Cabinho

1968/69 América (SP) (BRA) 24 matches, 17 goals

1969/70 Flamengo (BRA) 6 matches, 1 goal

1971 Portuguesa (BRA) 19 matches, 7 goals

1972 Atletico Mineiro (BRA) 13 matches, 2 goals

1973/74 Portuguesa (BRA) 36 matches, 9 goals

1974/79 Pumas UNAM (MEX) 184 matches, 151 goals

1979/83 Atlante FC (MEX) 134 games, 108 goals

1983/85 FC Leon (MEX) 76 matches, 44 goals

1985/86 Paysandu (BRA) 0 match

1986/88 Tigres UANL (MEX) 33 matches, 9 goals

He was born on April 28, 1948 in Salvador de Bahia. He is a Brazilian professional footballer who spent most of his sporting career in Mexico. He made his professional debut with the América club (SP) at the age of 20. He showed very good qualities very early on: a powerful and very precise header, a huge shot on the ball and a good quality of shot from free kicks.

Cabinho has unfortunately disappeared from the memories, even of fans of today's Mexican championship. Sad news for the best player in the history of the championship. What's more, a player who isn't even Mexican and who wasn't supposed to play in this championship.

At a very young age, he lost his parents and was left under the protection of his uncle, commander of the military police. Growing up in the barracks, he developed a taste for dressing like a soldier, which is where his nickname "Cabinho" comes from, because he dressed in camouflage.

During his time at América (SP), he scored 17 goals in 24 matches but decided to leave for CR Flamengo, there, he hardly played and left after a year. He therefore joined the Portuguesa club, where he really made himself known. In 1973, after scoring numerous goals with the Rubro-Verde team, he reached the final of the Paulista championship, against Santos, with King Pelé himself at the helm. After a 0-0 draw, Cabinho scored the winning goal in the second half and prevented Pelé from winning the last title with Peixe. However, surprisingly, the match was called off by referee Armando Castanheira Marques. The match continued to penalties, where three Lusa players missed and Santos scored two out of three. At that point, the referee ended the match and declared Pelé's team the champions, although La Portuguesa still had a chance to equalize. After a 13-minute encounter, Brazilian authorities made an unprecedented decision: both teams were named champions of São Paulo, with Santos winning its thirteenth title and Portuguesa its third.

Surprisingly, he joined Pumas at 26 years old. The reasons are apparently linked to an unhappy love story in Brazil. He therefore forces his club Portuguesa (which does not want to sell him) to accept the offer from Pumas. During the first months, the adaptation was difficult, and the coach at the time, a certain Carlitos Peters, put him on the bench.

Cabinho hates the situation and will therefore train all day to hope to obtain a starting place. He finally has his chance and scores his first goal against Toluca, for his first season, he scores 16 goals in the league.

In this same season, the UNAM Pumas also won the first official title in their history with the Mexican Cup by beating the America club. Cabinho finished as the tournament's top scorer with 14 goals. The Pumas also won the Champion of Champions title by beating Toluca 1-0 on July 27, 1975.

For the following season, Cabinho raised the level again, the Pumas had a very good season and finished second in the general classification. With 29 goals in the league, Cabinho won his first title as top scorer in the Mexican championship.

In Brazil, journalists who follow Mexican football say Cabinho plays with children who are incapable of stopping him. Cabinho is the best striker in the league and by far, he rivals statistics from the 1950s when Negro Aparicio scored 30 goals with Veracruz.

The 1976-77 season will surpass the previous season with its best individual and collective season. With a team made up of great players like the promising young player Hugo Sanchez, the club will win the Mexican championship. Cabinho ends his season with 34 goals in the championship. Simply impressive and he won his second title as top scorer in the Mexican championship.

In total, Cabinho won 6 other titles as top scorer in the Mexican championship: in 1978 (33 goals), in 1979 (26 goals), in 1980 (30 goals), in 1981 (29 goals, in 1982 (32 goals) and in 1985 (23 goals) This last title is the consecration for this player who is now playing at the age of 37 at Club León.

In 1988, at the age of 40, Cabinho decided to retire. He left sad, not being able to say goodbye to the team he loved, the one to which he gave everything and which became a great team, at least during the 20th century.

He left, of course, as the top scorer in all of Mexico's history, with 312. 8 scoring titles, 11 Citlalis (Mexican Ballon d'Or for forwards), 3 Mexican Ballon d'Or, and 1 championship. An impossible, incredible, invincible, irreplaceable, unreal omen.

- Mexican Ballon d'Or in 1977, 1978 and 1981

- Top scorer in the history of the Mexican league (312 goals)

- Top scorer of the Mexican Championship in 1976 (29 goals), 1977 (34 goals), 1978 (33 goals), 1979 (26 goals) (Pumas UNAM), 1980 (30 goals), 1981 (29 goals), 1982 (32 goals) (Atlante FC) and 1985 (23 goals) (FC Leon)

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