Chinesinho

Chinesinho
Chinesinho at Juventus in 1965
Personal information
Full name Sidney Colônia Cunha
Date of birth (1935-06-28)28 June 1935
Place of birth Rio Grande, Brazil
Date of death 16 April 2011(2011-04-16) (aged 75)
Position Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954 Renner 41 (1)
1955–1958 Internacional[1] 74 (6)
1958–1962 Palmeiras 241 (55)
1962–1963 Modena 20 (3)
1963–1965 Catania 59 (5)
1965–1967 Juventus 85 (8)
1967–1972 Lanerossi Vicenza[2] 90 (10)
1972 New York Cosmos[3] 1 (0)
1973–1974 Nacional-SP ? (?)
International career
1956–1961 Brazil 17 (7)
Managerial career
1976 Vicenza
1978–1979 Foggia
1979–1981 Forlì
1985 Palmeiras
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sidney Colônia Cunha (28 June 1935 – 16 April 2011), commonly known as Chinesinho (Little Chinese), was a Brazilian footballer and manager who played as a midfielder. He represented clubs in Brazil, Italy and the United States, and played 17 international matches for Brazil between 1956 and 1961.[4][5]

Chinesinho is particularly associated with Palmeiras, where he played from 1958 to 1962 and won the Campeonato Paulista in 1959 and the Taça Brasil in 1960, the club's first Brazilian national championship.[4][6]

Early life and Brazilian career

Chinesinho was born in Rio Grande, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.[4]

He began his professional career with Renner in 1954 before moving to Internacional in 1955. He established himself as an important attacking midfielder at Internacional before joining Palmeiras in 1958.[7]

At Palmeiras, he initially played on the left wing before moving into a midfield role. The club credits him as one of the most technically gifted players in its history and records 240 appearances and 54 goals in its principal statistical profile, while other historical records give 241 or 242 appearances and 55 goals depending on the competition set counted.[4][8]

Palmeiras

Chinesinho's period at Palmeiras lasted from 1958 to 1962. He became the club's principal attacking midfielder and wore the number 10 shirt before it was later inherited by Ademir da Guia.[4]

In 1959, Chinesinho played a prominent role in the deciding series against Santos, which was then led by Pelé. Palmeiras won the Campeonato Paulista after three decisive matches, and Chinesinho scored in the second match, a 2–2 draw.[4]

He was also a member of the Palmeiras side that won the Taça Brasil in 1960. The title was the club's first national championship and secured Palmeiras a place in the Copa Libertadores in 1961.[4]

Chinesinho played his final match for Palmeiras on 25 August 1962, when the club defeated Juventus-SP 1–0 in the Campeonato Paulista. He subsequently moved to Italy, with Modena becoming his first Italian club.[8]

The end of his Palmeiras career coincided with the emergence of Ademir da Guia, who went on to become one of the club's most important players and inherited Chinesinho's number 10 shirt.[4]

Career in Italy

After leaving Palmeiras in 1962, Chinesinho moved to Italy and joined Modena. He subsequently played for Catania, Juventus and Lanerossi Vicenza.[9]

At Catania, Chinesinho became one of the club's notable Brazilian players of the period and was involved in the team's participation in the Coppa delle Alpi, in which Catania finished runners-up in 1964.[10]

He joined Juventus in 1965. During the 1966–67 Serie A season, Juventus won the Italian championship, giving Chinesinho a Serie A title during his time with the club.[8][11]

After Juventus, he joined Lanerossi Vicenza and remained with the club until 1972.[11]

United States and return to Brazil

In 1972, Chinesinho played for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League.[12]

He subsequently returned to Brazil and played for Nacional-SP in 1973–74, completing his professional playing career.[13]

International career

Chinesinho represented the Brazil national football team between 1956 and 1961. The statistics in the article's football database record 17 appearances and seven goals for Brazil.[14]

He was part of Brazil's squad at the 1956 Panamerican Championship, which Brazil won.[15]

At the 1959 South American Championship in Argentina, Chinesinho scored once and Brazil finished second behind Argentina.[14]

He also won the Copa Roca and Taça do Atlântico with Brazil in 1960, according to retrospective records of his international career.[16]

Chinesinho was not selected for Brazil's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, despite contemporary and later Brazilian accounts debating whether he or Didi should have occupied the midfield position.[8]

Managerial career

After retiring as a player, Chinesinho worked as a football manager in Italy and Brazil.[17]

He managed Vicenza, Foggia and Forlì in Italy before returning to Brazil.

In 1985 he returned to Palmeiras as manager. He coached the club for 14 matches, recording five victories, six draws and three defeats.[17][18]

Playing style

Chinesinho was regarded as a highly technical and quick midfielder. Palmeiras described him as a technically gifted player who operated behind the centre-forward, combining playmaking with an ability to arrive in the attacking area and score goals.[4]

His versatility allowed him to play both as a winger and as a more central attacking midfielder. This tactical flexibility was one of the characteristics associated with his career in Brazil and Italy.[4][19]

Death

Chinesinho died on 16 April 2011 in Rio Grande, aged 75. He had suffered from Alzheimer's disease.[20][21]

Honours

Club

Internacional
Palmeiras
Catania
Juventus

International

Brazil

References

  1. ↑ Profile at sambafoot
  2. ↑ Italian career stats at RSSSF
  3. ↑ NASL career stats
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Chinesinho". SE Palmeiras. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Chinesinho". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Chinesinho, ídolo de Palmeiras e Inter nos anos 1950 e 1960, morre no RS". UOL Esporte. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Chinesinho, ídolo de Palmeiras e Inter nos anos 1950 e 1960, morre no RS". UOL Esporte. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Há exatos 50 anos, Chinesinho se despedia do Palmeiras". SE Palmeiras. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Brazilian Players in Italy". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Il ricordo di Cinesinho: 'Io come Pelè e Garrincha'". Sky Sport. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Brazilian Players in Italy". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Chinesinho". NASL Jerseys. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Chinesinho". Terceiro Tempo. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Southamerican Championship 1959 (1st Tournament)". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Chinesinho". Terceiro Tempo. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Chinesinho - Que fim levou?". Terceiro Tempo. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Chinesinho, ex-meia do clube, morre aos 75". Folha de S.Paulo. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Chinesinho". SE Palmeiras. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Il ricordo di Cinesinho: 'Io come Pelè e Garrincha'". Sky Sport. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "Ídolo eterno, Chinesinho morre aos 75 anos no Rio Grande do Sul". SE Palmeiras. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Chinesinho, ídolo de Palmeiras e Inter nos anos 1950 e 1960, morre no RS". UOL Esporte. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Chinesinho". SE Palmeiras. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
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