Eli Carlos

Eli Carlos Alberto Pereira (19 April 1954 – 22 May 2020), better known as Eli Carlos, was a Brazilian professional footballer and manager who played as a forward.

Eli began his career playing for Guarani FC de Campinas, the team with which he created the greatest identification in his career. He also played for Comercial in his hometown, Ribeirão Preto.

With Coritiba, he was state champion in 1975 and 1976, in addition to making 132 appearances and 54 goals for the club in two spells. At Cruzeiro, he became Eli Carlos due to the presence of another player called Eli (Eli Mendes). He won the 1977 Minas Gerais championship, being the competition's top scorer. He was loaned to Flamengo in 1978, and was part of the state champion squad.

He ended his career playing for teams in the countryside of São Paulo.

Eli Carlos had some jobs as a coach, especially at Guarani and Bragantino, and also served as football director at Guarani, Paulista de Jundiaí and Primavera. He was also a sports commentator.

Eli Carlos is the elder brother of the also footballers Paulo Silas and Paulo Pereira.

Eli Carlos died on 22 May 2020, after two years in a coma, as a result of an unsuccessful endoscopy.