Luís Antônio Corrêa da Costa, nicknamed Müller, (born January 31, 1966) is a Brazilian football pundit and retired footballer who played as a second striker.
Club career Müller is one of São Paulo's all-time leading scorers with 158 goals. With the club he won the Intercontinental Cup in 1993, scoring the third goal against A.C. Milan in Tokyo. He later had spells in Italy before returning to Brazil and retired from professional football in 2004.
International career
Müller made his debut for the Brazil national team in March 1986, in a friendly against West Germany. He was on the losing side as the Germans won 2–0 in Frankfurt. He continued to appear in friendlies across that spring, including scoring his first goal for the National team against East Germany in a 3–0 home win. That summer, Müller played a part in each of Brazil's games in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Brazil were eliminated in the Quarter finals after losing a penalty shootout to France. Müller had been substituted by this point and his replacement, Zico, had missed a penalty (actually stopped by Joël Bats) in normal time with the scores level.
Müller played for Brazil in the 1987 Copa America. They were eliminated in the opening round by the eventual runners-up, Chile. He was then left out of Brazil's victory in the 1989 Copa America, but returned to the side in time to play in the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He registered two goals and an assist during an impressive group stage for Brazil, but the team fell to Argentina in the second round.
Müller would feature less after the World Cup and missed the 1991 Copa America, but he was recalled by Carlos Alberto Parreira and was a key player in the 1993 Copa America, where Brazil lost to Argentina on penalties in the Quarter Finals. Müller went to his third World Cup when he was named in the squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA. By this time, Brazil's favoured strikers were Romario and Bebeto, and so Müller's contributions were limited to a nine-minute substitute appearance against Cameroon in the first round.
Müller would make fewer appearances for Brazil after the 1994 World Cup. His next appearance was in a home friendly against Wales in November 1997. His last appearance for the national team came in a friendly in September 1998 against Yugoslavia.
Style of play Müller played in an "old fashioned" left sided forward position, despite being naturally right footed. His function as a second striker was primarily that of making passes, serving his teammates, and creating goalscoring opportunities or providing assists, but he was also capable of playing as a striker, due to his effectiveness on counter-attacks, as well as his ability to make runs from the left flank or cut into the centre to strike on goal with his stronger foot.
After football After retiring from professional football in 2004, Müller worked as a television football commentator.
Personal life Müller's brother, Cocada, was also a footballer.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueDivisionAppsGoalsSão Paulo1984Série A0019851541986301119871510198800Total6025Torino1988–89Serie A31111989–90Serie B27111990–91Serie A72Total6524São Paulo1991Série A7319921751993123199452Total4118Kashiwa Reysol1994Football League1331995J1 League115Total248Palmeiras (loan)1995Série A208São Paulo1996Série A2011Perugia1996–97Serie A60Santos1997Série A2710Cruzeiro1998Série A2251999162200020Total407Corinthians (loan)2000Série A61São Paulo2001Série A00São Caetano2001Série A154200200Total154Tupi200300Portuguesa Desportos2003Série B71Ipatinga2004Série C00Career total331112
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsBrazil198612119871021988311989301990731991111992201993124199440199500199600199710199810Total5612
Honours São Paulo São Paulo State League: 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992 Brazilian League: 1986, 1991 Copa Libertadores: 1992, 1993 Intercontinental Cup: 1992, 1993 Libertadores Supercup: 1993
Torino Serie B: 1989–90 Mitropa Cup: 1991
Palmeiras São Paulo State League: 1996 Copa do Brasil runner-up: 1996 Cruzeiro Minas Gerais State League: 1998 Recopa Sudamericana: 1998 Brazilian Cup: 2000
Corinthians South Minas Cup: 2001
Brazil U20 FIFA World Youth Championship: 1985
Brazil Rous Cup: 1987 FIFA World Cup: 1994
Individual Brazilian League Top Scorer: 1987 Top player of the Intercontinental Cup's final: 1992 Bola de Prata: 1997
References
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