Feitiço: the story of Santos FC's fifth-highest goalscorer | OneFootball

Guilherme Guarche, from the Memory Center

Indisputable proof that Feitiço was one of the best players ever to play for Santos FC was the tribute paid to him by sportsmen from the Cellula Mater of the nation, who founded a club that for twenty-two years made its mark on football along the coast of São Paulo. Founded on April 21, 1928, Feitiço Atlético Clube had its name changed to São Vicente Atlético Clube at the beginning of 1950. Its supporters wanted the club to have a stronger identity with the seaside city.

Even with the name change, Feitiço remains in the memory of all sports fans, because his time in the world of football will never be forgotten due to the goals he scored and his reputation as an insatiable goalscorer.

The son of Luís Fernandes Macedo and Mrs. Florisbela Pedro Macedo, Luís Macedo was born on September 29, 1901, a Sunday, in the central region of São Paulo, now known as Bexiga, present-day Bela Vista. He was given the nickname Feitiço by a neighbor named Helena, who watched the young player’s matches in the neighborhood and used to say that “Luizinho looks like a spell when he has the ball at his feet.” Still in his teens, Feitiço began playing for Jaceguai of Bexiga, then played for an amateur side called Ítalo Luzitano of Pinheiros, and began signing registration forms as Luís Matoso. It was while playing for São Bento in the second division of the São Paulo championship that he stood out and caught the attention of directors from the capital’s major clubs.

Skillful with the ball at his feet, he had a nose for goal and excellent vision. He was not a technical player, but he stood out for his grit, courage, and above all for scoring goals, especially with his head or toe-pokes. His performances earned him the nickname “El Tigre of the Second Division,” in comparison with Friedenreich, the star of Paulistano. He was the top scorer in the São Paulo championship three consecutive times: in 1923 (18 goals), 1924 (14 goals), and 1925 (10 goals). Loaned to Palestra Itália in March 1925 for the club’s first international tour to Argentina and Uruguay, he played in four matches and scored three goals. Back at São Bento, he helped the club win the title, and some of his feats turned him into a star of São Paulo football.

Invited by one of the founders of Santos FC, Antônio de Araújo Cunha, he accepted the invitation to play for the team from the Vila Belmiro neighborhood and played his first match wearing the Alvinegro Praiano shirt on April 3, 1927, in a friendly at Parque Antártica, whose gate receipts were to go to the coffers of a charitable society called “Cruz Azul.” The opponent was Palestra Itália.

Santos FC won 3–2, with goals from Araken, Feitiço, and Camarão. The Santos side was managed by the General Director of Sports, Urbano Caldeira, who sent the following lineup onto the field: Ballio, David and Américo; Alfredo, Júlio and Hugo; Evangelista, Camarão, Feitiço, Araken and Siriri.

Eleven days after his debut, Santos FC faced Vasco in the افتتاحation of São Januário Stadium, the largest in Latin America. And Feitiço delivered a brilliant performance and scored a magnificent header in the Alvinegro’s 5–3 victory, bringing the beautiful “A Vitória” trophy back to Santos FC.

In the 1927 São Paulo Championship, which would only end at the beginning of March 1928, the Santos team was enjoying an excellent campaign, with epic routs over its opponents. In the São Paulo State Team, Feitiço was one of the squad’s standout players.

And on Sunday, November 13 of that distant year, at São Januário Stadium, the São Paulo State Team faced the Rio de Janeiro State Team, and an incident occurred that culminated in his suspension from the Santos FC squad. The São Paulo players, led by Feitiço and goalkeeper Tuffy, would not allow the Rio side to take a penalty awarded in its favor. At that moment, an envoy of President Washington Luís, present in the stadium stands, entered the pitch and gave the presidential order for the infraction to be taken.

Feitiço then told the envoy that “the president is in charge at the Catete Palace, but in the São Paulo State Team, we are in charge.” As a result, the São Paulo players walked off the field, and the penalty that gave Rio de Janeiro the title was taken with the São Paulo goal empty.

As for Feitiço, he did not take part in the final phase of the São Paulo Championship at the beginning of 1928, when his absence proved fatal for the Alvinegro, but he ended up returning to the club in July and remained one of the team’s standout players until 1932.

Top scorer in the São Paulo Championship in 1929 (12 goals), 1930 (36 goals), and 1931 (38 goals), the idol left the Santos team in 1932 after having played 151 matches in the Alvinegro shirt and scoring 215 goals.

He is the fifth-highest goalscorer in Santos FC history. For the Brazil national team, he played four matches and scored six goals. He was one of the leading figures in the seaside club’s attack that became known as the “100-goal attack team,” which during the 1927 São Paulo Championship scored exactly 100 goals in 16 matches, averaging 6.25 goals per game.

After leaving Vila Belmiro, he played for Corinthians, then went to Peñarol in Uruguay, returned to Santos FC in 1936 and played only one match, and also played for Vasco da Gama and Palestra Itália before ending his career at São Cristóvão/RJ.

His teammate in Santos’s devastating attack, Araken Patusca, always praised him, stating that Feitiço was the best center-forward he had ever seen play.

The striker known for goals scored with toe-pokes and thunderous headers died on August 23, 1985, at the age of 83, surrounded by friends at the Veterans Association in São Paulo.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.