Edu Gaspar
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eduardo César Daude Gaspar | ||
| Date of birth | 15 May 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Central midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2001 | Corinthians | 23 | (0) |
| 2001–2005 | Arsenal | 100 | (7) |
| 2005–2009 | Valencia | 50 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Corinthians | 11 | (0) |
| Total | 184 | (8) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2004–2005 | Brazil | 15 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:28, 25 December 2009 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15:28, 25 December 2009 (UTC) |
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Eduardo César Daude Gaspar (born 15 May 1978), commonly known as Edu or Edu Gaspar, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently director of football at his former club Corinthians.
Edu started his career in the Campeonato Brasileiro with one of the Brazil's biggest teams, Corinthians. While at Corinthians, Edu won the 1998 and 1999 Brasileiro championships, and the 2000 World Club Championship.
After initially planning to join Arsenal in 2000, his transfer was put on hold after it was realized that he was in possession of a fake Portuguese passport. Months later, after qualifying for a European Union (EU) passport (aided by Italian lineage on his father's side), he signed for Arsenal on 16 January 2001 for £6 million. He had a turbulent time early on as his sister was killed in a car accident.
His Arsenal debut came in 2001 in a goalless draw tarnished by an injury after 15 minutes against Leicester City. He had replaced Freddie Ljungberg at half time only for himself to be replaced by Dennis Bergkamp minutes later. It was an unfortunate start and he only managed to play in four more matches for the club during that season, one of which was a 0–3 defeat at home to Middlesbrough in which he contributed an own goal. His first goal for the club came against Grimsby in the League Cup on 27 November 2001. He went on to make a substitute appearance in the 2002 FA Cup Final as Arsenal emerged victorious. He also contributed 14 league appearances, and a goal against Aston Villa, as Arsenal won the 2001-02 FA Premier League, with Edu becoming the first Brazilian to win the Premier League.
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