page_title: Deco
section_title: Chelsea
hierarchical_section_title: Deco / Club career / Chelsea
caption_attribution_description: Русский: ДекуEnglish: Deco
context_page_description: Anderson Luís de Souza, known as Deco, is a retired professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or central midfielder.
  Deco is one of the few players to have won the UEFA Champions League with two clubs, with Porto in 2004 and Barcelona in 2006. He was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and UEFA Best Midfielder in Porto's Champions League-winning season and was named Man of the Match in the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final. Deco was the first player to win the UEFA Best Midfielder Award with two clubs, Porto and Barcelona. He was awarded the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball and the Man of the Match award in the final despite losing to Internacional.
  Born and raised in Brazil, Deco received Portuguese citizenship in 2002 having completed five years of Portuguese residence, and subsequently opted to play internationally for the Portugal national team. He earned 75 caps for them, playing at two UEFA European Championships and two FIFA World Cups, reaching the final of Euro 2004, and achieving a fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup.
  Deco announced his retirement on 26 August 2013, following a hamstring injury.
context_section_description: On 30 June 2008, Chelsea signed Deco from Barcelona on a three-year contract for €10 million (£8 million). He was the first signing of new Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was formerly the head coach of the Portugal National Football Team.
  Deco scored on his Chelsea debut and his Premier League debut with a 30-yard goal in a 4–0 victory over Portsmouth. Deco followed up his performance by scoring in his second game for Chelsea, a curling free-kick against Wigan Athletic. These performances led to him winning the Premier League Player of the Month award for August. Deco made his UEFA Champions League debut for Chelsea on 16 September. Deco injured himself during a training session, but he returned from the thigh injury on 19 October and came on as a substitute against Middlesbrough. He was sent off in the 3–1 defeat by Roma on 4 November 2008. He then scored a bicycle kick against Bolton Wanderers on 6 December.
  Deco eventually lost his place in the 2008–09 starting line up, due in part to some poor performances, but also to the sacking of Scolari. In a June interview, Deco said, "I do not want to stay. I have not liked my experience at Chelsea." This was soon followed by Internazionale, managed by former Chelsea manager José Mourinho, declaring Inter was attempting to sign Deco along with fellow countryman Ricardo Carvalho, who had also declared his desire to leave and, like Deco, desired to link-up with Mourinho again. Both players previously played under Mourinho at Porto. However, Inter club president Massimo Moratti ruled out signing either of the Portuguese internationals on the basis of their age, telling Gazzetta dello Sport, "Deco and Carvalho? They are two champions but at this time I don't feel there's a need to buy them." Soon after, Deco said he would be willing to stay at Chelsea for at least the remainder of his contract, but he said things must change from his first season there.
  After talks with new Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, Deco said he was very happy at the club and wanted to show everyone what he could do. He started on the bench in the 2009 FA Community Shield against Manchester United. Deco himself stepped up to take the winning penalty for Chelsea, but was not allowed as Salomon Kalou was placed before him on the list handed to the referee. Deco had an excellent start to the new campaign. He came on as a second-half substitute in the first match of the new season for Chelsea against Hull City and assisted Didier Drogba, who scored in injury time.
  Deco scored in the next match with a 3–1 win over Sunderland with a powerful right-footed shot which came off the inside of the post from outside of the penalty area. He made his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance against Atlético Madrid, joining only 13 other players to have achieved as many appearances. Deco scored his second goal of the season in a League Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers with a shot from 16 yards into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal. He added to his goal tally the very next match, again against Bolton, with a curling left-footer from inside the penalty box.
  Deco was a consistent player for Chelsea throughout the autumn period but injuries halted his season throughout the Christmas period. He returned in games against Preston North End, Hull City and Birmingham City, but then incurred another injury.
  Deco made his first start after injury in the 5–0 win away at Portsmouth, and his header forward set up Didier Drogba for Chelsea's first goal. Deco gave an impressive display in Chelsea's 7–1 win over Aston Villa, creating chances for his teammates and helping Chelsea's midfield flow. He provided a key pass for Chelsea's third goal of the match, skilfully working past a Villa defender and playing a clever ball with the outside of his right foot to Yuri Zhirkov, whose cross fell to Florent Malouda, who scored.
  Deco started in Chelsea's potential title decider against Manchester United at Old Trafford alongside fellow midfielders Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel. He made several accurate passes to advancing teammates 
caption: Deco in action in August 2008
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