Espírito Santo CD honours Geovani Silva, local football icon

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Espírito Santo CD honours Geovani Silva, local football icon

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The Geovani Silva Football Development Center, in Serra, Espírito Santo, was inaugurated by the CBFCredits: Silvia Mantovani/CBF

The Geovani Silva Football Development Center will bear the name of one of the greatest idols in the history of sports in Espírito Santo. Known as “The Little Prince,” he was honored on the morning of this Wednesday (30) at the CD inauguration ceremony, attended by his family members, who were moved during the event.

The star, who passed away on May 18 at the age of 62, is now immortalized in a space dedicated to social transformation and making dreams come true in Espírito Santo. The Development Center is located in Serra, about 30 km from the state capital, Vitória. Playing for the club of the same name from this municipality, Geovani won the 1999 Campeonato Capixaba.

Having had a standout spell at Vasco, where he is considered an idol, and at several clubs in Espírito Santo, Geovani also made history with the Brazilian National Team. He was part of the squad that won the South American and FIFA U-20 World titles in 1983, the silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, and the 1989 Copa América.

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The Geovani Silva Football Development Center, in Serra, Espírito Santo, was inaugurated by the CBFCredits: Henrique Mantovanelli/FES

A star on the pitch, the Vitória-born Espírito Santo native is always praised for his personality and character. For his son, Geovani Filho, the tribute to his father brings comfort to the family and reinforces the legacy he left for football in Espírito Santo and in Brazil.

“It is a source of pride to know that our father’s name will be on such an important training center for Espírito Santo, not only for football but also for social initiatives. He left a legacy of humility, resilience and discipline, everything that sport gave him. And we see that beginning again here, in this beautiful facility delivered by the CBF and the Federation, which comforts us in knowing that our father was so loved and is remembered at such an important event for football in Espírito Santo,” he said emotionally.

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President of the Espírito Santo State Football Federation, Gustavo Vieira, alongside Geovani’s wife, Andrea Silva, and his son Geovani Filho, during the inauguration of the Espírito Santo Football Development CenterCredits: Silvia Mantovani/CBF

Gustavo Vieira, president of the Espírito Santo State Football Federation, described Geovani as a “champion in life.”

“Geovani, besides being a great idol of sports in Espírito Santo, was a friend, served as vice president of the Federation for a long time, and is a very special person to us and to the entire sporting community of Espírito Santo and Brazil. He was a great player for the Brazilian National Team and is a great idol of Vasco da Gama. It is a more than fitting tribute to a star, and his name will brighten our center,” said Vieira, who also could not hold back his tears during the ceremony.

A 1994 World Cup champion with Brazil and a friend of the Espírito Santo star, Branco attended the ceremony and praised Geovani both as a person and as a player.

“I want to congratulate President Gustavo for the initiative and President Samir for accepting it, in honor of a great figure, a phenomenon on and off the field. We won the Copa América in 1989, and I was with him in Jair Pereira’s squad that won the FIFA U-20 World Championship. Geovani was one of a kind, spectacular and very humble, serious, a great professional and a great family man. We saw the tribute paid to his family, and if we, who are his friends, feel proud, just imagine his children and his wife. The tribute is extremely well deserved, and he will certainly be with us forever,” he said.

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Branco, Geovani Silva and Gustavo Vieira together before a Brazil U-20 match in Cariacica (ES), in 2022Credits: Pedro Vale/CBF

Development centers: A sea of possibilities​

In addition to Espírito Santo, Rondônia, Tocantins, Amapá, Santa Catarina and Sergipe have had their centers inaugurated by the CBF since July of last year. The DCs have the structure needed to host events for children beginning sports practice, referee training, courses for administrators, doctors and coaches, as well as amateur, youth and professional football competitions, both men’s and women’s.

Each Development Center has a synthetic turf field built to FIFA Quality standard dimensions (105x68m), team and referee locker rooms, stands, medical and administrative areas, parking and storage space. The DCs were built with resources from the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 Legacy Fund.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in here.

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