Toninho Almeida


Antonio "Toninho" Gonzaga Almeida, was a football player from Brazil. He played as a midfielder for Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Vila Nova Futebol Clube, and Sport Club do Recife. He received the Belfort Duarte Trophy from the Brazilian Football Confederation. The award is given to the players who have never received a red card. Almeida is credited for playing the "jogo bonito" by the vast majority of the Brazilian press. He was known as one of the most elegant players of the game and is still popular amongst Cruzeiro's fans mainly. He preferred to out-play his immediate opponent rather than knock him down.
With Cruzeiro E.C. he won four times the Campeonato Mineiro in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, as well as the Copa Libertadores, and the Goiás State Championship with Vila Nova Futebol Clube in 1977. He was in the squad that reached the finals of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 1974 and 1975 with Cruzeiro E.C.

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