Donato (footballer)
{{short description|Spanish footballer and manager (born 1962)}}
{{Portuguese name|Gama|Da Silva}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Donato
| image = Donato.png
| caption = Donato in 2022
| full_name = Donato Gama da Silva
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|12|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| height = 1.78 m
| position = Centre-back, midfielder
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1981–1982 | clubs1 = America (RJ) | caps1 = 36 | goals1 = 1
| years2 = 1983–1988 | clubs2 = Vasco da Gama | caps2 = 49 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1988–1993 | clubs3 = Atlético Madrid | caps3 = 163 | goals3 = 11
| years4 = 1993–2003 | clubs4 = Deportivo La Coruña | caps4 = 303 | goals4 = 38
| totalcaps = 551 | totalgoals = 50
| nationalyears1 = 1994–1996 | nationalteam1 = Spain | nationalcaps1 = 12 | nationalgoals1 = 3
| manageryears1 = 2015–2016 | managerclubs1 = Viveiro
}}
Donato Gama da Silva (born 30 December 1962), known simply as Donato, is a football manager and former player who played from the 1980s to early 2000s.
He spent most of his professional career in Spain – 15 years and more than 500 official games – most notably with Deportivo de La Coruña, being part of the Super Depor squads that won several major titles, including the 2000 La Liga championship. Having started his career as a central midfielder, he finished it as a central defender at almost 41. He also held the record for the most appearances in La Liga by a player born outside of Spain, with 466.{{cite web |url=https://www.laopinioncoruna.es/deportivo/2015/10/16/paso-historia-traves-athletic-24580311.html |title=Paso a la historia a través del Athletic |trans-title=Step into history through Athletic |website=www.laopinioncoruna.es |language=es |date=16 October 2015 |access-date=30 January 2024}} He was a strong but technical player, who was able both to destroy the opposition's attacks and to help generate his own team's.{{cite news |url=http://elpais.com/diario/2002/12/30/deportes/1041202813_850215.html |title=¿Quién jubila al abuelo? |trans-title=Who retires grandpa? |work=El País |language=es |date=30 December 2002 |access-date= |last1=Ros |first1=Cayetano }}
Born in Brazil, Donato represented the Spain national team at Euro 1996.{{cite news|url=http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2013/10/08/actualidad/1381258813_336530.html|title=El fútbol y la 'españolía'|trans-title=Football and ‘Spanishness’|publisher=El País|language=es|date=29 October 2013|access-date=5 April 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2016/09/05/seleccion/1473063867_226121.html|title=Los 11 jugadores nacidos fuera de España con más partidos|trans-title=The 11 players born outside of Spain with the most matches|publisher=Diario AS|language=es|date=5 September 2016|access-date=28 December 2016}}
Club career
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Donato began his 20-year professional career with America Football Club in his hometown, switching to neighbours CR Vasco da Gama in 1984 and playing there for the following four years, after which he joined Spain's Atlético Madrid as one of the first signings of elusive chairman Jesús Gil.{{cite news |url=http://elpais.com/diario/1988/08/31/deportes/588981608_850215.html |title=Gil presenta a Donato ante el Werder Bremen |trans-title=Gil presents Donato against Werder Bremen |work=El País |language=es |date=31 August 1988 |access-date= |last1=González |first1=José Damian }}{{cite news |url=http://elpais.com/diario/1993/04/07/deportes/734133604_850215.html |title=El bando de Gil |trans-title=Gil's posse |work=El País |language=es |date=7 April 1993 |access-date= |last1=Miguélez |first1=José }} With the Colchoneros, he won back-to-back Copa del Rey trophies.{{cite web |url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1991/06/30/pagina-6/1230085/pdf.html |title=El Mallorca, finalista elemplar |trans-title=Mallorca, the perfect finalists |work=Mundo Deportivo |language=es |date=30 June 1991 |access-date=}}
Donato moved to Deportivo de La Coruña in 1993: alongside players like Bebeto, Mauro Silva, Miroslav Đukić and Fran, he was crucial to the team's firm establishment in both La Liga and European competitions, as he scored an impressive 18 league goals in his first two seasons combined, often from free kicks, one of his main assets.{{cite news |url=http://elpais.com/diario/1995/05/08/deportes/799884002_850215.html |title=El chueco de cobre |trans-title=The copper chueco |work=El País |language=es |date=8 May 1995 |access-date= |last1=Iglesias |first1=Julio Cesar }} He continued to feature heavily for the Galicians in the following years, helping the club win two domestic cups and the historical 1999–2000 national championship (netting three times in 29 games).{{cite news |url=http://elpais.com/diario/2000/05/20/deportes/958773604_850215.html |title=Una noche que duró seis años |trans-title=One night that lasted six years |work=El País |language=es |date=20 May 2000 |access-date= |last1=Hermida |first1=Xosé }}
On 19 January 2003, Donato scored a 50th-minute header in a 2–1 league win against Athletic Bilbao, and in doing so at the age of 40 years and 20 days, he became the first-ever player to score a La Liga goal after his 40th birthday, thus becoming the oldest goalscorer in Spain's top-flight history by breaking a 43-year-old record held by the former FC Barcelona player César Rodríguez, who had scored with Elche in the 1959–60 season at the age of 39 years and 277 days.{{cite web |url=http://www.uefachampionsleague.com/news/newsId=50797,printer.htmx |title=Donato passes test of time |date=23 January 2003 |access-date= |archive-date=24 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424071141/http://www.uefachampionsleague.com/news/newsId=50797,printer.htmx |url-status=dead }} Donato then extended this record four months later, when he scored an equalizer against Valencia in an eventual 1–2 loss on 17 May, at the age of 40 years and 138 days, a mark that has not yet been surpassed by any other player in La Liga.
Donato began his coaching career in Greece, as assistant manager at Aris Thessaloniki FC. In 2008, he was appointed youth team manager at lowly Montañeros CF in the A Coruña region.{{cite web |url=http://www.laopinioncoruna.es/deportes/2008/11/19/deportes-donato-gama-silva-quiero-pasos-llegar-primera-division/238175.html |title=Donato Gama da Silva: "Quiero dar muchos pasos y llegar hasta Primera División" |trans-title=Donato Gama da Silva: "I want to take many steps and reach ''Primera División" |language=es |website=www.laopinioncoruna.es |date=19 November 2008 |access-date=}}
On 5 November 2015, it was announced that Donato would take over as manager of Viveiro CF in the Galician regional championships.{{cite web |url=http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/deportes/2015/11/04/donato-regresa-futbol-asume-riendas-viveiro/0003_201511G4P42993.htm |title=Donato regresa al fútbol y asume las riendas del Viveiro |trans-title=Donato returns to football and takes charge of Viveiro |language=es |work=La Voz de Galicia |date=5 November 2015 |access-date=}}
International career
After becoming a citizen of Spain in 1990,[http://elpais.com/diario/1990/09/07/deportes/652658404_850215.html El jugador del Atlético Donato jura la Constitución española (Atlético player Donato swears Spanish Constitution)]; El País, 7 September 1990 (in Spanish) Donato was called to the national team,[http://elpais.com/diario/1994/11/08/deportes/784249201_850215.html Clemente abre las puertas a los nacionalizados (Clemente opens doors to naturalized)]; El País, 8 November 1994 (in Spanish) and earned 12 caps in a two-year span. His debut arrived on 16 November 1994, starting and scoring in a 3–0 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier win against Denmark at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.[http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1994/11/17/pagina-2/1288932/pdf.html España pone proa hacia Inglaterra (Spain hoist sail towards England)]; Mundo Deportivo, 17 November 1994 (in Spanish)
Subsequently, Donato was called up for the squad at the final stages in England, making a substitute appearance in their opening draw with Bulgaria at Elland Road.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1996/06/10/pagina-2/1311045/pdf.html#&mode=fullScreen|title=Mediocre debut|trans-title=Mediocre debut|publisher=Mundo Deportivo|language=es|date=10 June 1996|access-date=30 May 2015}}
Career statistics
:Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Donato goal.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=4907|title=Donato|publisher=European Football|access-date=1 September 2017}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Donato | ||||||
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center"|1 | 16 November 1994 | Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain | {{fb|DEN}} | align="center"|2–0 | align="center"|3–0 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
| align="center"|2 | 17 December 1994 | Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels, Belgium | {{fb|BEL}} | align="center"|2–1 | align="center"|4–1 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
| align="center"|3 | 18 January 1995 | Riazor, A Coruña, Spain | {{fb|URU}} | align="center"|2–2 | align="center"|2–2 | Friendly |
Honours
See also
- List of Atlético Madrid players (+100)
- List of La Liga players (400+ appearances)
- List of Spain international footballers born outside Spain
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{BDFutbol}}
- {{NFT}}
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624164712/http://deportivo-la-coruna.com/profiles/pastplayers/donato.html |title=Donato at deportivo-la-coruna.com |date=dmy}}
{{Spain squad UEFA Euro 1996}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donato}}
Category:Brazilian emigrants to Spain
Category:Footballers from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Category:Brazilian men's footballers
Category:Spanish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Men's association football utility players
Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
Category:America Football Club (Rio de Janeiro) players
Category:CR Vasco da Gama players
Category:Atlético Madrid footballers
Category:Deportivo de La Coruña players
Category:Spain men's international footballers
Category:UEFA Euro 1996 players
Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Category:Brazilian football managers
Category:Spanish football managers
Category:Association football coaches
Category:Naturalised citizens of Spain
Category:Naturalised association football players