Full name Jose Marcelo Ferreira Years Team Role Football manager Weight 71 kg | Name Jose Ferreira Height 1.75 m | |
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Date of birth (1973-07-25) 25 July 1973 (age 42) Similar People Flavio Conceicao, Ze Elias, Ronaldo, Aldair, Bebeto | ||
José Marcelo Ferreira (born 25 July 1973), commonly known as Zé Maria, is a retired Brazilian footballer and current manager of Kenyan Premier League side Gor Mahia.
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Known for his pin-point crosses, he could play either as a right back or wide midfielder, and played the vast majority of his professional career, other than in his country, in Italy's Serie A, where he represented three teams, mainly Perugia.
Club career
Born in Oeiras, Piauí, Zé Maria started his professional career with Associação Portuguesa de Desportos in 1991, being loaned two times for the duration of his link. In 1996, he signed for Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.
In the summer, Zé Maria moved to Italy after signing with Serie A club Parma A.C., playing regularly for two seasons. Subsequently he stayed in the country, joining Perugia Calcio.
With the Umbrians Zé Maria had a shaky start, being loaned three times back to his country, but eventually established himself in the starting XI, helping his team finish tenth in his third full season whilst contributing with six goals. Via the UEFA Intertoto Cup he and the side reached the third round of the subsequent UEFA Cup, but also suffered domestic relegation.
After two average campaigns with giants Inter – only eight appearances in his second (with Inter winning the Scudetto courtesy of the Calciocaos affair), 49 official ones overall – Zé Maria was released and joined La Liga club Levante UD on a free transfer: starting the season as first-choice right-back the 33-year-old lost the position and finished with 14 league appearances, with the Valencians barely avoiding relegation.
Released again, Zé Maria entailed unsuccessful negotiations with several teams, reportedly Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers in England, thus returning to Brazil and Portuguesa in January 2008. In August, after having rescinded his contract, he surprisingly accepted an offer from A.S.D. Città di Castello, in the Italian Eccellenza (amateur championships).
Zé Maria settled in Italy after his retirement from football, at the age of 36. He subsequently founded a football school in Perugia.
On 15 March 2010 Zé Maria took his first head coaching job, accepting Serie D club S.S.D. Group Città di Castello's offer. He was then appointed manager of fourth division team F.C. Catanzaro for the 2010–11 campaign, being however removed from his post after a few months.
International career
Zé Maria gained 25 caps for Brazil over a period of five years. He was not selected for any FIFA World Cup but did participate in two FIFA Confederations Cups, including the original in Saudi Arabia which the national team won, and one Copa América (also ended in win, in Bolivia).
In 1996 Zé Maria helped the Olympic team win bronze at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, appearing in all six matches.