MLS

DC United Archives: Luciano Emilio's Magical Spell In Black & Red

DC United Archives: Luciano Emilio's Magical Spell In Black & Red

D.C. fans are no strangers to immediate-impact strikers: Long before Wayne Rooney, there was Luciano Emilio.

Jan 16, 2019 by Wesley Davidson
DC United Archives: Luciano Emilio's Magical Spell In Black & Red

The year is 2007 and D.C. United are fresh off the heels of a third Supporters’ Shield and a disheartening playoff defeat to the New England Revolution in the conference finals. Sure, the narrow 1-0 loss left supporters grasping for words at the thought of what could have been, but the league’s original champion had officially returned to center stage for the first time since 1999, and expectations were again boiling over in the nation’s capital.

Eagar to bolster the roster and build upon the positives of the previous season, the club announced the signing of Brazilian striker Luciano Emilio on January 16 following a three-year courtship. He immediately made known his lofty goals for both himself and his new team — namely, to win the title and to be named the league’s top goal scorer.

The ambitious 28-year-old may have been an unknown commodity for many MLS aficionados, but he would soon leave an indelible mark on a league looking to grow in both quality and appeal.

One of the most traveled men in professional soccer, Emilio made stops at no fewer than 12 clubs throughout his career, including a double-dip at D.C. and three spells for Honduran outfit Club Deportivo Olimpia. The Brazilian hails from the small town of Ilha Solteira in the state São Paolo and began professional play at the age of 16.

Following two years in the youth sectors of a pair of Brazilian clubs, Europe came calling and Emilio wasted no time in signing with Germany’s FC Köln in 1997. A struggle for playing time over two seasons saw him join Alemannia Aachen in the German second division, but he soon found himself back in his home country at União Barbarense. It was there that Emilio began his northward journey, making multiple stops in Honduras and one in Mexico before eventually calling RFK Stadium home.

The Brazilian burst onto the U.S. soccer scene by punishing his former club with three goals over a two-legged CONCACAF Champions’ Cup affair. Brimming with confidence from the outset, Emílio never looked back en route to a 20-goal season, becoming the first player in five years to eclipse that mark.

The frontman’s nose for goal and crafty finishes warranted a healthy amount of space for hardware at the conclusion of the 2007 season. He took home the Budweiser Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer, the inaugural Newcomer of the Year Award, and Honda MVP honors ahead of two MLS legends.

"I am surprised because Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Juan Pablo Angel are very good international players, and I am so happy,” said an elated Emílio following news of the award.

Replicating a 20-goal campaign was always going to be a tall order. The following two seasons saw the striker’s output take a downward turn, but he still managed to produce double-digit tallies of 10 and 11 for a total of 41 goals and eight assists in three years of play.

All good things must come to an end, and the high-flying offense that Emilio provided in D.C. came to a halt much sooner than fans hoped and with a contract refusal to boot. The next stop on his tour brought him back to Brazil in 2010 to Rio Branco-SP, where he found the back of the net just once in 11 appearances.

Emilio made a rapid return to D.C. United on a three-month deal, but the once sure-sighted attacker was ultimately unable to cement a spot on the roster and the club pulled the plug following the brief spell. 

Emílio gave a testament to just how much the Black and Red means to him in a 2013 interview with the Washington Post’s Steven Goff. The conversation took place during a spell in which he was simultaneously holding onto dreams of playing while laying the foundations for the Luciano Emílio Brazilian Soccer Academy, a club affiliate out of Silver Spring, Maryland.

When asked about the MLS club who took a chance on a player who had been bouncing around leagues, he proclaimed that the club “is in my heart forever and I always wish the best for D.C. United.”

Although it’s been nearly nine years since Emílio last suited up in MLS play, the former MVP stepped onto the field in September as a Guest of Honor in a friendly against Olimpia. It was a heavy night for the 40-year-old who continues to coach in the D.C. area.

"There is so much emotion from me to both D.C. United and Olimpia. I love the fans of both clubs dearly and it is an honor for me to be involved in the game. My heart is always open to both D.C. United and Olimpia."

While a new import has stepped in to lead the front line, Luciano Emílio will always remain in the hearts of D.C. faithful as the man who captured imaginations and propelled the club to a second-straight Supporters’ Shield.


Wesley is a graduate of the University of Alabama (BA) and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (MA). He currently works in youth soccer in Austin, Texas, and can be found on Twitter.