Juninho: Thirty Years On

In October 1995, Middlesbrough signed a young promising Brazilian named Osvaldo Giroldo Júnior or more commonly known as Juninho.

At the time, Middlesbrough had only just been promoted to the Premier League and the signing of Juninho who had interest from numerous European top clubs was considered a major surprise at the time.

Juninho would be given a nickname by the fans of “TLF” (The Little Fella) alluding to his height being only 5’5 (1.65m).

He would make his debut on 4 November, 1995, at home against Leeds United where he would get an assist on his debut as he set up Jan Åge Fjørtoft for the opening goal in a 1-1 draw.

Anthony Vickers, Club Author at Middlesbrough, said Juninho would go on to make a huge impact at the club – describing him as: “An incredible, indelible one, seared on our collective psyche. Kids not even born when he ruled the world are suckled on his legend. He is a colossus.”

Juninho would have a great two years at the Riverside including two finals in the 1996/97 season as Boro would get to the FA Cup and League Cup final, ultimately losing both to Chelsea and Leicester City respectively.

Mr Vickers said Juninho’s impact couldn’t be measured by his skills alone. “He had a gossamer touch, gyroscopic balance and an audacious, cavalier approach to the game,” he said. “He was full of tricks and flicks, quicksilver movement and brilliant passes. But that wasn’t the point.”

Juninho would leave Teesside after Boro were relegated in 1997 and would join Radomir Antić’s Atlético Madrid for £13 million.

His time at Atlético would be hampered by injury which resulted in a return loan spell to Middlesbrough for the 1999-2000 season as Boro were just promoted back to the Premier League. That season they were able to stay up finishing 12^th thanks to the likes of Juninho.

He would return to Atlético after the loan spell and after another few loans he would finally leave Madrid in the summer of 2002 to return to Teesside for £6 million to join back with the club that called him one of their own.

His return would help him find his best form again and in his time back he would help the club win their first major honour, when Middlesbrough would win the 2003-04 Carling Cup over Sam Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers.

(Photo: Teesside Live)

Juninho would move on at the end of the 2004 season to Celtic and would finish his professional career with the team he started his professional career at in Ituano in 2010. He has made numerous returns to Teesside since his playing time at Boro and is loved by generations of Middlesbrough supporters.

Mr Vickers added: “It is hard to judge Juninho as a player – he was a brilliant galvanising presence in a humdrum, unbalanced side that was relegated and lost two cup finals in that Imperial phase and then a still hugely influential figure in a far better team that finally won a trophy as he completed his narrative arc – but easy to see his still powerful cultural and emotional impact on the club.”

The memory of Juninho at Middlesbrough is one of legend. He joined as a baby-faced 22 year old and left as “The Little Fella”, who went on record as saying that winning the League Cup with Middlesbrough was better than winning the World Cup with Brazil in 2002. His talent was able to not only help Boro win their first major honour but helped grow the club around the world with many Brazilians becoming supporters thanks to his story and his success.

Mr Vickers said the bond between player and supporters remained to this day.

He said: “This was a deeply personal, passionate and productive relationship in a magic moment and for many – even burly, battle-scarred, stone-hearted working-class men – a special and enduring first love. Even now, especially now, you can’t mess with the memory of the Little Fella.”