Márcio Amoroso, whose extraordinary talent turned an adjective into a proper name, is one of the most decorated Brazilian footballers. Yet, he could not help feeling a deep sense of injustice after being left out of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup squad.
“It was very unfair for me not to be among the call-ups for the 2002 World Cup. I was behind only Ronaldo Fenômeno, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, and Rivaldo. I was at my peak, top scorer and champion in German football. I didn’t deserve to be left out. I have no idea why Felipão did that,” he recalls.
But football had a comeback in store. “I went to Japan and ended up winning the Club World Cup three times with São Paulo. And it’s much harder with a club team than with a national team. My career and São Paulo deserved the title that no other Brazilian club has,” Amoroso celebrates in an exclusive interview.
He knows why the Brazilian media didn’t pressure for his selection: ignorance. “The German league wasn’t followed by the general population. Only ESPN broadcast it, and it was a closed channel with much less access than today. I won the 2001/2002 Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. I finished as top scorer and was playing really well,” he remembers, still with a hint of bitterness.
Amoroso was harmed by the coaching change from Vanderlei Luxemburgo to Felipão. The coach preferred the practical, functional football of Kleberson. “That would have been too much talent together: Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Ronaldo Fenômeno, Rivaldo, and me. There would also have been room for Alex and Djalminha. But Felipão didn’t want that.”
Born in Brasília, nephew of another legendary forward, Márcio was destined to be a player. He had so much talent as a boy that at age ten he practiced the autographs he would give when he became a star. And he shone.
After trials at Vasco and Fluminense, he started his career at Guarani. From there, he took off: Japan, Flamengo, Parma, Borussia Dortmund, Málaga, and eventually Morumbi.
“I didn’t want to return to Brazil. But Grafite got injured, and an unexpected invitation came to play for São Paulo. The team was in the Libertadores semifinals. I thought about it immediately. Spectacular team. Spectacular club. And a chance to win the title I should have won in Japan with the national team: to be world champion. I accepted and knew we would make history.”
Amoroso reveals a key part of the success: “Paulo Autuori. He is an excellent coach and a fantastic human being. He understood the potential of each player and the team as a whole. We had talent, physical strength, energy, unity, and personality. We showed that right away, eliminating River Plate in Argentina in the semifinal. Against Athletico, we knew the Libertadores was ours.”
He shares a crucial detail from the final against Liverpool. “A Corinthians fan saved us. We were under immense pressure. Liverpool was about to score. When this fan invaded the pitch, fooling around, he threw a stuffed animal toward Rogério Ceni. The police arrested the intruder. But we gained about five minutes to talk and reorganize the team, adjust the marking. So I have to thank that Corinthians fan for our world title,” he says ironically. The Corinthians fan spent nine days in jail for the invasion.
After winning the Club World Cup with São Paulo, Amoroso faced huge disappointment. “I wanted to stay and finish my career at Morumbi, I was so happy. I proposed a three-year contract. They didn’t make me any offer. I heard that assistant Milton Cruz said I had ‘already given what I had to give.’ I went to Milan.”
The midfielder/forward returned to Brazil with a very difficult mission: “To save Corinthians from relegation. The team was struggling. I was able to help and we avoided the worst. It was memorable for me.” He later won a state championship with Grêmio, played for Aris in Greece, Guarani, and Boca Raton in the United States.
But perhaps the scariest experience was playing for Delhi, a team coached by former full-back Roberto Carlos. “I faced a terrifying earthquake. I swore I would never return to India. And I never did.”
