Squad No: 12
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 30
Birth Date: Sep 3, 1979
Birth Place: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height: 6' 1" (1.85m)
Weight: 174 lbs (79 kg)
Club: Inter Milan (Italy)
International Caps: 48
Club History
Inter Milan (ITA): 2006-
Chievo (ITA): 2005-2005
Flamengo (BRA): 1997-2004
from Wikipedia (full wiki)
Júlio César Soares de Espíndola, commonly known as simply Júlio César, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Internazionale of the Italian Serie A. He is also currently the first-choice goalkeeper for the Brazilian national team, having won 47 international caps.
In 2009, IFFHS named him as the third best goalkeeper in the world, behind only the Spanish Iker Casillas and the Italian Gianluigi Buffon. He was also awarded the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year title in 2009, ahead of Buffon of Juventus and Federico Marchetti of Cagliari. He was nominated for the 2009 Ballon d'Or and was voted into 21st place; Casillas was the only other goalkeeper nominated.
Júlio César's international career began in 2003, when he was often called up as a backup to Dida. He was also included in Brazil team for the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, but did not play. His first international appearance came during the Copa América 2004. He played in all six matches in the tournament as first-choice goalkeeper, as Dida chose to sit out the tournament. In the final match against Argentina, which went on to be decided by penalty shootout, Júlio César blocked Argentina's first penalty kick and Brazil went on to win 4–2.
However, Júlio still was the backup goalkeeper for Brazil for the next three years, earning only seven caps in the period. He was left out of Brazil team for 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and Copa América 2007, but was included in 2006 FIFA World Cup squad as third-choice goalkeeper behind Dida and veteran Rogério Ceni.
After the World Cup and the international retirement of Dida, the competition to become Brazil's new first-choice goalkeeper began. He initially was out of favour, as new coach Dunga preferred Heurelho Gomes of Tottenham Hotspur, Helton of FC Porto, and Doni of Roma ahead of him. He forced his way into the team, however, and finally replaced Doni as first-choice goalkeeper in September 2007.
from ESPN SoccerNet
If one is to believe that goalkeepers get better with age, Julio Cesar provides proof. The 30 year-old goalkeeper for Inter Milan and the Brazilian national team got off to a slow start in his career but is now considered one of the best in his position. He made his debut in Flamengo's top division, where he earned three championships. He caught Inter's attention, and the Italian team hired him in the spring of 2005. But he went on loan to Chievo Verona, to get used to the Italian style.
Back at Inter, he found that his role would be as a replacement for the more experienced Francesco Toldo. His improvement was gradual before he ended up landing a starting spot in the team. That wasn't an easy task: he left Flamengo as an idol, and in Italy he had to start from scratch to earn the trust of team-mates and the fans. With Inter he became more and more confident game by game, winning three Serie A titles in the process. Julio Cesar is now an undisputable starter, so much so that the Italian powerhouse is planning to redraft his contract in order to secure his services, especially since several European clubs have expressed interest in him.
His performances with Inter earned him a starting role in the Brazil national team, where he has become one of the cornerstones of Dunga's squad. Historically, Brazil has been famous for having great individual players in outfield positions, but hampered by weak goalkeeping. Julio Cesar has shown that Brazil can have a great goalkeeper for many years to come.
Strengths: Strength, quick reactions and a solid aerial game. Penalties are speciality.
Weaknesses: His kicking skills sometimes leave something to be desired.
Career high: An outstanding performance playing for Brazil against Ecuador in the heights of Quito during the World Cup qualifying campaign. He was responsible for a 1-1 draw in a game that should have ended in clear victory for Ecuador.
Career low: His transition from Flamengo to Inter, with a short stint at Chievo Verona, where he played very few minutes on the field.
Style: Aside from the security that he offers, he has an overwhelming and winning personality.
Trivia: In 2007 he confronted none other than Brasil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who had questioned Dunga's squad and praised the Argentine national team, their classic rival: "I felt bad when he said that Messi loses the ball but runs after it to recover it while we just stand there. If that's what he thinks, he should become an Argentine citizen and move to Argentina."
Soccernet says: Claudio Taffarel, who was part of the team that earned the 1994 World Cup, was the last great Brazilian goalkeeper. Julio Cesar is technically better than him, has a great personality, and will arrive in South Africa with the maturity and the experience that is needed for his job.
from FIFA.com
No previous Brazil coach can realistically claim that during his tenure a goalkeeper was his star performer. It is arguable, though, that Dunga can, for Julio Cesar has been simply brilliant since his appointment in August 2006.
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1979, he represented local giants Flamengo for seven years starting in 1997, helping them win four Campeonato Carioca titles. During this period, he gained a reputation as an expert penalty kick specialist - one he has maintained throughout his career.
Julio Cesar joined Inter Milan in 2005 and after a period on loan at Chievo, where he did not receive any first-team action, he returned to the San Siro. From there he managed to usurp the highly-rated Francesco Toldo as the club's first-choice goalkeeper, and the Brazilian has not looked back since.
He has been an indispensable figure in Inter's monopolizing of Italian football, pocketing a string of domestic honours along the way.
Julio Cesar made his Brazil debut in 2004 and, that same year, made a significant contribution to their Copa America triumph, saving a crucial penalty in the shootout against Argentina in the final. He was his nation's third-choice goalkeeper at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, although he was confined to the bench throughout the finals.
Since Dunga's appointment, however, Julio Cesar has firmly established himself between the Brazilian sticks. Alert, commanding and an excellent shot-stopper, the Carioca missed the Copa America 2007 but thrived in Brazil’s flawless FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 campaign as well as South Africa 2010 qualifying. The keeper further cemented his status as one of the Seleção’s major assets throughout the qualifying stages, conceding a remarkably low .61 goals per match.
Brazil National Team World Cup 2010 Scarf
Brazil National Country Flag: 3x5ft poly
adidas Brazil Gold 2010 World Cup 3-Stripe Adjustable Hat
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