Sócrates

Who was Sócrates?

Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, MD, simply Sócrates, was a Brazilian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He was also a qualified doctor.

He played for Botafogo-SP before joining Corinthians in 1978. He then moved to Italy to play for Fiorentina, returning to Brazil in 1985 to end his career.

Sócrates was a technical playmaker, known for great through passes and his vision on the field, as well as his physical strength. He was also a two-footed player and a prolific goal scorer. His ability to read the game was highly valued, and his signature move was the blind heel pass. He was considered to be one of the greatest midfielders ever to play the game. Easily recognizable for his beard and headband, he became the "symbol of cool for a whole generation of football supporters".

Sócrates played for Brazil during seven years, scoring more than 20 goals and representing the nation in two World Cups, captaining the team in the 1982 edition; he also appeared in the 1979 and 1983 Copa América tournaments, and was named South American Footballer of the Year in 1983, being selected to Pelé's FIFA 100 list in 2004.