Delhi Dynamos unveil Chicao ahead of second Indian Super League season
Delhi Dynamos have confirmed the signing of Brazillian defender Anderson Sebastiao Cardoso (Chicao) for the second edition of the Indian Super League. Chiacao has played for Brazillian giants such as Flamengo and Corinthians.
Having started his professional career with Mogi Mirim in 2003, Chiacao got his big break with Figueirense FC in 2006 in the top division of Brazillian football. He spent two years at the club helping the club reach their highest ever finish in the league with a seventh place finish. Figueirense also managed to reach the Copa do Brazil final but ended up with the runner-up trophy behind Flamengo.
In 2008, Chicao moved to Corinthians, a club where he would win everything that Brazillian football has to offer starting with the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie B to gain promotion to the Serie A. In the next season, he was an integral part of the team that won the Campeonato Paulista(Sao Paulo league) and at the end of the season lifted the Copa do Brazil as well with a victory over Gremio.
Chicao played an integral role in Corinthians’ win over Chelsea
In the next three years, Corinthians with Chicao in their ranks would win the league and the Copa Libertadores(the South American equivalent of the UEFA CHamipions League). As a result of their win, they qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup, a competition a Brazillian club had not won since Internacional in 2006. But Corinthians with Chicao in defense restricted European Champions Chelsea to just six shots on target in the final to lift the title.
After winning the Campeonato Paulista again in 2013, Chicao changed his allegiance to Flamengo where he would end up winning another Copa do Brazil. Having scored over fifty goals in almost 350 professional appearances, he offers a great return for the club in terms of both offense and defense.
Delhi who narrowly missed out qualifying for the playoffs of the Indian Super League last season will hope that Chicao can offer them a solid defense to build a serious challenge of the title this season showing this season. Chicao will join fellow Brazillian Gustavo Marmentini in the ISL team along with marquee player-manager Roberto Carlos.
Delhi announced the signing of the Brazillian through their twitter account.