Antonio de Oliveira Filho “Careca”, (born October 5, 1960), is a legendary Brazillian Association Football (soccer) player. Although retired, he is due to reenter the game with English non-league club Garforth Town FC for the 2005/06 season.

Careca began his career with Guarani in 1978, and with his pace and potent finishing ability, quickly established himself as one of his country’s best young strikers. He signed for São Paulo in 1983, after he recovered from the injury which forced him to miss the 1982 World Cup in Spain. It was during the 1986 World Cup, in Mexico, that Careca really established himself in world football.

He ended the tournament, during which Brazil were memorably eliminated by France at the quarter-final stage, with five goals, placing him second in the Golden Boot rankings behind England’s Gary Lineker. Also during 1986, Careca led São Paulo to the Brazilian championship, beating his former club Guarani in the final.

In the summer of 1987, Careca moved to Italian Serie A champions Napoli, where he was a teammate of Diego Maradona. Careca’s first season at Napoli was an unsuccessful one, despite his 13 goals: the team was knocked out in the first round of the European Cup by Real Madrid.

However, his second season was far more successful. The team won the UEFA Cup, with

Careca scoring a memorable lobbed goal in the final, and finished second in Serie A. In 1990 Careca finally won the Scudetto with Napoli, in what would prove to be effectively Maradona’s final season with the club (he was banned from football for 15 months for failing a drugs test). Careca would spend a further three years with Napoli, establishing a partnership with Gianfranco Zola, during which Napoli failed to win any silverware.

In 1993 Careca left Italy to play for new Japanese J League team Kashiwa Reysol. Careca spent four years with the team, during which time he helped them be promoted to the J1 league in 1994.

He returned to Brazil in 1997 with Santos, he spent a year with the club before joining the lower-league team São José (RS), where he finished his career in 1999.Careca retired having played 60 games for Brazil, and scored 29 goals.

Full Name: Antônio de Oliveira Filho

Nationality: Brazilian

Place of Birth: Araraquara-SP, Brazil

Date of Birth: 05/10/1960

Height: 182 cm

Weight: 76 kg

National Team: Brazil- A

Current Club: Retired

Position: Striker

Career

Guarani (Brazil), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Napoli (Italy), Kashiwa Reysol (Japan), Santos (Brazil), Sao Jose (Brazil)