Catanha

Catanha was born in Recife. After having played with modest clubs in his native country, he arrived in 1995 in Portugal to play for C.F. Os Belenenses, teaming up with countryman Everton Giovanella with whom he would later play in two teams in Spain; there, he started competing in the second division, with UD Salamanca and CD Leganés. Moving to Málaga CF for the 1998–99 season, Catanha contributed with 26 goals to the Andalusia side's La Liga promotion, and also won the Pichichi Trophy. He scored a further 24 in 1999–2000's top flight, tied for second with Atlético Madrid's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Catanha joined RC Celta de Vigo in July 2000, being an instrumental part of the Galicians' domestic and European exploits in a three-year span. However, when the club played UEFA Champions League in the 2003–04 campaign, he only backed up Savo Milošević, and also suffered team relegation. After that Catanha went pretty much unnoticed, representing FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, Belenenses, Marília Atlético Clube and Clube Atlético Mineiro. In January 2006 he returned to Spain, playing with modest CD Linares (third level, two-and-a-half seasons) and Unión Estepona CF (division four). In early 2010, aged nearly 38, Catanha returned to his nation of birth, resuming his career in the lower leagues. After a career lasting well into his 40s and playing with his son Pedro at UD Dos Hermanas San Andrés, he finally retired from football in 2017, after a stint at Club Atlético Estación. Catanha…

Catanha earned three caps for Spain – all in 2000 – despite being born in Brazil. His debut came on 7 October in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Israel, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute for Ismael Urzaiz in a 2–0 home win. Catanha was one of five black or mixed-race players to have played for Spain along with Thiago Alcântara, Donato, Vicente Engonga and Marcos Senna, all but the third being Brazilian nationals.