Aílton (footballer, born 1968)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Aílton Delfino

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|9|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Belo Horizonte, Brazil

| height = 1.78 m

| position = Forward

| years1= 1987–1993

| years2= 1993–1996

| years3= 1994–1995

| years4= 1996

| years5= 1996–1997

| years6= 1997–1999

| years7= 2000–2002

| years8= 2003

| years9= 2003

| clubs1= Atlético Mineiro

| clubs2= Benfica

| clubs3= → São Paulo (loan)

| clubs4= São Paulo

| clubs5= Cruzeiro

| clubs6= Portuguesa

| clubs7= São Caetano

| clubs8= Santo André

| clubs9= América Mineiro

| caps1= 72| goals1 = 8

| caps2= 32| goals2 = 11

| caps3= 29| goals3 = 13

| caps4= 0| goals4 = 0

| caps5= 19| goals5 = 6

| caps6= 57| goals6 = 9

| caps7= 16| goals7 = 1

| caps8= | goals8 =

| caps9= | goals9 =

|totalcaps= 225 |totalgoals= 48

}}

Aílton Delfino (born 1 September 1968) is a retired Brazilian professional footballer who played as a striker.[https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/destinos/destino-90s/jogar-no-benfica-custou-me-um-divorcio-doloroso «Jogar no Benfica custou-me um divórcio doloroso»] maisfutebol.iol.pt

Career

Born in Belo Horizonte, Aílton is a youth product of Atlético Mineiro, making his debut in 1987, and taking part in the conquest of three Campeonato Mineiro, in 1988, 1989 and 1991, and one Copa CONMEBOL.{{cite web |title=Ailton |url=http://terceirotempo.bol.uol.com.br/que-fim-levou/ailton-0211 |website=Terceiro Tempo |accessdate=21 June 2018 |language=Portuguese}}

In 1993, Aílton joined Benfica, as the alternative for Adolfo Valencia after negotiations with the Colombian failed.{{cite news |title="El Tren" Valência: "Benfica não tinha dinheiro suficiente para me contratar" |trans-title=El tren Valencia: "Benfica did not have enough money for me" |url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-nos/benfica/detalhe/el-tren-valencia-benfica-nao-tinha-dinheiro-suficiente-para-me-contratar.html |accessdate=21 June 2018 |work=Record |date=5 October 1999 |language=Portuguese}} He made his debut on a friendly against FC Barcelona on 18 August 1993, scoring the 2–1 in the 73rd minute.{{cite web |title=SL Benfica vs. FC Barcelona full match |url=https://footballia.net/matches/sl-benfica-fc-barcelona-pepsi-cup |website=Footballia |accessdate=21 June 2018}} His first season in Portugal was a success, as he help the Lisbon-side win the league title, scoring 14 goals in 33 games, notably the first against Porto on 6 February 1994.{{cite book | last=Tovar |first=Rui Miguel | title=Almanaque do Benfica| publisher=Lua de Papel |location=Portugal| year=2012| isbn=978-989-23-2087-8 |page=526}}{{cite book | last=Tovar |first=Rui Miguel | title=Almanaque do Benfica| publisher=Lua de Papel |location=Portugal| year=2012| isbn=978-989-23-2087-8 |page=531}}

In his second season, Artur Jorge made several changes in the squad, with Aílton being loaned out to São Paulo until June 1995. He returned to Portugal for a six-month spell in 1995, without much success, moving permanently to São Paulo in January 1996.{{cite book | last=Tovar |first=Rui Miguel | title=Almanaque do Benfica| publisher=Lua de Papel |location=Portugal| year=2012| isbn=978-989-23-2087-8 |page=547}}

At São Paulo, he won the Copa Master de CONMEBOL, scoring one goal in the semifinal against Botafogo. He then passed through five more clubs, notably helping São Caetano finish runner-up in the Série A in 2000 and 2001, plus starting both games of the 2002 Copa Libertadores Finals.