Vampeta

Marcos André Batista dos Santos, known as Vampeta, is a former Brazilian midfielder born in Salvador, Bahia. The nickname came during childhood, a humorous combination of the words 'vampire' and 'devil'. He started his career in Vitória's youth categories before moving to Europe while still young. In 1994, he was signed by PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, alongside Ronaldo Fenômeno. After a difficult season, he was loaned to Fluminense before returning to Dutch football, where he became national champion in 1997. In 1998, he joined Corinthians, the club with which he most identified. Forming a midfielder partnership with Venezuelan Rincón, he became an idol at Parque São Jorge, winning the São Paulo State Championship, Brazilian Championship, Brazilian Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup with the black-and-white team in stints that totaled over 260 matches. For the Brazilian National Team, he played in the 1999 Copa América, winning the title, and was part of Brazil's five-time world championship squad at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea, though he only played as a substitute in the tournament.