Sissi (footballer)

Sisleide do Amor Lima (born 2 June 1967), commonly known as Sissi, is a Brazilian footballer and coach who played as an attacking midfielder. She last played for FC Gold Pride of Women's Professional Soccer and is a former member of the Brazil women's national football team.

Sissi
Personal information
Full nameSisleide do Amor Lima[1]
Date of birth (1967-06-02) 2 June 1967 (age 57)
Place of birthEsplanada, Bahia, Brazil
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s)Attacking midfielder
Playmaker
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1996Saad
1997–1998São Paulo
1999–2000Palmeiras
2000Vasco da Gama
2001–2003San Jose CyberRays62(5)
2004–2008California Storm
2009FC Gold Pride3(0)
International career
1988–2000Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:10, 30 September 2009 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:10, 30 September 2009 (UTC)

Early life

Born in Esplanada, Brazil, Sissi began playing football at the age of six with her older brother Paulo and her father.[2] At the age of 14, she left her home in Esplanada to play professionally in Salvador, Brazil. She played for the first time with the Brazilian national team at age 16.[3] In 1999 she transferred from São Paulo FC to Palmeiras for a US$5,000 fee.[4]

Club career

San Jose CyberRays (2001-2003)

Sissi played for the San Jose CyberRays in the first women's professional soccer league in the United States, the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) all three years that the league was in existence. The team won the Founders Cup Championship in their first year together.[2]

California Storm (2004-2014)

In 2004, Sissi signed to play with the California Storm in the Women's Premier Soccer League, the highest women's professional soccer league in the United States after the WUSA ceased operations. She joined fellow 1999 Women's World Cup stars, Brandi Chastain and Keri Sanchez.[5][6]

Saad Esporte Club (2005)

In November 2005, Sissi made a brief return to one of her former clubs in Brazil, Saad Esporte Clube.[7]

FC Gold Pride (2009)

Sissi signed with FC Gold Pride for the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) as the team's assistant coach. On 11 June 2009, it was announced that Sissi was joining the roster of the team, making her the oldest player in the league at age 42.[8] She made three appearances as a player for the club playing a total of 128 minutes.[9] She was also an assistant coach.[10][11]

International career

Sissi was part of the EC Radar club team who represented Brazil at the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in Guangdong and finished in third place.[12] She was unable to take part in the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup because she was not released by her club team.[13]

Sissi was called up to Brazil's squad for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup as a Palmeiras player.[14] She won the golden boot award at the tournament in which she scored seven goals, sharing the award with China's Sun Wen.[15]

For the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup 36-year-old Sissi was left out of the Brazil squad due to her relatively advanced age and "disciplinary issues".[16]

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.25 July 1996Birmingham, United States  Germany1–11–11996 Summer Olympics
2.19 June 1999East Rutherford, United States  Mexico3–17–11999 FIFA Women's World Cup
3.5–1
4.6–1
5.24 June 1999Chicago, United States  Italy1–02–0
6.2–0
7.27 June 1999Landover, United States  Germany2–13–3
8.1 July 1999  Nigeria4–34–3 (a.e.t.)

Coaching career

On 29 September 2008, Sissi was announced as the new assistant coach for the Bay Area Women's Professional Soccer team, ultimately known as FC Gold Pride. She was also the head coach for the Las Positas College Women's Soccer team based in Livermore, California. She was a coach for the Diablo Valley Soccer Club (DVSC) for three years as well as Clayton Valley High School.[2] She currently coaches at Walnut Creek Soccer Club and at Solano Community College in Fairfield, California, USA.

Honours

Saad
São Paulo
Palmeiras
Vasco da Gama
CyberRays
California Storm
Brazil

References