Gonçalves Football Academy
Gonçalves Football Academy, was inaugurated in 1996 in Rio de Janeiro, in two districts of the city. A nucleus in the district of Engenho da Rainha and a second nucleus in the neighborhood of Bento Ribeiro. Gonçalves, who was at the height of his career as a professional soccer player by Botafogo FR, but also graduated in Physical Education from Castelo Branco university, decided to help the children and adolescents in the neighborhood where he was raised, to start in sports Through football, fulfilling his dream of being an educator and trainer of new athletes. In July 1997, Gonçalves inaugurated in partnership with the Rio Sport Center, a football complex with 4 synthetic grass fields in Barra da Tijuca, a noble neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, Gonçalves besides playing and having won several titles for Botafogo F.R, is also playing as a star in the Brazilian team and had just won the Copa América in Bolivia.
Over the last 20 years, Gonçalves Football Academy has developed the training and initiation of athletes with children from 5 to 15 years of age. Several former students of Gonçalves Academy, became professional football players, among them. We can highlight the brothers Rafael Alcantara (Barcelona FC player) and Thiago Alcantara (former Barcelona and currently at Bayer Munichen), Matheus Oliveira (Sporting Lisbon), Adryan (Flamengo-Brazil) and Guilherme Costa (Vasco da Gama - Brazil). Octávio (Botafogo- Brazil), among others.
In addition to participating in competitions in the city of Rio de Janeiro, some teams from Gonçalves Academy have already participated in international competitions, such as the soccer tournament that is held every year in Portugal and Spain.
