Cacau. Biography
Jeronimo Maria Barreto Claudemir da Silva, better known as Cacau, is a VfB Stuttgart and German national striker. He has both Brazilian and German citizenships, where he has played since 1999. Cacau was born in Santo André, the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Claudemir has a brother Vlademir Jeronimo Barreto, who also plays professionally in the second division of Brazilian football.
The Brazilian was born into a very poor and troubled family. His father had problems with alcohol, which frequently sent him to the hospital. His mother worked as a charwoman and didn’t get paid a lot. From childhood the future footballer and his brother started working to help their parents and supplement a little the family budget. Subsequently, the striker said that his mother had played the key role in his life, constantly insisting on his education.
Cacau began climbing the football Olympus at Nacional Atlético Clube, where he spent one year and moved to Germany. His started his career in Germany at the 5th division side Türk Gücü München. Having played at the club in the 2000/01 season, the player joined the Bundesliga side 1. FC Nuremberg. The Brazilian started with the reserve team, but very soon got a place in the main squad of Der Club. The forward made his first line-up start on 18 November 2001 in the 13th Bundesliga round against Hansa Rostock. Nuremberg won 2-0 at home, but Claudemir didn't manage to impress. On 8 December 2001 in his second match for the Glorious, against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, he delivered two goals in Nuremberg's 2–4 loss. Cacau finished his first season with 6 goals in 17 Bundesliga matches. The following season he was an established part of Nuremberg's starting eleven, but didn't repeat the success. The footballer netted only two goals in 27 games and Nuremberg was eventually relegated from the Bundesliga.
The striker didn’t want to play in the 2nd division, therefore, in January 2003 he agreed terms with VfB Stuttgart. During his first season at the Reds, Cacau appeared in four matches of the UEFA Champions League, but nevertheless was warming the bench most of the time. In the 2004/05 season the Brazilian fired 12 goals for the Swabians, becoming the team's second-best goalscorer. At the start of the same season he netted three successive braces in the club's first three matches of the UEFA Cup. After an unfruitful season in 2005/06, when Cacau delivered only 4 goals for the club, he once again became Stuttgart’s second-best goalscorer with 13 goals in 2006/07. He netted both goals in a 2–0 victory over Bayern Munich and fired the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over VfL Bochum, claiming Bundesliga title 2007. Cacau also helped his team reach the final of the German Cup 2006/07, delivering 5 goals in 6 games. He scored the opening goal in the final versus his former team Nuremberg. However, the player was substituted and the Reds lost 2–3 after extra time.
In the 2007/08 season the forward appeared 5 times for Stuttgart in the UEFA Champions League. Moreover, he netted the equalizer in a 3–2 victory over Rangers. All in all Cacau netted 9 goals in 27 matches during the season.
At the start of 2008/09 the Brazilian missed some games due to the groin injury, but on 12 September it was announced that the footballer had recuperated and was ready to appear on the pitch. On 1 May 2010 Claudemir da Silva extended his contract with the Swabians until the summer of 2013, although he had previously planned to leave the club. In the 2010/11 season a chain of injuries didn’t prevent Cacau from scoring 8 goals in the Bundesliga. During the 2011/12 season the striker was more often seen on the pitch, but delivered 8 goals once again, giving his goalscorer place to Martin Harnik and Vedad Ibišević.
Having acquired a German passport, the Brazilian forward made his debut with the Bundesteam on 29 May 2009 in a friendly game against China, substituting Mario Gomez. On 4 June 2009 the new German played his second game for the national squad. A year later, on 13 May 2010, he scored his first brace at international level in a 3–0 win over Malta.
Cacau participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. His brightest match fell on 13 June 2010, when he made a sub appearance and scored to slam Australia 4-0.
The footballer had chances to represent Germany at Euro 2012, but the Bundesteam’s coach Joachim Löw preferred Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez to Cacau.
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