Left-back champion of the 1970 World Cup, Marco Antônio celebrated his 73rd birthday this Tuesday (6), with a successful career at clubs and with Amarelinha. Born in 1951, in Santos (SP), he joined the youth teams of Portuguesa Santista, where he played between 1966 and 1968, the year in which he transferred to Fluminense.
With Tricolor Carioca, Marco Antônio lifted the 1970 Brazilian Championship cups, in addition to four Carioca Championships (1969, 1971, 1973 and 1975) and two Guanabara Cups (1969 and 1971).
Known for his quality in attack, his performance earned him one of the places for the 1970 World Cup, called by Zagallo, being the youngest in the group, aged 19 at the time. Until the World Cup in Mexico, he was one of the team’s starters, but suffered an injury on the eve of the debut against Czechoslovakia.
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Due to the absence of Marco Antônio and the team’s moment on the field, Zagallo opted for the defensive characteristics of Everaldo, from Grêmio. Throughout the World Cup, the Fluminense full-back entered the field in matches against Romania, in the group stage, and against Peru, in the quarter-finals.
Marco Antônio wore Amarelinha until 1979 and played 52 matches, with 35 wins, 14 draws and just three defeats. In addition to the 1970 World Cup, he was crowned champion of the Copa Roca (1971), the Independence Cup (1972), the United States Bicentennial Tournament (1976), the Rio Branco Cup (1976) and the Atlantic Cup (1976). ). He was also called up for the 1974 World Cup hosted in Germany.
After the Fluminense years (1968-76), Vasco signed the left-back, who represented Cruzmaltino until 1980 and won the 1977 Carioca Championship and the 1976 and 1977 Guanabara Cups. Afterwards, he was hired by Bangu, where he played until 1983, and then by Botafogo, the club for which he ended his career in 1984.
