The beautiful summer friendlies and tournaments of the past. Those 80s, which just like that era were cheerful, a bit tamarri and full of hope: colourful. And without Youtube and various skills, they were also useful for exotic dreams of champions: nothing but scouting. The Mundialito was perhaps the apotheosis of the genre: organized by Silvio Berlusconi a Milano that of 1981 gave a star. Or so the newspapers of the time headlined. At that first edition of the “Coppa Super Clubs”already amiably titled 80s, participated Milan e Inter, Feyenoord, Penarol e Santos. It was precisely in a Milan-Santos match that a Brazilian amazed everyone: the Rossoneri had taken the lead through Battistini, then the Brazilians had come back with a splendid brace from Francisco Chagas Eloiasaid eloi. Applause from the San Siro, and the Santos coach, Sergio Clericithat Italy knew it well having played there for 18 years, which he assured was a champion.
Obviously Milan are interested in it, but Santos are asking too much and nothing is done about it. Skip to cruise instead where he remains a few months to play a few games and go first to theAmerica of Rio and then to Vasco da Gama. In the summer of 1983 the Genoa by Fossati: he’s on the bench Gigi Simoni who also receives reassurances from a footballer he had previously coached. There weren’t the skills of Youtube, but vhs did and the images of Elói’s plays were popular. He also likes that aura of legend according to which the footballer and strike partner of Roberto Dynamite dribble with lemons. They take it. The people of Genoa are enthusiastic and welcome him warmly at the airport, the president plays with the name: “Chagas means plaguebut I assure you it is not so”.
August by the sea in Italian cities is then a promise like the summer tournaments for the Brazilians: Elói presents a shotgun al Palermo in Italian Cup on August 21 and repeated three days later against Vicenzaagain in the Italian Cup, albeit from a penalty, and also on August 28 against Monza stamp the card. In short, four goals in three days of the Italian Cup: life smiles on that Brazilian with blond curls and mustache in Italy with his splendid wife aparecida.
In the championship, however, things are not going so well: the races pass and Elói’s are all anonymous, someone begins to doubt his appearance and ventures an age that has been retouched downwards. He reiterates that he is years old 28 and gets angry, motivating the performance unconvincing with the Italian game unsuitable for its characteristics: “I get a ball every twenty-five minutes: can you ever play like this?”. And it must also be said that perhaps he is not entirely wrong: Elói will not be an ace but Genoa in general do not get the hang of it, always in relegation zone with one of the worst offensive departments in the category.
Even on March 18, on the occasion of a derbythe Dorians manage to bring in a chimpanzee borrowed from the medrano circus… placing the number 10 shirt on him, yes, Elói’s, taking the animal for a walk under the curve. “I forgave them for that,” Elói recently told a The XIX Century. Genoa relegated and in Serie B it doesn’t go better for the Brazilian: usual goal in the Italian Cup in August and then nothing. Then the return home to the Botafogo and a glorious return to Europe col Porto by Artur Jorge with whom he also wins the Champions Cupalthough Elói’s only appearance in that contest came in the first round, against Maltese sideAjax Rabat with Porto winning 9-0, a goal from a free-kick came from Elói. Then the transition to Good view and finally the return to Brazil where he will end his career in 1996 to undertake that of coach and agent. What does he do today 68 years old he has eliminated his mustache and his hair, once curly, has also thinned out: he is active on social media, where he divides himself between reading the Bible and posting his memories, above all a photo that sees him hugging a Skin.
