Sócrates
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Sócrates in 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 19 February 1954 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Belém, Pará, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 4 December 2011 (aged 57) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | São Paulo, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1973–1978 | Botafogo-SP | 99 | (35) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1984 | Corinthians | 135 | (74) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1985 | Fiorentina | 25 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Flamengo | 12 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Santos | 25 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1989 | Botafogo-SP | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Garforth Town | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 303 | (172) | ||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1986 | Brazil | 60 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Botafogo-SP | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | LDU Quito | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Cabofriense | |||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira (19 February 1954 – 4 December 2011), simply known as Sócrates [ˈsɔkɾat͡ʃis], was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder. His medical degree and his political awareness, combined with style and quality of his play, earned him the nickname "Doctor Socrates". Easily recognizable for his beard and headband, Sócrates became the "symbol of cool for a whole generation of football supporters". In 1983, he was named South American Footballer of the Year. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
Socrates played for Brazil for seven years, scoring 22 goals and representing the nation in two World Cups. He captained the team in the 1982 FIFA World Cup; playing in midfield alongside Zico, Falcão, Toninho Cerezo and Éder, considered one of the greatest Brazil national teams ever. He also appeared in the 1979 and 1983 Copa América. At club level, Sócrates played for Botafogo-SP before joining Corinthians in 1978. Representing Botafogo, Sócrates was the highest goalscorer in the 1976 Campeonato Paulista da Divisão Especial de Futebol Profissional. He moved to Italy to play for Fiorentina, returning to Brazil in 1985 to end his career. His younger brother Raí played in the same position as him and was a member of the Brazilian team that won the World Cup in 1994. Raí is best known for his tenures at São Paulo and Paris Saint-Germain.