Giovane Elber
Encyclopedia
Élber Giovane de Souza, simply Élber (born 23 July 1972 in Londrina
, Paraná
), is a retired Brazil
ian footballer who played as a striker.
A prolific goalscorer in various clubs, Élber's career was mostly spent in Germany
, where he represented most notably Bayern Munich
(six full seasons), scoring a total of 133 first division
goals in 260 matches for three clubs.
at the age of 18 by A.C. Milan
in 1990, Élber went almost unnoticed during his one-year spell with the Serie A
side. Subsequently, he moved to Switzerland
with Grasshopper Club Zürich, initially on loan. He immediately started showing displays of offensive talent at his new club, namely in a 1992–93 UEFA Cup tie against Sporting Clube de Portugal where, after a 1–2 home loss, he was influential in the club's 4–3 aggregate win, scoring twice.
After more than 50 official goals for Grasshoppers, Élber signed with VfB Stuttgart
of Germany
in the 1994 summer. He scored in his Bundesliga
debut, a 2–1 home win against Hamburger SV
, and finished his debut season with eight goals, which would be the only campaign he netted in single digits for the following seven years.
In the 1996–97 season, Élber netted 20 official goals for Stuttgart, 17 in the league, and three in the cup
, including both against FC Energie Cottbus in the final (2–0 win). The following summer, he moved to fellow league team FC Bayern Munich
where, save for one year, he was always crowned the club's top scorer (Carsten Jancker
prevented that honour); additionally, he was instrumental in the conquest of four leagues, the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League and the 2001 Intercontinental Cup
, whilst winning the Torjäger award for 2002–03 – 21 goals, the Bavaria
ns won the double
.
31-year old Élber then spent the vast majority of the 2003–04 campaign (played four matches with Bayern) in France
with Olympique Lyonnais
, replacing compatriot Sonny Anderson
who had left for Spain
. He helped the club to the third of its seven consecutive Ligue 1
accolades, but then suffered a severe fibula and tibia
injury which put him out of action for more than one year. He made his comeback to professional football in Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach
, whom he joined in January 2005.
In January 2006, after nearly 15 years of absence, Élber returned to his country, finishing his career at Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
. After an emotional announcement, he retired from the club three rounds before the end of the season on 9 September, after injuries and the loss of his father. He then returned to Bayern, where he began working for the club as a scout, searching in his country for young talents.
. In his first year of international play, 1998, he scored six goals in as many games, but would only collect nine more caps
in the following three years.
In the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship, Élber scored four in six matches as the under-20s
lost to hosts Portugal
, on penalties.
variation of his Italian
nickname
il giòvane Elber ("the young Elber").
Londrina
Londrina is a city located in the northern region of the state of Paraná, Brazil, and is 369 km away from the capital, Curitiba. Londrina was originally founded by British settlers. The city exerts great influence on Paraná and Brazil's south region...
, Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
), is a retired Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian footballer who played as a striker.
A prolific goalscorer in various clubs, Élber's career was mostly spent in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he represented most notably Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
(six full seasons), scoring a total of 133 first division
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
goals in 260 matches for three clubs.
Club career
Signed from hometown's Londrina Esporte ClubeLondrina Esporte Clube
Londrina Esporte Clube, or Londrina as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Londrina in Paraná, founded on April 5, 1956. The club won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 1980, won the state championship three times, and competed several times in the Campeonato Brasileiro...
at the age of 18 by A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
in 1990, Élber went almost unnoticed during his one-year spell with the Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
side. Subsequently, he moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
with Grasshopper Club Zürich, initially on loan. He immediately started showing displays of offensive talent at his new club, namely in a 1992–93 UEFA Cup tie against Sporting Clube de Portugal where, after a 1–2 home loss, he was influential in the club's 4–3 aggregate win, scoring twice.
After more than 50 official goals for Grasshoppers, Élber signed with VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the 1994 summer. He scored in his Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
debut, a 2–1 home win against Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
, and finished his debut season with eight goals, which would be the only campaign he netted in single digits for the following seven years.
In the 1996–97 season, Élber netted 20 official goals for Stuttgart, 17 in the league, and three in the cup
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
, including both against FC Energie Cottbus in the final (2–0 win). The following summer, he moved to fellow league team FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
where, save for one year, he was always crowned the club's top scorer (Carsten Jancker
Carsten Jancker
Carsten Jancker is a former German professional footballer and current manager.- Career :A striker, Jancker is physically very large for a footballer, standing at . His height and strength have proved to be an advantage when playing as a target man, as displayed during his most successful days at...
prevented that honour); additionally, he was instrumental in the conquest of four leagues, the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League and the 2001 Intercontinental Cup
2001 Intercontinental Cup
The 2001 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 27 November 2001 between Bayern Munich, winners of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League, and defending champions Boca Juniors, winners of the 2001 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo...
, whilst winning the Torjäger award for 2002–03 – 21 goals, the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
ns won the double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
.
31-year old Élber then spent the vast majority of the 2003–04 campaign (played four matches with Bayern) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
, replacing compatriot Sonny Anderson
Sonny Anderson
Anderson da Silva Nilmar , known as Sonny or Anderson, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a striker....
who had left for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He helped the club to the third of its seven consecutive Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
accolades, but then suffered a severe fibula and tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
injury which put him out of action for more than one year. He made his comeback to professional football in Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
, whom he joined in January 2005.
In January 2006, after nearly 15 years of absence, Élber returned to his country, finishing his career at Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
. After an emotional announcement, he retired from the club three rounds before the end of the season on 9 September, after injuries and the loss of his father. He then returned to Bayern, where he began working for the club as a scout, searching in his country for young talents.
International career
Due to stiff competition, Élber could not translate his club form to the Brazilian national teamBrazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. In his first year of international play, 1998, he scored six goals in as many games, but would only collect nine more caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
in the following three years.
In the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship, Élber scored four in six matches as the under-20s
Brazil national under-20 football team
Brazil national under-20 football team, also known as Brazil Sub-20 or Seleção, is considered to be the feeder team for the Brazil national football team.-Competitive record:...
lost to hosts Portugal
Portugal national under-20 football team
The Portugal national under-20 football team is the national under-20 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal....
, on penalties.
Club
- Grasshoppers:
- Swiss Cup: 1993–94
- StuttgartVfB StuttgartVerein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
:- German CupDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 1996–97
- German Cup
- Bayern MunichFC Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
:- German LeagueFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03 - German CupDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2002–03; Runner-up 1998–99 - German League CupDFB-LigapokalThe DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany...
: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 2000–01; Runner-up 1998–99 - Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 20012001 Intercontinental CupThe 2001 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 27 November 2001 between Bayern Munich, winners of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League, and defending champions Boca Juniors, winners of the 2001 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo...
- German League
- LyonOlympique LyonnaisOlympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
:- French LeagueLigue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
: 2003–04, 2004–05 - French SupercupTrophée des championsThe Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries...
: 2004
- French League
- CruzeiroCruzeiro Esporte ClubeCruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
- Minas Gerais LeagueCampeonato MineiroCampeonato Mineiro is the state football league of the state of Minas Gerais and is controlled by the Minas Gerais Football Federation FMF ....
: 2006
- Minas Gerais League
Individual
- German LeagueFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
: Top scorer 2002–03 (shared with Thomas ChristiansenThomas ChristiansenThomas Christiansen Tarín is a retired Spanish footballer of Danish descent.A left-footed striker, he played for a number of clubs in Danish, Spanish, and German football, being crowned the top goalscorer of the 2002–03 Bundesliga....
) - Swiss LeagueSwiss Super LeagueThe Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
: Top scorer 1993–94
Personal
He is mostly referred to as Giováne Elber (sometimes also mistakenly as Giovanni Elber), which is a GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
variation of his Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
il giòvane Elber ("the young Elber").