José Marcelo Ferreira

Football player infobox
playername = Zé Maria


fullname = José Marcelo Ferreira
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1973|7|25
cityofbirth = flagicon|Brazil Oeiras
countryofbirth = Brazil
height = height|m=1.75
currentclub = Città di Castello
clubnumber =
position = Right defender/midfielder
years = 1991–1995 1993 1994 1995–1996 1997 1997–2000 1998 2000 2000–2004 2004–2006 2006–2007 2008 2008–
clubs = Portuguesa →CS Sergipe "(loan)" →Ponte Preta "(loan)" Flamengo Palmeiras Parma FC →Vasco da Gama "(loan)" →Cruzeiro "(loan)" Perugia Inter Milan Levante UD Portuguesa Città di Castello
caps(goals) = 017 (2) 038 (5) 028 (1) 013 (1) 022 (2) 045 (1) 034 (4) 029 (2) 164 (16) 030 (1) 014 (0)
nationalyears = 1996–2001
nationalteam = flagicon|Brazil Brazil
nationalcaps(goals) = 043 (2)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

"For another Brazilian footballer named" "Zé Maria" ", see José Maria Rodrigues Alves."

José Marcelo Ferreira, aka Zé Maria (born July 25, 1973 in Oeiras), is a Brazilian footballer, currently with amateur side A.S.D Città di Castello, in Italy.

Known for his pin-point crosses, Maria can play either as a right back or right midfielder.

Football career

Zé Maria signed with Associação Portuguesa de Desportos in 1996, before switching to Clube de Regatas do Flamengo a year later. After a successful season with Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, he moved to Italy with Parma F.C., where he was often loaned to Brazilian squads. However, Maria settled at Perugia Calcio, playing four seasons for the perennial league strugglers.

After Perugia's relegation in 2003-04, following a playoff loss to ACF Fiorentina, Zé Maria moved to Serie A giants Internazionale F.C.. After just 8 appearances in his second season (with Inter winning the "scudetto" courtesy of the "Calciocaos" affair), he was released and joined "La Liga" side Levante UD on a free transfer.

After starting the season as first-choice right-back, Maria lost the position and finished with 14 league appearances, with Levante barely avoiding relegation. Released again, he entailed unsuccessful negotiations with several clubs, reportedly Sheffield United F.C.. [ [http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2007/09/15/ze-maria-snubs-sheffield-contract-115875-19794995/ Zé Maria snubs Sheffield contract] ] and Queens Park Rangers F.C., thus returning to Brazil and Portuguesa in January 2008.

On August, after having rescinded his contract, he surprisingly accepted an offer from A.S.D. Città di Castello, an Italian "Eccellenza" Umbria amateur club. [cite news |url=http://www.lastampa.it/sport/cmsSezioni/calcio/200808articoli/16435girata.asp |publisher=La Stampa|language=Italian|accessdate=2008-08-29|date=2008-08-29 |title=From A to Eccellenza: Football greats who play for fun] Maria also stated his intention to keep living in Italy after his retirement from football. [cite news |url=http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/index.php?action=read&id=117194 |publisher=TuttoMercatoWeb |language=Italian |accessdate=2008-08-29 |date=2008-08-09 |title="A tu per tu"...with Zè Maria]

References

External links

* [http://www.sambafoot.co.uk/players/91_Ze_Maria.html Sambafoot profile]