At the beginning of the last millennium, in Reggio Calabria, Mozart was not Austrian but Brazilian. Signed by Flamengo, where he had only played six months with eleven appearances, he had all the characteristics of being the most classic of meteors: high-sounding name, need to replace two great midfielders – as we will see later – and above all relegation to Serie B with only twelve games in the first season. Instead, the following year he will become a pillar of Reggina who will rise back to Serie A, then confirming himself in the following three seasons, becoming the captain.
Returning to his move to Reggio Calabria, Mozart described it like this a few years ago. “I played for Flamengo and we went to Spain for two friendlies with Atletico Madrid and Betis Seville. The sporting director of Reggina at the time came to observe a right back from our club, I played very well and the Amaranths lacked a director, given the farewells of Baronio and Pirlo, so I was contacted and purchased. I lived five magical years.”
The Brazilian will last five years, doing very well and attracting the attention of Spartak Moscow, who wrote a check for 6.5 million euros to buy him. Four seasons (and a return to Palmeiras) later, he returned to Italy to wear the Livorno shirt, without the same luck. Today Mozart turns 45.