Francisco Rodrigues (Brazilian footballer)

Francisco Rodrigues (27 June 1925 – 30 October 1988) was a former Brazilian football player. He has played for Brazil national team. He was a fast winger and noted for his great dribbling and technical ability to beat opposition players with success and he was a great goalscorer. He stood out for being a skillful footballer, with great speed and an exquisite left foot. Regarded as one of the best Brazilian strikers of the 1950s.

Francisco Rodrigues

Rodrigues in 1961
Personal information
Full name	Francisco Rodrigues
Date of birth	(1925-06-27)27 June 1925
Place of birth	São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death	30 October 1988(1988-10-30) (aged 63)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1934–1942	Ypiranga-SP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1942–1945	Ypiranga-SP	169	(35)
1945–1950	Fluminense	199	(94)
1950–1954	Palmeiras	221	(125)
1954–1956	Botafogo	87	(22)
1956–1957	Palmeiras	11	(2)
1957–1958	Juventus	26	(12)
1958–1959	Paulista	36	(8)
1959–1960	Juventus	29	(13)
1960–1961	Rosario Central	35	(10)
Total		813	(321)
National team
1950–1955	Brazil	18	(5)
Honours Men's Football Representing Brazil FIFA World Cup Runner-up 1950 Brazil Copa América Runner-up 1953 Peru Panamerican Championship Winner 1952 Chile
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

He began his football career at the Ypiranga São Paulo club, where he played from 1942–1945. In 1945 he moved to Fluminense FC. He played for the Rio de Janeiro club until 1950. During this period, he won the Rio de Janeiro State Championship - Campeonato Carioca in 1946. In 1950, he moved to SE Palmeiras, where he played until 1954. With Palmeiras São, he won the São Paulo State Championship - Campeonato Paulista in 1950. In 1954 he moved to Botafogo FR, where he played until 1956, then returned to Palmeiras. From Palmeiras he went to local rivals Juventus where he played in 1957. He spent 1958 at Paulista Jundiaí, from where he returned to Juventus in 1959. He ended his career with Argentina's Rosario Central in 1961.

International career

Francisco Rodrigues made his debut for Brazil on May 7, 1950 against Paraguay. A month later, he was part of the squad at the 1950 FIFA World Cup, where Brazil finished runners-up, but did not play in any matches. In 1952 he won the Pan American Championship with Brazil, and in 1953 he played at the 1953 Copa América, where Brazil finished second. In 1954, he again went with the national team to the World Cup 1954, where he appeared in group matches against Yugoslavia and Mexico. The last time in the colors of the Canarinhos appeared on September 20, 1955 in a match against the Chilean national team. In total, he made 18 appearances for the national team and scored 5 goals.

Death

He died on October 30, 1988 at the age of 63 in the city of Sao Paulo.

Honours

Palmeiras

• Copa Rio: 1951
• Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1951
• Campeonato Paulista: 1950
• Taça Cidade de São Paulo: 1950, 1951

Fluminense

• Campeonato Carioca: 1946
• Torneio Municipal: 1948
• Taça Departamento de Imprensa Esportiva: 1948
• Taça Embajada de Brasil: 1950
• Taça Comite Nacional de Deportes: 1950
• Taça General Manuel A. Odria: 1950

Brazil

• Panamerican Championship: 1952
• FIFA World Cup Runner-up: 1950
• South American Championship Runner-up: 1953
• Copa Rio Branco: 1950
• Taça Oswaldo Cruz: 1950, 1955
• O'Higgins Cup: 1955