Júlio César life and biography

Júlio César Martins (born 4 January 1978 in Londrina, Brazil) is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Santo André.

If one is to believe that goalkeepers get better with age, Julio Cesar provides proof. The 30 year-old goalkeeper for Inter Milan and the Brazilian national team got off to a slow start in his career but is now considered one of the best in his position. He made his debut in Flamengo's top division, where he earned three championships. He caught Inter's attention, and the Italian team hired him in the spring of 2005. But he went on loan to Chievo Verona, to get used to the Italian style.

Back at Inter, he found that his role would be as a replacement for the more experienced Francesco Toldo. His improvement was gradual before he ended up landing a starting spot in the team. That wasn't an easy task: he left Flamengo as an idol, and in Italy he had to start from scratch to earn the trust of team-mates and the fans. With Inter he became more and more confident game by game, winning three Serie A titles in the process. Julio Cesar is now an undisputable starter, so much so that the Italian powerhouse is planning to redraft his contract in order to secure his services, especially since several European clubs have expressed interest in him.

His performances with Inter earned him a starting role in the Brazil national team, where he has become one of the cornerstones of Dunga's squad. Historically, Brazil has been famous for having great individual players in outfield positions, but hampered by weak goalkeeping. Julio Cesar has shown that Brazil can have a great goalkeeper for many years to come.

Strengths: Strength, quick reactions and a solid aerial game. Penalties are speciality.
Weaknesses: His kicking skills sometimes leave something to be desired.

Career high: An outstanding performance playing for Brazil against Ecuador in the heights of Quito during the World Cup qualifying campaign. He was responsible for a 1-1 draw in a game that should have ended in clear victory for Ecuador.
Career low: His transition from Flamengo to Inter, with a short stint at Chievo Verona, where he played very few minutes on the field.

Style: Aside from the security that he offers, he has an overwhelming and winning personality.

Trivia: In 2007 he confronted none other than Brasil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who had questioned Dunga's squad and praised the Argentine national team, their classic rival: "I felt bad when he said that Messi loses the ball but runs after it to recover it while we just stand there. If that's what he thinks, he should become an Argentine citizen and move to Argentina."

Soccernet says: Claudio Taffarel, who was part of the team that earned the 1994 World Cup, was the last great Brazilian goalkeeper. Julio Cesar is technically better than him, has a great personality, and will arrive in South Africa with the maturity and the experience that is needed for his job.