Cicinho
A blisteringly fast Brazilian right-back whose explosive runs defined an era at São Paulo and earned him a coveted spot on the 2006 World Cup squad.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Brazilian footballer·Birthday: June 24·Generation X
Biography
Cicinho, born Cícero João de Cézare, emerged as one of the world's most exciting full-backs in the mid-2000s. Racing up and down the flank for São Paulo, he combined searing pace with technical daring and precise crosses. This form earned him a spot on the Brazilian national team and a 2005 move to Real Madrid, where he was expected to succeed Michel Salgado. Injuries and fierce competition limited his starting role in Spain. Later spells at Roma, Sampdoria, and back in Brazil showed flashes of brilliance, but consistency eluded him. At his peak, he was a defender whose primary instinct was to attack.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Cicinho was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cicinho Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Cicinho's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club World Cup with São Paulo in 2005.
- Was selected for the Brazilian squad that competed in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
- Won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A title with São Paulo in 2006.
- Secured a La Liga championship with Real Madrid during the 2006-07 season.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Cicinho' is a common Brazilian diminutive for Cícero.
He scored a memorable goal for Real Madrid in a 2-1 El Clásico defeat to Barcelona in 2006.
After retiring, he became a sports commentator and analyst in Brazilian media.
He made his senior debut for Brazil in 2005 in a match against Guatemala.
“My game is speed. I attack the space and deliver the cross.”
