André Luís Garcia

Born in Porto Alegre, but raised in Bagé, Luís spent the majority of his youth career in his home-town club, Guarany.[1] At age 19, he moved to Santos, where he made his professional debut on 22 March 2000, in 7–2 win against Araçatuba, for the Campeonato Paulista.[2][3] He quickly gained a place in the starting eleven, leading to a call-up to represent Brazil in the 2000 Summer Olympics.[2] However a year later, a compromising performance in the semifinal of the Campeonato Paulista with Corinthians, cost him his place at Santos and he was loaned out to Fluminense for the remainder of the season.[2][4] At Fluminense, Luís regained his best form and helped them finish third in the Brasileirão, as Santos recalled him back.[4] The following year, he partnered with Alex to help Santos win their first league title since 1968.[4] His partnership with Alex was dubbed by the media as Twin Towers, due to their high stature.[4] In 2003, Luís was part of the first Santos team to reach the Copa Libertadores Finals since 1963; losing it to Boca Juniors.[5] Domestically, he won his second league title in 2004, starting in 39 games and partnering with either Domingos or Ávalos.[6]

In September 2004, the media started speculating about a potential move to Europe in the next transfer window.[4] Atlético Madrid enquired about his situation,[7] but was Benfica who pressed harder.[8][9] After three months of negotiations, Luís signed a three-year contract with Benfica, leaving Santos with over 200 appearances.[10] Arriving at Benfica with the season in progress, he found it difficult to get some playing time, with Luisão and Ricardo Rocha being the preferred centre-backs of Giovanni Trapattoni.[11][12] Despite a positive debut in the Portuguese Cup semi-final against Estrela da Amadora, Luís only played once in the Primeira Liga, when he replaced a suspended Luisão in a visit to Penafiel on 7 May.[11][12] According to Record, his league debut was disappointing, because he allowed N'Doye to score the winning goal for Penafiel.[13] After the season ended, he complained about his low playing time and said: "I will look for a club where I can play. To stay like this I rather not return".[14] In July, Luís moved to Olympique de Marseille in season-long loan, with a buyout clause set at €6 million.[15][16][17] At the end of season, Marseille opted not to exercise their buyout clause and he returned to Benfica.[17]

Out of the plans for the new season, on 31 August 2006, Benfica sold him to Cruzeiro for a fee rumoured to be €1.5 million.[18][19] He made his debut for Cruzeiro on 17 September, in a one-nil win against Palmeiras, and quickly established himself in the first team.[20] However, in March 2007, Luís attracted some controversy, when he first attacked André from América Mineiro,[21] and a few days later, head-butted a referee in a match with Ipatinga.[22] Despite facing a penalty of 240 days of suspension, Cruzeiro managed to reduce the sentence to just four games.[23] This controversy affected his chances at Cruzeiro, and he missed the entire Brasileirão.[20] In December, he rescinded his contract with Cruzeiro,[24] and signed a one-year deal with Botafogo.[25]

His first game for Botafogo was on 9 March 2008 with Volta Redonda,[26] and his first goal was in the next match with Duque de Caxias.[27] However, he soon got into more controversy. In a match with Náutico on 1 June 2008, Luís, already booked, made a tackle on Ruy and was sent-off. As he left the pitch towards his bench, he insulted Náutico's fans and kicked a bottle of Gatorade towards them. He was reprimanded by a police officer, which he responded by insulting her. The officer tried to put him under arrest and major brawl started, with Luís escaping for the locker-room, where barricaded himself.[28][29] He was eventually arrested and brought to the police station, where he negotiated his release after paying 25 minimum wages to a cancer hospital.[30] Five months later, he was again involved in another controversy; on a Copa Sudamericana match with Estudiantes de La Plata and after making a tackle, referee Carlos Chandía was about to show him his second yellow card, when Luís took it out of his hands and showed it to Chandia instead.[31][32] He received a 6 match suspension from the CONMEBOL.[33]

Luís left Botafogo in December 2008 and spent four months without club, until he joined Grêmio Barueri on 28 April 2009, as the club made their top tier debut.[34] After helping Barueri finish 11th, the 30-year old traded clubs, signing a one-year deal with São Paulo.[35] His spell at São Paulo was short lived, as he moved to Fluminense in May 2010, signing a three-year contract.[36] At the end of 2011, Luís saw his contract unilaterally terminated, for "unacceptable behaviour" after he missed more than 20 training sessions without explanation.[37][38] He then became a journeyman and moved clubs every year, passing through Portuguesa, a second spell at Barueri, Boa Esporte, Brasiliense and Mogi Mirim.[39][40][41]