João AZEVEDO | 1946-1947 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)

AZEVEDO PES STATS | 1946-1947

Classical Name: João Azevedo Nickname: ''O Gato de Frankfurt'' (''The Frankfurt Cat'') João AZEVEDO | 1946-1947 Club: Sporting CP Number: 1 Position: *GK Nationality: Portuguese Age: 31-32 (10/07/1915) Era: 1946/1947 Foot: R Side: B Height: 177 cm Weight: 74 kg Attack: 30 Defence: 86 Balance: 81 Stamina: 61 Top Speed: 72 Acceleration: 77 Response: 93 Agility: 85 Dribble Accuracy: 60 Dribble Speed: 52 Short Pass Accuracy: 55 Short Pass Speed: 61 Long Pass Accuracy: 57 Long Pass Speed: 68 Shot Accuracy: 41 Shot Power: 81 Shot Technique: 43 Free Kick Accuracy: 42 Curling: 41 Header: 51 Jump: 87 Technique: 51 Aggression: 58 Mentality/Tenacity: 99 Goalkeeper Skills: 82 Team Work: 78 Injury Tolerance: B Form/Condition/Fitness: 8 Weak Foot Accuracy: 3 Weak Foot Frequency: 3 Consistency: 8 Growth type: Standard/Lasting CARDS S12: 1-on-1 Keeper SPECIAL ABILITES *1-On-1 Stopper Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Defence Minded INFO: João Azeved was born on Barreiro and started playing football in the youth team of Barreirense from where he went to Luso, and it was on this popular colectivity that he gained fame. He tried his luck at Benfica, but despite causing a good impression, he didn't like the way he was treated and showed up no more. Sporting Clube de Portugal (SCP) was the one getting advantage from this, recruiting the goalkeeper that many still consider the best ever of Portugal. Azevedo wasn't tall, but he was enormous on his area of command ahead of the net, gaining evidence mainly on his agility as well as his manhood and courage. He arrived at SCP in the season of 1935/36 fated to be 3rd GK, in a time that SCP had just signed the famous Brasilian GK Jaguaré and also had the international capped Artur Dyson, who was number 1 at the time, but despite being only 20 years old, Azevedo was not scared with the situation. He made his debut in the 16th February of 1936 and 2 months after he was already the first choice as SCP GK, starting a ruling of 17 seasons which saw him becoming a SCP Legend, playing more than 600 games (412 official) and becoming the player with more titles in SCP History: 2 Portugal Championships, 4 Portugal Cups, 8 Lisbon Cups, 7 National Championships and the Imperium Cup. A true (literally speaking) hero, he went trough some painful episodes with courage and determination, writing his place in History being considered a role model to everyone when it came of manhood and determination: *Against Belenenses in a Cup Final, he fractured his foot on the early minutes and Verissimo took his place for a minutes while he was being assisted outside to re-enter the field early after, and it was without touching the ground with that foot that he kept on going the whole match suffering only one goal and seeing SCP lifting the Cup at the end. *Another time, again against Belenenses, he fractured his head, having to bare 12 stitches, he then resumed play. *But the most memorable ever moment, and the one that perdured over his time and generation was on 17th November 1946 when, in the Final of Lisbon Championship against Benfica, he fractured his clavicle (collar- bone) at the 43th minute of game. He went out, and Jesus Correia (who was the only scorer of the game at the time) went to GK until the half-time. Veríssimo started the 2nd half as GK. At the 22th minute of the 2nd half, Azevedo entered the field once again, this time with his arm attached to his chest (I don't know the correct English expression to express this specific medical procedure). The game was tied at 1-1 and then SCP won by 3- 1. Azevedo left the field at the shoulders of his companions and became immortal in Portuguese Football History. Before the matches, he was always nervous and hided himself in his small corner smoking ''his'' cigarette, a vicious and not healthy habit that was allowed by all his coaches who looked aside. After Álvaro Cardoso (the legendary Captain of the team of the 5 Violins) abandoned football, it was Azevedo who claimed his rank and it was only at the age of 36 that he lost his place in the starting 11 to young Carlos Gomes, who was also fated to be one of SCP's greatest players. He played 19 times for the National Squad and as a highlight is the game at Germany where Portugal draw 0-0 and Azevedo, after attaining a memorable performance with courageous rushing out and astonishing reflexes, was nicknamed ''O Gato de Frankfurt'' (Frankfurt Cat). He was also part of the teams who attained first ever away victory and won against Spain. *As a funny episode, there was a match between Académica and Oriental (before SCP), he made a defense and before kicking it onwards, a opposite striker tried to confuse him. Azevedo, determined, grabbed the ball with his 2 hands and gave the opponent a nose sniff (he approached the ball to the nose of the other guy) 2 times. Then let the ball fall on the ground and dribbled the striker, then tried again and lost the ball. He didn't let it make him nervous and trowed himself to the striker's feet claiming the ball once more. At a time that was nearly impossible to get away with a clean sheet, he has thus the average of 2.01 goals per match in classic games (against Benfica and Porto) has got 10 games without suffering goals. Azevedo, always using his cap and black shirt (before Yashin, for the record) was very determined while rushing out 1-1 and crosses. Feared no one and couldn't admit to quit. He had a special temper which led him to some difficult situations with the board of directors and he sometimes had failing interventions (specially from long range shots) leading to the famous sentences: ''Great goalkeepers have great failings!'' He stays as a legend of Portugal and SCP and as a role-model for the ones who followed him. Sporting CP All Stars: club-all-star-teams/sporting-clube-portugal-all-stars-t7374.html _________________ When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Eric Cantona Joao AZEVEDO | 1946-1947 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)