Anselmo Ribeiro
Encyclopedia
Anselmo "Jair" Ribeiro is a retired Cape Verde
an soccer player.
to the United States as a child, settling with his family in suburban Boston. He attended Madison Park High School in Roxbury, Massachusetts
, and played college soccer
at the University of Connecticut
.
and Olhanense.
After two years with CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria, Jair signed signed with New England Revolution
in March 1998, and became a starter in the team's midfield. He transferred to San Jose Clash in the middle of the 1999 season in exchange for Jeff Baicher
, having played 29 games and scored 4 goals for Revolution, a move which sparked concerns about possible conflicts of interest within the league.
After a year with the Hampton Roads Mariners in the A-League
, and a short three-month stay at one of his old clubs in Portugal, Olhanense, Jair moved to Florida to play for Tampa Bay Mutiny
in 2001, ultimately playing 25 games for the team prior to its demise at the end of the season.
Jair spent two more years playing competitively, with Connecticut Wolves
in the A-League
in 2002, and with Western Mass Pioneers
in the USL Pro Soccer League
in 2003, before retiring from the sport in 2004.
, who is best remembered for his performance in Brazil
's 1950 FIFA World Cup
campaign.
.
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
an soccer player.
Youth
Jair emigrated from his native Cape VerdeCape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
to the United States as a child, settling with his family in suburban Boston. He attended Madison Park High School in Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
, and played college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
Professional
Jair began his professional career in Portugal, with the reserves of Sporting CP, although he never played a first team game with the team, and spent a great deal of time on loan at Portuguese second division clubs AlvercaF.C. Alverca
Futebol Clube de Alverca is a Portuguese football club based in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon. Founded on 1 September 1939, it currently plays in the Lisbon District Championships.-History:...
and Olhanense.
After two years with CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria, Jair signed signed with New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
in March 1998, and became a starter in the team's midfield. He transferred to San Jose Clash in the middle of the 1999 season in exchange for Jeff Baicher
Jeff Baicher
Jeff Baicher is a retired U.S. soccer forward whose professional career took him through multiple U.S. leagues, including the Western Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League, Continental Indoor Soccer League and Major League Soccer. He ended his playing career with the Bay Area Seals...
, having played 29 games and scored 4 goals for Revolution, a move which sparked concerns about possible conflicts of interest within the league.
After a year with the Hampton Roads Mariners in the A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
, and a short three-month stay at one of his old clubs in Portugal, Olhanense, Jair moved to Florida to play for Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
in 2001, ultimately playing 25 games for the team prior to its demise at the end of the season.
Jair spent two more years playing competitively, with Connecticut Wolves
Connecticut Wolves
The Connecticut Wolves were a soccer club that competed in the United Soccer Leagues from 1993 to 2002. Based in New Britain, Connecticut, and playing in Veteran's Stadium, the club started in the D-3 Pro League before moving to the A-League in 1997.-History:...
in the A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
in 2002, and with Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
in the USL Pro Soccer League
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
in 2003, before retiring from the sport in 2004.
Personal
Jair's nickname was inspired by the legendary Brazilian player Jair da Rosa PintoJair da Rosa Pinto
Jair da Rosa Pinto, or simply Jair, was an association footballer who played offensive midfielder – one of the leading Brazilian footballers of the 1940s and 50s, who is best remembered for his performance in Brazil's 1950 FIFA World Cup campaign.-Pre-1950:Born March 21, 1921 in Quatis, Rio...
, who is best remembered for his performance in Brazil
Brazil 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...
's 1950 FIFA World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
campaign.
Post-Soccer Career
Jair currently resides in Florida, where he is the part-owner of a football school for children, and works for as a coach for Benfica's football academy in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
.