Luisão

A Brazilian footballer Ânderson Luís da Silva, a.k.a. Luisão, plays as a central defender for Benfica. He plays for the national Brazilian team as well. That was he who scored the 5000th league goal.

The footballer’s career started at Atletico Juventus. He appeared 18 times and scored 1 goal, before moving to Cruzeiro. The club gave the defender an opportunity to make only occasional appearances. In total, he featured in 60 matches and amassed 9 goals.

In the summer 2003, Silva made a transfer to Benfica. His first months for the club were very unfortunate. But Luisão managed to change the situation and got his place in the starting line-up, making 29 appearances and scoring the winning goal to Sporting. It was the goal that brought Benfica the champion’s title.

In the summer 2008, the footballer was eager to change the club. At that time he got proposals from such clubs as Juventus and Spartak (Moscow). But the transfer didn’t happen. The player remained the member of his previous team, spending the season on the bench as an unused sub. In the summer 2009, Fiorentina tried to buy out Luisão’s contract, but didn’t succeed and so player continued to perform for Benfica. In October 2009, the management of the club offered the defender to extend the deal for another four years. The Brazilian footballer took the proposal and now keeps on playing for the squad.

Silva has begun to perform for the national squad since 2001.