Lucio will go down as one on Brazil's greatest ever defenders. A ball-playing centre-back whose skill belies his position, he has been a fixture at the heart of the Seleção backline since his debut in 2000.
Lucio began his career with Internacional in 1997, and after three seasons at the Beiro-Rio he joined Bayer Leverkusen. He was one of the stars of the Bayer team that finished runners-up in the German Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League in 2002.
If honours eluded him in Leverkusen, they did not in Munich. Indeed, after joining Bayern in 2004, he has won three Bundesliga titles and three German Cups.
Renowned for his intelligent reading of the game and dribbling the ball out of defence, Lucio made a significant contribution to Brazil's 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™ triumph. Although he gifted England a goal in the quarter-finals, he thwarted the Europeans' attack throughout the rest of the game as Luiz Felipe Scolari's side ran out 2-1 winners. In total, he helped A Seleção keep four clean sheets in the Far East, including in the Final against Germany.
Lucio was part of Brazil's FIFA Confederations Cup Germany 2005-winning team, and also led their defence at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Upon Dunga's appointment as coach, following the latter competition, the Bayern Munich defender was made captain of his country.
Lucio has performed impressively in qualifying for South Africa 2010, and revels in an admirable centre-back partnership with Juan.
