Toninho Cerezo

Toninho Cerezo, real name Antônio Carlos Cerezo, (born april 21, 1955 in Belo Horizonte ) is a former football (soccer) player from Brazil. He played as a defensive midfielder with Atlético Mineiro,A.S. Roma, Sampdoria, São Paulo Futebol Clube and the Brazilian national team.

In 1998, he retired as a player, and, after doing some studies and probations in Italy, he returned to Brazil, and start a career as a manager.

Career as a player

• 1972 - 1972 : Clube Atlético Mineiro (Brazil)
• 1973 - 1974 : Nacional (AM) (Brazil)
• 1974 - 1983 : Clube Atlético Mineiro (Brazil)
• 1983 - 1986 : A.S. Roma (Italy)
• 1986 - 1992 : U.C. Sampdoria (Italy)
• 1992 - 1993 : São Paulo Futebol Clube (Brazil)
• 1994 - 1994 : Cruzeiro Esporte Clube (Brazil)
• 1995 - 1995 : Lousano Paulista (Brazil)
• 05/1995 – 01/1996 : São Paulo Futebol Clube (Brazil)
• 1996 - 1996 : América Futebol Clube (MG) (Brazil)
• 1997 - 1998 : Clube Atlético Mineiro (Brazil)

He won the Brazilian Golden Ball trophy in 1977 and 1980 and the Brazilian Silver Ball trophy in 1976.

Cerezo won five times the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup). In 1991 he won both the Italian Serie A championship and the Coppa Italia with U.C. Sampdoria.

With São Paulo FC ha was the two-times winner of the European/South American Cup and Copa Libertadores.

Cerezo was the best player of the European/South American Cup finale in 1993.

National team

Cerezo has 57 caps (full international games), between March 1977 and June 1985, with the Brazilian national team (7 goals).

He played the Football World Cup 1978 and Football World Cup 1982. He was also due to go to the 1986 tournament, but a hamstring injury in May ruled him out.

Honours as a player

• Winner of Campeonato Amazonense (Amazonia State championship) in 1974 with Nacional
• Winner of Campeonato Mineiro (Minas Gerais State championship) in 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983 with Clube Atlético Mineiro
• Winner of Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) in 1984 and 1986 with A.S. Roma, in 1988, 1989 and 1991 with U.C. Sampdoria
• Winner of Italian Serie A championship in 1991 with U.C. Sampdoria
• Winner of Campeonato Paulista (São Paulo State championship) in 1992 with São Paulo FC
• Winner of the European/South American Cup in 1992 and 1993 with São Paulo FC
• Winner of Copa Libertadores in 1993 with São Paulo FC
• Winner of SuperCopa Libertadores in 1993 with São Paulo FC
• Winner of Recopa Sudamericana in 1993 and 1994 with São Paulo FC

Career as a manager

He was the manager of the following clubs:

• Atlético Mineiro (Brazil)
• Guarani (Brazil)
• Kashima Antlers (Japan)
• Vitória (Brazil)

Honours as a manager

• Winner of J. League Cup, Emperor's Cup and champion of J. League in 2000 with Kashima Antlers.

References

• Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro, Volume 1 - Lance, Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A, 2001.