Scotland |
1–1 | 4–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup | [110] |
| 40 | 23 June 1982 | Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain |  New Zealand |
1–0 | 4–0 | 1982 FIFA World Cup | [111] |
| 41 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 42 | 2 July 1982 | Sarrià Stadium, Barcelona, Spain | Argentina |
1–0 | 3–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup | [112] |
| 43 | 8 June 1985 | Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil | Chile |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | [113] |
| 44 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 45 | 16 June 1985 | Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay | Paraguay |
2–0 | 2–0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | [114] |
| 46 | 30 April 1986 | Estádio do Arruda, Recife, Brazil |  Yugoslavia |
1–0 | 4–2 | Friendly | [115] |
| 47 | 2–2 | ||||||
| 48 | 3–2 |
Managerial statistics
- As of match played 1 December 2016
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||||||
| Kashima Antlers |  |
20 August 1999 | 31 January 2000 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 66.67 | ||||
| Japan | |
1 July 2002 | 30 June 2006 | 71 | 37 | 16 | 18 | 52.11 | ||||
| Fenerbahce |  |
4 July 2006 | 30 June 2008 | 120 | 74 | 28 | 18 | 61.67 | ||||
| Bunyodkor |  |
26 September 2008 | 8 January 2009 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 76.92 | ||||
| CSKA Moscow |  |
9 January 2009 | 10 September 2009 | 35 | 20 | 5 | 10 | 57.14 | ||||
| Olympiacos |  |
20 September 2009 | 19 January 2010 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 57.14 | ||||
| Iraq |  |
28 August 2011 | 27 November 2012 | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 45.45 | ||||
| Al-Gharafa |  |
2 August 2013 | 30 January 2014 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 25.00 | ||||
| Goa |  |
2 September 2014 | 18 December 2016 | 47 | 18 | 12 | 17 | 38.30 | ||||
| Career Total | 364 | 196 | 81 | 87 | 53.85 | |||||||
Honours
Player
- Campeonato Carioca: 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1979 (extra), 1981, 1986
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1980, 1982, 1983
- Copa União: 1987[23]
- Copa Libertadores: 1981
- Intercontinental Cup: 1981
Kashima Antlers[117]
- FIFA World Cup third place: 1978
- Copa América third place: 1979
- Taça do Atlântico: 1976
- Copa Río Branco: 1976
- Taça Oswaldo Cruz: 1976
- Bicentennial Cup: 1976
Brazil U23
Records
- Top scorer in Flamengo's history – 508 goals[27]
- Top scorer in Maracanã Stadium – 333 goals[119]
- Japan Soccer League record for goals scored in straight matches – 11 goals in 10 matches (1992)
- Flamengo record holder – Top scorer in a single season – 81 goals (1979)
Manager
Fenerbahçe
Bunyodkor
CSKA Moscow
Japan
Individual
- Bola de Ouro: 1974, 1982[117]
- Bola de Prata: 1974, 1975, 1977, 1982, 1987[117]
- Campeonato Carioca top scorer: 1975 (30 goals), 1977 (27 goals), 1978 (19 goals), 1979 (26 goals), 1982 (21 goals)[117]
- South American Footballer of the Year: 1977, 1981, 1982[117]
- South American Footballer of the Year Silver Ball: 1976, 1980
- El Grafico[a] 2nd Best South American Player of the Year: 1981[120][b]
- Brazilian season top scorer: 1976 (63 goals), 1977 (48 goals), 1979 (81 goals), 1980 (53 goals), 1982 (59 goals)[121][122][123][124][125]
- FIFA XI: 1979, 1982
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top scorer: 1980 (21 goals), 1982 (21 goals)[117]
- Guerin Sportivo All-Star Team: 1980, 1981, 1983
- Copa Libertadores Best Player: 1981[117]
- Copa Libertadores top scorer: 1981[117]
- Intercontinental Cup MVP Award: 1981[117]
- Guerin Sportivo Player of the Year: 1981
- FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot: 1982
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1982
- World Soccer Player of the Year: 1983[126]
- Chevron Award: 1984[127]
- Serie A Team of The Year: 1984[128]
- Serie A Player of the Year: 1984[129]
- Beach Soccer World Championship Top Scorer: 1995 (12 goals)
- Beach Soccer World Championship Best Player: 1995
- FIFA Order of Merit: 1996[130]
- FIFA 100: 2004[11]
- Golden Foot Legends Award: 2006[131]
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame: 2010
- Japan Football Hall of Fame: 2016[132]
- IFFHS 3rd Best Brazilian Player of the 20th century[133]
- IFFHS 7th Best South American Player of the 20th century[133]
- IFFHS 14th Best Player of the 20th century[133]
- FIFA 7th Best Player of the 20th century (FIFA Magazine and Grand Jury vote)
- France Football 9th Best Player of the 20th century[134]
- World Soccer Magazine 18th Greatest Player of the 20th century
- Placar 16th Best Player of the 20th century[135]
- IFFHS Legends[136]
- International Football Hall of Fame: 24th place (1997)
