Neto (footballer, born 1985)

In this Portuguese name, the second or paternal family name is Zampier. "Neto" is a generational suffix meaning "grandson", which is used for someone whose name is the same as their father and grandfather, like "III" in English.
Neto
Neto in 2020
Personal information
Full name Hélio Hermito Zampier Neto
Date of birth (1985-08-16) 16 August 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Chapecoense
(football superintendent)
Youth career
2003–2004 Francisco Beltrão
2004 Paraná
2004–2005 Vasco
2005–2006 Francisco Beltrão
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Francisco Beltrão
2008–2009 Cianorte
2010–2012 Guarani 62 (3)
2010 → Metropolitano (loan) 6 (1)
2013–2014 Santos 36 (1)
2015–2019 Chapecoense 43 (4)
Total 147 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Hélio Hermito Zampier Neto (born 16 August 1985), commonly known as Neto, is a Brazilian retired footballer, and is the football superintendent of Chapecoense.

Formerly a central defender, Neto is one of just six survivors in the crash of LaMia Flight 2933, which killed 71 people including 19 Chapecoense players.[1]

Personal life

His father is called Helam Marinho Zampier. His mother was born as Valéria dos Santos and added Zampier at the end of her full name after her marriage with Helam. The word Neto (Portuguese for "grandson") was added in Hélio's full name as his paternal grandfather was called Hélio Hermito Zampier, too.[2][3]

Club career

Early career

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Neto played youth football for Paraná Clube, Vasco da Gama and Francisco Beltrão (twice), making his senior debuts with the latter in 2006 Campeonato Paranaense.[4] After being captain in the following years, he moved to Cianorte in 2008.[5]

Guarani

On 1 October 2009 Neto joined Guarani.[6] After being loaned to Metropolitano in late 2010, he established himself as a regular for Bugre, and on 7 June 2012, renewed his link with the club.[7]

Santos

On 8 November 2012 Neto moved to Santos, signing a two-year deal.[8] After a 2013 season marred by injuries (also hindered by the emergence of Gustavo Henrique), he was given more first-team opportunities in 2014, after the latter and Edu Dracena (both regular starters) suffered knee injuries.[citation needed]

Neto was again demoted as a backup after Dracena's recovery and David Braz's ascension, and opted to not renew his link with Peixe, and thus left the club after his link expired.[9]

Chapecoense

On 12 February 2015, Neto signed a one-year contract with fellow top tier club Chapecoense.[10] After struggling with injuries, he became a regular starter during his first campaign, appearing in 23 league games and scoring three goals, one of them in a 3–1 home win against former club Santos. He announced his retirement from the fields on 13 December 2019.[11]

Accident

Neto was one of six survivors of LaMia Airlines Flight 2933, which crashed in Colombia on 28 November 2016, killing 71 other passengers.[12] Despite having several injuries when rescued, he underwent surgeries and doctors said he may be able to resume his career, according to the player's father.[13] He was named in the squad for Chape's first Copa Libertadores tie in March 2017. Neto retired in 2019, saying "the pain outweighed the pleasure".[14]

Post-playing career

In January 2020, it was announced that Neto would take over as the football superintendent of Chapecoense, following his retirement.[15]

Career statistics

As of 24 November 2016[16]
Club Season League State League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Guarani 2010 Série A — 16 2 3 0 — — 19 2
2011 Série B 4 0 13 0 2 0 — — 19 0
2012 11 0 18 1 3 1 — — 32 2
Subtotal 15 0 47 3 8 1 — — 70 4
Metropolitano (loan) 2010 Série D 6 1 — — — — 6 1
Santos 2013 Série A 0 0 9 0 2 0 — — 11 0
2014 11 0 16 1 2 0 — — 29 1
Subtotal 11 0 25 1 4 0 — — 40 1
Chapecoense 2015 Série A 23 3 3 0 1 0 4[a] 0 — 31 3
2016 8 0 9 1 0 0 4[a] 0 — 21 1
Subtotal 31 3 12 1 1 0 8 0 — 52 4
Career total 63 4 84 5 13 1 8 0 0 0 168 10
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Chapecoense

References

  1. ^ "Brazil's Chapecoense football team in Colombia plane crash". BBC News. 29 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Mãe de Neto revela: 'ele estava na relação de mortos já e eu ali, na perseverança'". 9 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Pode não parecer, mas é difícil ser zagueiro do Santos - Notícias".
  4. ^ No time sub-20 de 2005, Neto era o capitão (In the under-20 team of 2005, Neto was the captain) Archived 5 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Jornal de Beltrão, 13 January 2014 (in Portuguese)
  5. ^ A história do zagueiro Neto como nunca foi contada (The story of defender Neto as never told) Archived 5 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Jornal de Beltrão, 15 January 2013 (in Portuguese)
  6. ^ Após três meses se recuperando de lesão, zagueiro Neto assina com Guarani e fica à disposição (After three months recovering from injury, stopper Neto signs with Guarani and is already available); Futebol Interior, 1 October 2009 (in Portuguese)
  7. ^ Neto ganha reajuste, ignora grandes e renova contrato com o Guarani (Neto gets wage hike, ignores big sides and renews deal with Guarani); Gazeta Esportiva, 7 June 2012 (in Portuguese)
  8. ^ Santos confirma acerto, e Neto é o primeiro reforço para 2013 (Santos confirms deal, and Neto is the first reinforcement for 2013) Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Placar, 8 November 2012 (in Portuguese)
  9. ^ Insatisfeito, Neto não deve renovar contrato com o Santos (Unsatisfied, Neto may not renew his contract with Santos); Globo Esporte, 5 January 2015 (in Portuguese)
  10. ^ "Direção da Chapecoense confirma o acerto com zagueiro Neto, ex-Santos" [Chapecoense's board confirm the signing of stopper Neto, formerly of Santos] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  11. ^ "Sobrevivente da tragédia com avião da Chapecoense, zagueiro Neto anuncia aposentadoria" [Chapecoense plane tragedy survivor, defender Neto announces retirement] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Colombia plane crash: 71 dead and six survivors on flight carrying Chapecoense football team". Daily Telegraph. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  13. ^ "Chapecoense plane crash: Survivor 'may play football again'". BBC News. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Zagueiro Neto anuncia a sua aposentadoria do futebol" (in Brazilian Portuguese). lance.com.br. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Neto assume cargo de superintendente da Chapecoense: "Não vai ter sacanagem aqui"". GloboEsporte.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 7 January 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  16. ^ Neto at Soccerway. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  17. ^ "CONMEBOL otorga el título de campeón de la Sudamericana 2016 a Chapecoense y reconoce a Atlético Nacional con el premio del centenario de la CONMEBOL al Fair Play" [CONMEBOL awards 2016 Sudamericana champion title to Chapecoense and bestows Atlético Nacional with CONMEBOL century Fair Play award] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.