Mineiro's story

Carlos Luciano da Silva, nicknamed Mineiro, is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a midfielder.

Mineiro made his international debut in April 2001 against Peru. He won the Campeonato Paulista in 2004 and 2005, playing for São Caetano and São Paulo, respectively, and also won, playing for São Paulo, the Copa Libertadores de América and the FIFA Club World Championship in 2005.

On 18 December 2005, he scored the only goal in the final of the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship in Yokohama, Japan, against European champions Liverpool.

Mineiro was selected to participate in Copa América 2007. He started every match as Brazil went on to win the tournament. He retired from the national team in 2008.

Mineiro has been coming to Australia to run local soccer clinics with the Tour of hope, a not-for-profit organisation, extending through the Asia Pacific. The program has been dedicated to help kids of all levels learn soccer, and to break down cultural barriers through sport.

In 2019, Mineiro relocated to Australia with his wife Daiane, and three beautiful children, Juan Pablo, Giovanna & Jonathan. They are local residents of the Woodlea estate in Aintree, where they plan to live indefinitely.

Mineiro’s passion and love of soccer, puts him at the forefront of helping others to build skills through sport, creating opportunity and confidence to learn and grow. He plans to help forge local soccer groups for the community, and greater Western corridor. Mineiro is set to be head coach of the Woodlea Soccer Academy, which he is hoping to launch in the coming months.