Michael Jackson (footballer, born 1963)

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson in 2015
Personal information
Full name Mariléia dos Santos
Date of birth (1963-11-19) 19 November 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Valença, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1989 Radar
1990–1995 Saad
1995–1997 Torino
Corinthians
Santos
Internacional
Vasco da Gama
International career‡
1988–2000 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:52, 30 September 2009 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:52, 30 September 2009 (UTC)

Mariléia dos Santos (born 19 November 1963), commonly known as Michael Jackson, is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a striker for the Brazil women's national football team.

Early life

Mariléia dos Santos had 10 siblings, and they all liked football, making her choose the sport.[2] The nickname "Michael Jackson" was an homage to the singer, used by both her teammates[3] and given by television commentator Luciano do Valle.[4] Speaking in May 1999, United States player Julie Foudy did not see much resemblance: "She didn't really look like Michael Jackson, but she did wear one glove."[5]

Career

Michael Jackson began her professional career at EC Radar,[2] and in 1988 she represented Brazil at the FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in Guangdong, finishing in third place.[6]

After her appearance with Brazil in the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, Michael Jackson accepted a contract offer from Italian Serie A club Torino.[7]

Michael Jackson played for the Brazil women's national football team at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, as well as at the Olympic debut of women's football in 1996.

Retirement

Michael Jackson retired from playing aged 46, with a reported 1,574 goals to her credit.[8] In 2011, she took a job at a newly created woman's football division of the Brazilian Ministry of Sports, helping develop more tournaments for the mostly neglected female version.[8][9]

She was named equal third in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) South America's best Women's Footballer of the Century list.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ "Michael Jackson". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Michael Jackson e Olimpíada juntos é tudo de bom" (in Portuguese). Brazilian Football Confederation. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  3. ^ Goff, Steven (4 June 1995). "Women's World Cup '95". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019. Amazingly, this tournament will include two of the biggest "names" in show business: Michael Jackson and Catherine Hepburn. The first person is actually Brazil player Marileia Dos Santos, who, in her country's soccer tradition, goes by a playing name. Why Michael Jackson? Because, her teammates explain, she looks like the King of Pop.
  4. ^ Sebba, Jardel (7 June 2019). "Copa do Mundo de Futebol Feminino: a trajetória de pobreza, preconceito e descrença antes de Formiga e Marta" (in Portuguese). BBC. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  5. ^ Longman, Jere (23 May 1999). "Soccer; Brazil's Women Gaining Respect". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  6. ^ Fernandes, Andréa Karl. "A história do futebol feminino" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Sindicato dos Treinsdores de Futebol Profissional do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Calcio donne: con la brasiliana il Torino punta allo scudetto Marileia, l'Univer sogna Oggi sfida con il Riva". Archivio News (in Italian). 30 September 1995. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Atleta Mariléia dos Santos, Michael Jackson dos gramados, conta sua história". Politica da Paraiba (in Portuguese). 8 March 2012. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Ministério do Esporte".
  10. ^ "South America's best Women's Footballer of the Century". IFFHS. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  11. ^ Mendonça, Renata. "A jogadora da seleção que fez mais gols que Pelé e teve apelido de popstar". UOL - Dibradoras. Retrieved 2 June 2019.


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