Baltazar Maria de Morais Júnior

Baltazar

Baltazar in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Baltazar Maria de Morais Júnior
Date of birth	17 July 1959
Place of birth	Goiânia, Brazil
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1978–1979	Atlético Goianiense
1979–1982	Grêmio	78	(46)
1982	Palmeiras
1983	Flamengo	26	(13)
1984	Palmeiras	11	(2)
1984–1985	Botafogo	18	(1)
1985–1988	Celta	92	(47)
1988–1990	Atlético Madrid	77	(53)
1990–1991	Porto	19	(2)
1991–1993	Rennes	34	(6)
1993–1995	Goiás
1995–1996	Kyoto Purple Sanga	30	(28)
National team
1980–1989	Brazil	6	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Baltazar Maria de Morais Júnior (born 17 July 1959), known simply as Baltazar, is a Brazilian retired footballer who played as a striker.

During an 18-year professional career he played, other than in his country, in Spain, Portugal, France and Japan, winning several individual scoring honours. He appeared with the Brazilian national team that won the 1989 Copa América.

Club career

Born in Goiânia, Goiás, Baltazar started playing with hometown club Atlético Clube Goianiense. In 1979 he signed for Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, going on to score in double digits during his entire four-season spell a recording a best of 14 in 1980 while being an instrumental attacking unit in the team's back-to-back Rio Grande do Sul State League conquests; in the 1981's Série A final against São Paulo FC, after missing a penalty kick in the first leg (2–1 home win), he scored the only goal in the second game for a first-ever national championship conquest.

In the following four years, Baltazar played for Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (two spells), Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, netting 13 times for the second side in another Brazilian championship conquest. Aged 26 he had his first abroad experience, being relegated from the Spanish La Liga with Celta de Vigo.

In 1986–87, Baltazar propelled the Galicians back into the top level by scoring a career-best 34 goals, also a best-ever in the second division. In a game in December, he accidentally collided with CD Málaga goalkeeper José Antonio Gallardo who died days later from a cerebral haemorrhage; he mourned the death which some had blamed him for.^[1]

Baltazar only found the net on six occasions in the following season, but the club retained its league status.^[2][3][4] He subsequently stayed in the country and joined Atlético Madrid, scoring 35 goals in 36 contests in his first season – his second Pichichi in three years – and adding 18 in the following;^[5] however, after the emergence of younger Manolo, the 31-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by manager Tomislav Ivić and, in November 1990, signed for FC Porto in Portugal, being used almost exclusively as a substitute during his only season.

Until his retirement at the age of 37 in 1996, Baltazar played for Stade Rennais FC (France), Goiás Esporte Clube and Kyoto Purple Sanga (Japan).

International career

Baltazar played for Brazil at the 1989 Copa América which was held on home soil, appearing in three group stage matches for the eventual winners (including the 0–0 against Colombia as a starter).^[6]

However, during nearly one full decade, he only gained a total of six caps, scoring two goals.

Post-retirement

Highly religious, Baltazar was nicknamed O Artilheiro de Deus (God's striker). He became a minister after retiring from football, settling in his hometown and fathering two children.^[7]

Statistics

Club

Club performance			League
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals
Brazil			League
1979	Grêmio	Série A	16	10
1980			18	14
1981			21	10
1982			23	12
1983	Flamengo	Série A	26	13
1984	Palmeiras	Série A	11	2
1984	Botafogo	Série A	0	0
1985			18	1
Spain			League
1985/86	Celta	La Liga	32	6
1986/87		Segunda División	44	34
1987/88		La Liga	16	7
1988/89	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	36	35
1989/90			38	18
1990/91			3	0
Portugal			League
1990/91	Porto	Primeira Liga	19	2
France			League
1991/92	Stade Rennais	Ligue 1	34	6
1992/93		Ligue 2	0	0
Brazil			League
1993	Goiás	Série A	0	0
1994		Série B	0	0
Japan			League
1995	Kyoto Purple Sanga	Football League	27	28
1996		J. League 1	3	0
Country	Brazil		133	62
	Spain		169	100
	Portugal		19	2
	France		34	6
	Japan		30	28
Total			385	198

International

Brazil
Year	Apps	Goals
1980	1	0
1981	2	1
1982	0	0
1983	0	0
1984	0	0
1985	0	0
1986	0	0
1987	0	0
1988	0	0
1989	3	1
Total	6	2

Honours

Club

• Brazilian League: 1981, 1983
• Rio Grande do Sul State League: 1979, 1980
• Portuguese Cup: 1990–91
• Goiás State League: 1994

Country

• Copa América: 1989

Individual

• Goiás State League: Top scorer 1978, 1994
• Rio Grande do Sul State League: Top scorer 1980, 1981
• Rio de Janeiro State League: Top scorer 1984
• Brazilian Second Division: Top scorer 1994
• Pichichi Trophy: 1986–87 (Spanish Second Division), 1988–89

References

1. "Puerta, Jarque y Gallardo" [Puerta, Jarque and Gallardo] (in Spanish). Marca. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
2. "3–2: Baltazar volvió a salvar al Celta" [3–2: Baltazar saved Celta again] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 22 December 1986. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
3. "3–3: Baltazar impidió el triunfo del Valencia" [3–3: Baltazar prevented Valencia win] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 7 September 1987. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
4. Baltazar; Yo Jugué en el Celta, 3 April 2008 (Spanish)
5. "El gol del Atlético" [Atlético's goal] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
6. Copa América 1989; at RSSSF
7. Baltazar, o artilheiro de Deus (Baltazar, God's striker); Terceiro Tempo (Portuguese)

External links

• SambaFoot profile
• Baltazar profile at BDFutbol
• Baltazar profile at ForaDeJogo
• Baltazar at National-Football-Teams.com