Ricardo Rogério de Brito, better known by his nickname Alemão (born November 22, 1961),[1] is a former Brazilian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
A tenacious and physical yet technically gifted player, Alemão was a strong, consistent, hard-working, and versatile midfielder, who excelled in a holding role as either a defensive midfielder or deep-lying playmaker, due to his tactical intelligence, energy, tackling, and his ability to read the game, as well as his capacity to start attacking plays after winning back possession.
[10] With Napoli, he won the UEFA Cup in 1989, scoring a goal in the final, followed by the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana in 1990.
[11] In 1994, he returned to Brazil, playing 77 games and scoring two goals for São Paulo,[2] winning two international titles with the club in 1994, the Copa CONMEBOL, and the Recopa Sudamericana;[9] he remained with the club until 1996, when he moved to Volta Redonda and retired from football.
[9] Alemão was capped 39 times for the Brazil national football team, between June 1983, and June 1990, scoring six goals, and he was part of the national team squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup and the 1990 FIFA World Cup.