Zé Carlos died at 56: played with Seleçao in France ’98

Mourning in Brazilian soccer, è died Ze Carlos

Brazilian soccer mourns the sudden death of José Carlos de Almeida, known in sports circles simply as Zé Carlos, who passed away at the age of 56 in Osasco, São Paulo state. According to reports in the Brazilian news outlet 'O Globo', the former fullback è died in his sleep from the consequences of a cardiac arrest.

Zé Carlos had had a long career, which began and ended in Brazil without ever leaving the borders at the level of club teams: Sao José, Nacional, Sao Caetano, Portuguesa, Uniao Sao Joao, Juventude, Matonense, São Paulo, Gremio, Ponte Preta and Joinville the clubs he was a part of, treading the playing fields between 1990 and 2005.

He had experienced his most important moment in international soccer in 1998: called up for the World Cup by then Seleçao coach Mario Zagallo, Zé Carlos disputò in place of the disqualified Cafù the semifinal of the World Cup played in France, won by Brazil against Holland 4-2 on penalties after the 1-1 at 90'and 120'.

Brazil would then lose, with Zé Carlos on the bench, the very final to France (3-0 the final result for the transalpines as a result of Zidane’s double and Petit’s goal): the Seleçao players would thus have to settle for the rainbow silver four years after their victory in USA '94.