TBT Leão memory: Jacaré, striker, champion in 1994, 1995 and 1997 | OneFootball

Every Thursday, Avaí Futebol Clube celebrates a former athlete who left his mark on the club’s centennial history. We remember stars who brought us many joys wearing the blue and white colors.

In this edition, we will look back at JACARÉ, a forward who won the 1994 Santa Catarina Second Division Championship, the 1995 Copa Santa Catarina, and the 1997 Santa Catarina Championship. Érmison José Leopoldo, known in the football world as JACARÉ, was born on April 4, 1971, in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. The forward is the son of Antônio Jacaré, a former Avaí goalkeeper, from whom he inherited the nickname.

At Avaí, he played in 1986-1994, 1995, 1996-1997, and 1999. Wearing the blue and white shirt, he made 144 appearances and scored 86 goals. He is the 69th player to have worn the Avaí jersey the most times. In the scoring rankings, he is seventh in the club’s centennial history, behind only Saul (219), Nizeta (172), Cavallazzi (113), Felipinho (96), Marquinhos (94), and Décio Antônio (86), the same number of goals as Jacaré, according to the data published in the book AVAÍ F.C. 100 anos de histórias 1923 – 2023, by Dois Por Quatro, written by Adalberto Jorge Klüser, Felipe Matos, and Spyros Apóstolo Diamantaras. He began his career at the youth academy of Astel – Associação Esportiva e Social dos Empregados de Telecomunicações de Florianópolis-SC. From there, he joined Avaí’s youth ranks in 1986. In 1994, already with the senior team, Jacaré was one of the standout players in the campaign that ended with the title of Santa Catarina Second Division Champion. In 1995, he won the Copa Santa Catarina. That same year, he was transferred and had a brief spell in Malaysian football, but he did not adapt to the country and never even played for Kuala Lumpur FC.

He returned to Brazil and was loaned to Grêmio-RS. From Grêmio, he went to Londrina-PR. In 1997, he returned to Avaí, where he became champion and top scorer of the Santa Catarina Championship. Soon after, he was transferred to Boa Vista, in Portugal, returning to Avaí in 1999. This signing was Boa Vista’s biggest signing of all time!

His résumé also includes spells at Porto-PE, América-RN, Náutico-PE, and Santa Cruz-PE, as well as Atlético Hermann Aichinger-SC, where he retired in 2004. After hanging up his boots, he earned a degree in Business Administration from Unisul. In 2018, he became administrative manager of Avaí’s Youth Academy, where he remains to this day. WALK OF FAMEOn September 1, 2012, Jacaré had his feet immortalized on the Walk of Fame at the Adolfinho Athletes Memorial, at Ressacada. Alongside Jacaré, another idol also immortalized his feet: Belmonte.

Belmonte (R), with Jacaré, after immortalizing their feet on the Walk of Fame

Photo: Jamira Furlani / Avaí F.C.

In 2017, ASSTA, the Social and Cultural Association of Avaí Supporters, produced panels portraying the 1997 title-winning campaign. In all, 20 frames were produced with newspaper reports from the time of the triumph. Today, the frames are permanently displayed in the corridors of Section A at Ressacada Stadium.

Jacaré next to one of the frames from the AVAÍ FUTEBOL CLUBE CAMPEÃO CATARINENSE 1997 exhibition

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C.

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C.

CHAMPION OF THE CENTURY IN 1997 On June 22, 1997, Avaí became the greatest Santa Catarina champion of the 20th century by winning its 13th state title against Tubarão, at Ressacada, with two goals from Jacaré.

On August 6, 2015, journalist Polidoro Júnior interviewed Jacaré.

YOUR BEAUTIFUL PASTOn July 7, 2022, the Avaí Play channel on YouTube published an interview with Jacaré by journalist Rafael Xavier.

TROFÉU DEBATEOn May 26, 2021, the Troféu Debates channel published a Globo report about the 1997 Santa Catarina Championship title win.

PHOTOS OF JACARÉ AT AVAÍ

1994 Avaí lineup

Avaí, 1997 Santa Catarina champion

Standing: Dr. José Carlos, Duca, Nilson, Carlão, Jefferson Douglas, Régis, Cedenir, Raul, Itá, and Dr. Murilo Veiga. Crouching: Pereirinha, Jacaré, Dão, Hélton, Evandro, and Claudiomir

Photo: Reproduction, p. 70 of the book AVAÍ 100 anos de histórias / collection of Adalberto J. Klüser

Jacaré at the Adolfinho Athletes Memorial, at Ressacada

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C.

Jacaré is immortalized on the Walk of Fame at the Adolfinho Athletes Memorial, at Ressacada

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C.

Photo: André Palma Ribeiro / Avaí F.C.

Journalist Maurício Frighetto interviews Jacaré

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. (09/17/2007)

Jacaré signing fans’ shirts

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. (09/17/2007)

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. (09/17/2007)

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. (09/17/2007)

Adilson Heleno, Belmonte, supporter Cainan Nunes wearing the 1997 shirt, and Jacaré

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. (09/17/2007)

Dirlei, Adilson Heleno, Belmente, and Jacaré, with a young supporter

Photo: Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. (09/17/2007)

Reproduction of the Sports Supplement cover / A Notícias newspaper (07/23/1997)

RESEARCH SOURCES–– KLÜSER, Adalberto; MATOS, Felipe; and DIAMANTARAS, Spyros. O Time da Raça – Almanaque de 90 anos do Avaí Futebol Clube, 1923-2013. –– KLÜSER, Adalberto; MATOS, Felipe; and DIAMANTARAS, Spyros. AVAÍ F.C. 100 anos de histórias 1923 – 2023 – Photo archive of Alceu Atherino / Avaí F.C. – Avaí Play channel on YouTube; – Troféu Debate channel on YouTube; – Memória Avaiana website; – Official Avaí F.C. website; – Polidoro Júnior website; – ND Mais website; LION’S MEMORY: Check out below who has already been featured here! #01 ROGÉRIO ÁVILA – HERE#02 CAVALLAZZI – The Golden Boy - HERE#03 FLÁVIO ROBERTO – 1988 champion - HERE#04 JUTI – The title-winning top scorer of 1975, HERE,#05 TONINHO QUINTINO – 1973 Santa Catarina Champion HERE, #06 NIZETA, four-time Santa Catarina champion HERE, #07 ADILSON HELENO – 1988 Santa Catarina Champion, HERE, #08 ADOLFINHO – The greatest Santa Catarina goalkeeper of all time HERE, #09 B0ALDUÍNO – The Little King, Santa Catarina Champion in 1973 and 1975 HERE, #010 ZENON – Santa Catarina Champion in 1973 and 1975 HERE,#011 CLÉBER SANTANA – Avaí’s eternal number 88, 2012 Santa Catarina champion HERE#012 VENEZA – The best defender in Avaí’s history, 1975 Santa Catarina champion HERE#013 BELMONTE – Two-time Santa Catarina Champion (1988 and 1997) and Copa Santa Catarina Champion (1995) HERE#014 MIRINHO – one of the great idols in Avaí’s history HERE#015 BIRA LOPES – one of the great midfielders in Avaí’s history HERE#016 FOSSATI – goalkeeper, 1988 Santa Catarina champion HERE#017 EMERSON, a goal-scoring defender who made history at Avaí HERE#018 DÃO, forward Santa Catarina Champion in 1997 and Brazilian Serie C Champion in 1998HERE#019 FANTICK, local forward, Copa Santa Catarina champion, 1997 Santa Catarina champion, and 1998 Brazilian Serie C champion HERE#020 ROGÉRIO PRATEAT, defender, 1998 Brazilian Serie C Champion HERE#021 SÁVIO, attacking midfielder, 2010 Santa Catarina Champion HERE#022 FABRÍCIO BENTO, defender who scored the goal that gave rise to the CRÉU HERE#023 VANDINHO, prolific striker who shone in 2008 HERE#024 MARQUINHOS SANTOS, the top scorer at Ressacada HERE. #025 CÉSAR SILVA, goalkeeper captain, top scorer, and 1998 Brazilian Serie C champion HERE. #026 RÉGIS, 1994 Santa Catarina Second Division champion, 1995 Copa Santa Catarina champion, and 1997 Santa Catarina champion HERE

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