Marcos Assunção

Marcos Assunção

Personal information
Full name	Marcos dos Santos Assunção
Date of birth	25 July 1976 (1976-07-25) (age 35)
Place of birth	Caieiras, Brazil
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Playing position	Centre Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Palmeiras
Number	20
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1995	Rio Branco	36	(7)
1995–1997	Santos	33	(3)
1997–1998	Flamengo	42	(7)
1998–1999	Santos	0	(0)
1999–2002	Roma	55	(9)
2002–2007	Betis	135	(24)
2007–2008	Al-Ahli	12	(1)
2008–2009	Al-Shabab	21	(3)
2009	Grêmio Prudente	16	(4)
2010–	Palmeiras	95	(20)
National team‡
1998–2000	Brazil	11	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 July 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 July 2011

Marcos dos Santos Assunção (born 25 July 1976 in Caieiras, São Paulo) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Palmeiras.

A Central Midfielder, he is renowned as a world-class free kick specialist, and is best known for his spell at Real Betis, having represented teams in four different countries.

Club career

Assunção began his career at Rio Branco Esporte Clube, where he stayed two years. He then played for Santos FC, where he scored three goals in 33 league games, moving to Clube de Regatas do Flamengo in 1998.

After impressive performances with Flamengo, Assunção was snapped by Serie A's A.S. Roma in 1999–2000. In his first season, he scored once in 21 appearances, adding another in five UEFA Cup contests. He would be used regularly during his three-year stay, proving himself a threat at set pieces, as the capital outfit lifted the Scudetto in his second year.

Assunção joined Spanish club Real Betis in August 2002, being an undisputed first-choice from the start, and scoring aplenty from free kicks. His debut as a Verdiblanco was spectacular, as he scored once in a 4–2 win at Deportivo de La Coruña, a 40-yarder with his weaker left foot, then proceeded to strike the woodwork on no less than three occasions. He would score eight goals as the Andalusian outfit finished fourth in 2004–05, subsequently earning a UEFA Champions League berth.

During the 2005–06 season, Assunção made seven Champions League appearances overall, failing to appear in the UEFA Cup due to injury. He only managed to score once in the domestic league.

On 25 July 2006, his 30th birthday, Assunção became a citizen of Spain, due to his time spent at Betis. Ironically, the 2006–07 season would be his last in Spain. On 22 August 2007, the player left Betis by mutual consent, having failed to fit into Héctor Cúper's plans. He gave a press conference in which he said goodbye to the club and fans, saying that he would not join another Spanish club.

In the following two years, he played in the United Arab Emirates, consecutively with Al-Ahli and Al-Shabab. On 26 September 2009, Assunção returned to his homeland, signing with Grêmio Prudente Futebol (formerly Barueri).^[2] However, after a mere months, he switched sides again, moving to Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras on a one-year deal.^[3] He was selected by manager Luiz Felipe Scolari as one of the club's four "leaders", alongside Marcos, Danilo and Edinho. In the season's Copa Sudamericana, he provided one assist and scored from a long-range kick in a 3–0 win against Esporte Clube Vitória (3–2 aggregate win).^[4]

International career

Assunção made 11 appearances for the Brazilian national side. He made his debut against El Salvador, and scored a goal against Russia on 18 November 1998, in a 5–1 friendly win.

Assunção was dropped from the Seleção after a poor performance during a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Chile, a 0–3 away loss, and was never called-up since.

Honours

Santos

• Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 1997
• Copa CONMEBOL: 1998

Roma

• Serie A: 2000–01
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2001

Betis

• Copa del Rey: 2004–05

Al-Ahli Dubai

• UAE President's Cup: 2007–08

Personal

Both Marcos Senna, who spent most of his career at Villarreal CF, even representing the Spanish national team,^[5] and Márcio Senna, are Assunção's cousins.

References

1. ^ http://www.palmeiras.com.br/futebol/perfil.asp?id=189
2. ^ Barueri apresenta Marcos Assunção e mais quatro reforços (Barueri announces Marcos Assunção and four more); Globo Esporte, 26 September 2009 (Portuguese)
3. ^ Palmeiras anuncia acerto com volante Marcos Assunção (Palmeiras agree deal with midfielder Marcos Assunção) (Portuguese)
4. ^ "São" Marcos Assunção vs. Vitória (Portuguese)
5. ^ Marcos Senna, estrella de Champions (Marcos Senna, Champions star); Las Provincias, 2 October 2008 (Spanish)

External links

• Official Palmeiras profile (Portuguese)
• SambaFoot profile
• CBF data (Portuguese)
• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Marcos Assunção at National-Football-Teams.com

Persondata
Name	Assuncao, Marcos
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	25 July 1976
Place of birth	Caieiras, Brazil
Date of death
Place of death