Deco Anderson

Born in Brazil, Anderson Luis de Souza, popularly known around the world as Deco, is a professional football who played at the international level for Portugal. The attacking midfielder has won nearly every award in world football. One of the most influential and potent midfielders of all time, Deco has been the stalwart for his team at all levels of the game.

In 1995, Deco was noticed while playing at the youth academy at Nacional Atletico Clube. Throughout 1995 and 1996, he played at an extremely high level and was picked up by the Corinthians, directly from the Nacional youth academy, and put into the first team. Deco played just twice for the Corinthian’s first team in 1996-97, but was impressive enough to secure a ticket to Portugal.

Signing with Benfica, Deco was moving onto bigger things and although he never played for Benfica in his two years there, his two loan moves, first to Alverca in 1997-98 and then to Salgueiros the following season, worked in his favour. In his 32 games for Alverca, Deco scored 13 goals and set up many, while his Salgueiros career was cut short because FC Porto decided to swoop down on this youngster that, seemingly, Benfica didn’t want.

Deco went on to become a legend at FC Porto, spending 5 and a half seasons at the club and winning the Portuguese Liga title four times (1997-98, 1998-99, 2002-03 and 2003-04). He even helped Porto win the Portuguese Cup in 2000, 2001 and 2003 before winning the 2003 UEFA Cup and, in 2004, winning the UEFA Champions League.

Deco earned a transfer to Barcelona and became part of a team that was beginning to change the way football is played. Barcelona went on to win the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Primera Division titles and, with Deco partnering Ronaldinho, also won the 2006 UEFA Champions League title. In his four seasons at Barcelona, Deco played around 161 games and scored 21 times.

Deco moved to Chelsea in 2008-09 and for the next two seasons, became an important part of Jose Mourinho’s team. Deco helped Chelsea win the 2009 and 2010 FA Cups as well as the 2009-10 Premier League title.

In 2010, Deco decided to return to his home country in Brazil and signed up with Fluminense. Even though Deco hasn’t been playing regularly, having made just 53 appearances and scoring 5 goals, he was part of the 2010 Serie A winning team as well as the team that won the 2012 Taca Guanabara & Campeonato Carioca titles.

At the international level Deco was part of the Portuguese national team between 2003 and 2010, playing 75 games and scoring 5 goals.

Deco was named second in the race to the 2004 European Football Player of the Year. He was also named the 2003-04 Portuguese League Footballer of the Year as well as the UEFA Club Football of the Year. He won the 2006 World Cup Golden Ball award and has been awarded the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Vicosa.