Palhinha, idol of Cruzeiro and Corinthians, dies at 73 – 07/17/2023 – Sport

Died at the age of 73, on Monday morning (17), Palhinha, a highly successful player in Brazilian football between the 1970s and 1980s. The causes of death were not disclosed by the family, but he was hospitalized in Belo Horizonte for cause of an infection.

A quality and mobility striker, Vanderlei Eustáquio de Oliveira wore several shirts, but was more prominent at Cruzeiro and Corinthians. He also had a relevant passage through Atlético Mineiro, in the early 1980s, where he was twice Minas Gerais champion.

It was wearing blue that Palhinha drew attention. In addition to multiple conquests in the Mineiro Championship, he was one of Cruzeiro’s great names in the 1976 Copa Libertadores title. He was the top scorer in the competition, with 13 goals in ten games.

The following year, he transferred to Corinthians, which was experiencing its longest lack of titles. He made a decisive contribution to winning the historic Campeonato Paulista in 1977, scoring from the nose, in a rebound, against Corinthians, the goal that defined the first game. In the second, he was injured.

It was also at the Parque São Jorge club that Palhinha established a partnership of enormous quality with Sócrates, who arrived in 1978 from Botafogo-SP. With a goal each in the decisive match against Ponte Preta, the team won the 1979 state title.

Palhinha also defended Santos, Vasco and América-MG and was in the Brazilian national team in 18 matches, with six goals. Still in the 1980s, he became a coach and managed some teams he had played for, such as América-MG, Atlético Mineiro, Corinthians and Cruzeiro, without the success he had experienced on the field.

His death was mourned by all these times. Cruzeiro recalled its 156 goals in 457 games wearing blue. Corinthians called the Belo Horizonte native “Team do Povo’s star”. Atlético referred to him as “one of the great athletes of Brazilian football”.