Mazinho

Mazinho played with Vasco da Gama, Palmeiras and Vitória in his homeland, with Lecce and Fiorentina in Italy, and with Valencia, Celta de Vigo and Elche in Spain. Starting his career as left back, he moved to the midfield in the early 1990s. Mazinho was a three-time winner of the Campeonato Brasileiro (Brazilian championship) with Vasco da Gama and Palmeiras. He received the Brazilian Silver Ball award in 1987 and 1988.

Mazinho earned 35 caps with the Brazil national team, the first coming in May 1989 in a friendly against Peru and the last during the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At the 1994 World Cup, a tournament Brazil went on to win, he was the third member of the "three men and a baby" celebration with Bebeto and Romário in the quarter-final win against the Netherlands. Mazinho was also a Copa América winner in 1989, at which point he was playing as a full-back. Another player nicknamed "Mazinho" – Waldemar Aureliano de Oliveira Filho – played for Brazil at the 1991 Copa América, and was known as "Mazinho Oliveira" or "Mazinho II" to avoid confusion between the two men.

In January 2009, Mazinho was appointed head coach of Greek side Aris, replacing Spanish Quique Hernández. Mazinho, however, was later replaced with former Valencia coach Héctor Cúper in November 2009.

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Mazinho is the father of football players Thiago and Rafinha. His wife, Valéria Alcântara, was a former volleyball player.