Walter Casagrande
Encyclopedia
Wálter Casagrande Jr., usually known as Casagrande (born 15 April 1963 in São Paulo
) was a former football (soccer)
player in striker role, who currently is a famous TV commentator for Rede Globo
.
During his career from 1980 to 1996, Casagrande has played for a number of clubs. He has represented Corinthians
, Caldense
, São Paulo
, Flamengo
, Paulista F.C.
, Portuguese
club FC Porto
(with whom he won a European Cup
in 1987) and Italian
clubs Ascoli
and Torino F.C.
, winning the Coppa Italia
in 1993. He helped Torino to the 1992 UEFA Cup Final
but his two goals were unable to prevent them from losing to Ajax on away goals. He won also two São Paulo State Championships
, in 1982 and 1983. In 1993, he was Supercopa Sudamericana runner-up with Flamengo
, losing in a penalty shootout to another Brazilian team, São Paulo FC. He played 256 games and scored 102 goals for Corinthians. In this club, alongside Sócrates
, has formed one of the greatests strikers partnerships from Brazilian football.
For the Brazil national football team
he played in 19 matches, April 1985 to June 1986, scoring nine goals. He played in three games during the 1986 FIFA World Cup
.
In September 2007, Casagrande was involved in a weekend traffic accident, and was briefly in a coma after his car rolled and hit parked cars. He was subsequently able to leave the intensive care unit and was breathing on his own.
After the crash he described how he had become addicted to cocaine since retiring, and that he had been undergoing drug treatment for the past seven months (since September 2007). In an interview with Radio Jovem Pan, Casagrande said he has been in a private drug-treatment clinic in São Paulo
since last September. "When I retired, I felt a sensation of emptiness. I missed the adrenaline of the matches and practices and that led me to the compulsive use of drugs," Casagrande said, adding that he became "addicted to cocaine and sometimes also used heroin."
Casagrande, who played for Brazil at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, said he overdosed four times from 2005–07 and once almost went into a coma after using drugs. He is finishing in April 2008 his treatment.
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
) was a former football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player in striker role, who currently is a famous TV commentator for Rede Globo
Rede Globo
Rede Globo , or simply Globo, is a Brazilian television network, launched by media mogul Roberto Marinho on April 26, 1965. It is owned by media conglomerate Organizações Globo, being by far the largest of its holdings...
.
During his career from 1980 to 1996, Casagrande has played for a number of clubs. He has represented Corinthians
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, commonly just known as Corinthians , is a Brazilian football club based in the city of São Paulo. They play in the São Paulo state league, as well as the Brasileirão, Brazil's top national league...
, Caldense
Associação Atlética Caldense
Associação Atlética Caldense or Caldense is a Brazilian football team team from Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais.Caldense play in green and white uniforms.-History:...
, São Paulo
São Paulo Futebol Clube
São Paulo Futebol Clube , commonly known as São Paulo, is a professional football club based in São Paulo, Brazil. They play in the Campeonato Paulista, São Paulo's state league, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão, Brazil's national league, and are one of the only five clubs to...
, Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
, Paulista F.C.
Paulista Futebol Clube
Paulista Futebol Clube, or Paulista as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Jundiaí, in São Paulo, founded on May 17, 1909.Home stadium is the Jayme Cintra stadium, capacity 15,000...
, Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
club FC Porto
Futebol Clube do Porto
Futebol Clube do Porto , commonly known as FC Porto, Porto, or FCP, is a Portuguese multi-sports club from the city of Porto, in the northern region of the country. Although they successfully compete in a number of different sports, FC Porto is mostly known for its association football team...
(with whom he won a European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The 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...
in 1987) and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
clubs Ascoli
Ascoli Calcio 1898
Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A...
and Torino F.C.
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
, winning the Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
in 1993. He helped Torino to the 1992 UEFA Cup Final
1992 UEFA Cup Final
The 1992 UEFA Cup Final was played on April 29, 1992 and May 13, 1992 between Ajax of the Netherlands and Torino of Italy. Ajax won on away goals after the two legs were both drawn 2–2 and 0–0.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:*...
but his two goals were unable to prevent them from losing to Ajax on away goals. He won also two São Paulo State Championships
Campeonato Paulista
The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...
, in 1982 and 1983. In 1993, he was Supercopa Sudamericana runner-up with Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
, losing in a penalty shootout to another Brazilian team, São Paulo FC. He played 256 games and scored 102 goals for Corinthians. In this club, alongside Sócrates
Sócrates
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, MD, , more commonly known simply as Sócrates, is a Brazilian former association footballer....
, has formed one of the greatests strikers partnerships from Brazilian football.
For the Brazil national football team
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...
he played in 19 matches, April 1985 to June 1986, scoring nine goals. He played in three games during the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
.
In September 2007, Casagrande was involved in a weekend traffic accident, and was briefly in a coma after his car rolled and hit parked cars. He was subsequently able to leave the intensive care unit and was breathing on his own.
After the crash he described how he had become addicted to cocaine since retiring, and that he had been undergoing drug treatment for the past seven months (since September 2007). In an interview with Radio Jovem Pan, Casagrande said he has been in a private drug-treatment clinic in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
since last September. "When I retired, I felt a sensation of emptiness. I missed the adrenaline of the matches and practices and that led me to the compulsive use of drugs," Casagrande said, adding that he became "addicted to cocaine and sometimes also used heroin."
Casagrande, who played for Brazil at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, said he overdosed four times from 2005–07 and once almost went into a coma after using drugs. He is finishing in April 2008 his treatment.
Club
- Campeonato PaulistaCampeonato PaulistaThe Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...
; 1982,1983 - European CupUEFA 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...
; 1986/1987 - UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
; 1992 runner-up - Coppa ItaliaCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
; 1992/1993 - Supercopa SudamericanaSupercopa SudamericanaThe Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
; 1993 runner-up