Dondinho


João Ramos do Nascimento[List of footballers who achieved hat-trick records|], nicknamed Dondinho, was a Brazilian footballer who played as a centre forward. He was the father, mentor and trainer of Pelé. During his own playing career, Dondinho played for a number of clubs, including Atlético Mineiro. He became known as "Maleável" due to his ability to score headers.

Club career

In 1933 Dondinho joined Atletico Mineiro playing for its youth section until 1935. He then started his senior career with Yuracan in the Itajuba championship. In 1940 he returned to Atletico Mineiro, but did not play a lot after suffering a serious knee injury.

Record

In 1938 Dondinho scored 5 goals with headers in Yuracan's 6–2 win against their arch-rivals Smart Futebol Clube in the 1939 regional Interior Championship of Itajubá, Minas Gerais. His
record remained unbroken until Dušan Bajević scored five headed goals for Yugoslavia against Venezuela in 1972.

Death and tributes

He died of heart failure at the age of 79, on November 16, 1996.
On September 15, 2012, the statue "Monumento ao Dondinho" was erected in the João Ramos do Nascimento Municipal Park in Bauru. The approximately 5 meter statue depicts Dondinho and Pelé as children. The artist used cement, plaster and iron and created the work in less than 2 months.

Honors

Filmography