Fidélis (footballer, born 1944)

{{Short description|Brazilian football player and coach}}

{{Portuguese name|Fidélis|dos Santos}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Fidélis

| fullname = José Maria Fidélis dos Santos

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|3|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = São José dos Campos (SP), Brazil

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|11|28|1944|3|13|df=y}}

| death_place = São José dos Campos (SP), Brazil

| position = Defender

| years1 = 1963–1968 | clubs1 = Bangu

| years2 = 1967 | clubs2 = → Houston Stars (loan)

| years3 = 1969–1975 | clubs3 = Vasco da Gama

| years4 = 1975 | clubs4 = America

| years5 = 1976–1977 | clubs5 = ABC

| years6 = 1978 | clubs6 = Operário-MS

| years7 = 1979–1981 | clubs7 = São José-SP

| nationalyears1 = 1966 | nationalteam1= Brazil

| manageryears1 = 1989–1990 | managerclubs1 = Guarani de Divinópolis

}}

José Maria Fidélis dos Santos (13 March 1944 – 28 November 2012), known as just Fidélis, was a Brazilian football player and coach, who played as a defender.{{cite web | url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/especial/2006/copa/todos_os_brasileiros-1966.shtml | title=Todos os brasileiros | publisher=Folha | accessdate=4 September 2014}}{{Worldfootball.net|fidelis}}

Santos was born in São José dos Campos (SP). He played for the following clubs: Bangu, Vasco, América-RJ, Corinthians, ABC, Operário-MS and São José-SP. He earned 8 caps (1 non-official) for the Brazil national team, and was part of the team at the 1966 FIFA World Cup.

On 28 November 2012, he died in his hometown São José do Campos from stomach cancer.