1. Overview
Cristiano Marques Gomes, commonly known as Cris (born 3 June 1977), is a Brazilian former professional footballer and current manager. A prominent centre-back, Cris was distinguished by his authoritarian presence on the pitch, earning him the nickname "the policeman." His illustrious playing career saw him achieve significant success, particularly during his eight-year tenure at French club Olympique Lyonnais, where he played a pivotal role in securing four consecutive Ligue 1 titles between 2005 and 2008.
Beyond his time in France, Cris also won the Brazilian Championship twice, first in 1998 with Corinthians and again in 2003 with Cruzeiro. He further collected two Copa do Brasil titles, one with Corinthians in 1995 and another with Cruzeiro in 2000. Internationally, Cris represented the Brazil national team, notably winning the Copa América in 2004.
Following his retirement as a player, Cris transitioned into management, initially coaching the under-19 squad of his former club Lyon for three years. He has since managed several clubs, including GOAL FC, Le Mans FC, FC Versailles 78, and is currently managing Championnat National club LB Châteauroux.
2. Early Life and Background
Cristiano Marques Gomes was born on 3 June 1977 in Guarulhos, Brazil. Early in his life, Cris spent four months working in a police department in Guarulhos. This experience, combined with his stern and commanding presence on the football pitch, led to him being affectionately nicknamed "the policeman" by fans and teammates alike, a moniker that defined his playing style throughout his career.
3. Playing Career
Cris's playing career spanned nearly two decades, marked by significant achievements in both Brazilian and European football.
3.1. Early Career in Brazil
Cris began his professional career in 1995 with Corinthians, one of Brazil's most prominent clubs. During his initial three-year spell at Corinthians, he quickly established himself as a capable defender. With Corinthians, he lifted the Copa do Brasil in 1995, and later, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 1998, marking his first major league title. He also contributed to Campeonato Paulista victories in 1995, 1997, and 1999.
In 1999, Cris transferred to Cruzeiro. His time at Cruzeiro was highly productive, as he consistently featured in matches and developed into a leading defender. In 2000, his performances were recognized by the Brazilian magazine Placar, which awarded him the Silver Ball as the best player in his position during the Campeonato Brasileiro. He continued his success with Cruzeiro, winning the Copa do Brasil in 2000 and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 2003. Cris also secured the Campeonato Mineiro title with Cruzeiro in 2004.
3.2. European Debut and Return to Brazil
In 2002, Cris made his first move to Europe, joining Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen on loan. However, this initial venture into European football proved challenging. Cris struggled to adapt to the new environment, both on and off the field, and his stint with Bayer Leverkusen was not deemed successful. After a relatively brief period, he returned to Brazil in 2003, rejoining Cruzeiro, where he immediately contributed to their Campeonato Brasileiro Série A-winning team that year.
3.3. Olympique Lyonnais
Cris's second foray into European football began in August 2004, when he transferred to French club Lyon for a fee of approximately 3.50 M EUR. His arrival came with some controversy, as he had been involved in a brawl during a match in June of the same year, facing a potential six-month suspension. However, the Brazilian Football Confederation ultimately decided not to extend the ban to matches outside Brazil, allowing him to join Lyon. This incident, combined with his physical duel against Thierry Henry during a France-Brazil international match on 20 May 2004, solidified Cris's reputation as a rugged and formidable defender.
Despite a less-than-convincing first European spell, Cris quickly established himself as a central figure in Lyon's defense. In his debut season, Lyon were crowned league champions, and Cris's exceptional performances led to his selection for the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year. His second season, 2005-06, further cemented his status. He was honored as "étoile d'or" (Gold Star) by France Football magazine, and the newspaper L'Equipe named him the best defender of the season. Once again, he was voted into the Ligue 1 Team of the Year by his peers. This consistent excellence earned him a revised salary and a one-year contract extension, committing him to Lyon until 2010, and later further extended to 2011.
For the 2007-08 season, newly appointed Lyon manager Alain Perrin named Cris as the team's new captain. During his captaincy, Cris faced a significant injury on 11 August 2007, tearing ligaments in his right knee during a collision with Johan Elmander in a match against Toulouse FC. He made his return on 1 March 2008 in a 1-0 victory over Lille OSC at the Stade de France. He later suffered a calf injury on 17 March 2012, in a 1-0 derby win over AS Saint-Étienne, which sidelined him for a month.
Cris's tenure at Lyon was exceptionally successful, as he played a crucial role in the club's dominance, contributing to four consecutive Ligue 1 titles (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08). He also won the Coupe de France in the 2011-12 season and the Trophée des Champions in 2005, 2007, and 2012. His solid defensive performances and leadership made him a fan favorite and a legend at the club.
3.4. Later Club Career
After eight highly successful years with Lyon, Cris transferred to Turkish side Galatasaray on 3 September 2012. The transfer fee was approximately 1.25 M EUR plus bonuses, and he signed a 1+1-year contract. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for Galatasaray on 28 October 2012 in a Süper Lig match against Kayserispor, which resulted in a 3-0 home victory. However, his spell in Turkey was short-lived; after just four months, Galatasaray terminated his contract on 2 January 2013, leading to his return to Brazil.
Upon his return, Cris signed with Grêmio on 3 January 2013, effectively replacing Gilberto Silva who had moved to Atlético Mineiro. He remained at Grêmio for a short period before making another move.
On 31 July 2013, Cris joined Vasco da Gama. His debut for the club was against his former team, Grêmio, which ended in a 2-3 loss. Cris's contract with Vasco da Gama was not renewed, and he was released from the club in January 2014, marking the end of his professional playing career.
4. International Career
Cris earned 17 caps for the Brazil national team. His senior international debut occurred in July 2001. Unfortunately, he missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan due to an ankle sprain injury.
He was a crucial member of the Brazilian squad that claimed their seventh Copa América title in 2004. His outstanding club form at Lyon was recognized on 15 May 2006, when he was selected by then-coach Carlos Alberto Parreira to be part of the national squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign in Germany, though he did not make an appearance in the tournament.
Cris was later recalled to the national squad on 13 November 2009 for friendly matches against England on 14 November and Oman on 18 November, marking his first appearances with the team since 1 March 2006. Cris scored his only international goal for Brazil on 31 January 2002, during a 6-0 friendly victory over Bolivia.
5. Managerial Career
Following his retirement as a player, Cris transitioned into football management. He spent three years managing the under-19 squad of his former club, Lyon, gaining valuable experience in youth development and coaching.
On 6 June 2019, Cris took on his first senior management role with GOAL FC, where he remained until 30 May 2021. He managed the team for 35 matches, securing 20 wins, 8 draws, and 7 losses.
He then moved to Le Mans FC, managing the club from 31 May 2021 to 6 November 2022. During his tenure at Le Mans, he oversaw 52 matches, achieving 20 wins, 15 draws, and 17 losses.
Cris's next managerial position was with FC Versailles 78, which he managed from 18 November 2022 to 31 May 2023. At Versailles, his record included 9 wins, 5 draws, and 8 losses across 22 matches. As of recent information, Cris is the manager of Championnat National club LB Châteauroux.
5.1. Managerial Record
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| GOAL FC | 6 June 2019 | 30 May 2021 | 35 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 61 | 35 | 26 | 57.14 |
| Le Mans | 31 May 2021 | 6 November 2022 | 52 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 73 | 56 | 17 | 38.46 |
| Versailles | 18 November 2022 | 31 May 2023 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 26 | ||
| 40.91 | ||||||||||
| Total | 109 | 49 | 28 | 32 | 159 | 117 | 42 | 44.95 | ||
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| Corinthians | 1995 | Série A | 2 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| 1996 | Série A | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | |||||||
| 1997 | Série A | 9 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | |||||||
| 1998 | Série A | 15 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 15 | 0 | |||||||
| 1999 | Série A | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||||
| Cruzeiro | 1999 | Série A | 12 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | ||||||
| 2000 | Série A | 22 | 3 | - | 5 | 1 | - | 27 | 4 | |||||||
| 2001 | Série A | 19 | 3 | - | 13 | 1 | - | 32 | 4 | |||||||
| 2002 | Série A | 25 | 3 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 25 | 3 | |||||||
| 2003 | Série A | 31 | 3 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 32 | 3 | |||||||
| 2004 | Série A | 13 | 1 | - | 8 | 1 | - | 21 | 2 | |||||||
| Total | 122 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 16 | ||||
| Bayer Leverkusen (loan) | 2002-03 | Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Lyon | 2004-05 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 | ||
| 2005-06 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 5 | |||
| 2006-07 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 5 | |||
| 2007-08 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |||
| 2008-09 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 3 | |||
| 2009-10 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | - | 50 | 4 | ||||
| 2010-11 | Ligue 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 26 | 1 | ||||
| 2011-12 | Ligue 1 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 28 | 2 | ||||
| 2012-13 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 224 | 20 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 56 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 309 | 26 | ||||
| Galatasaray | 2012-13 | Süper Lig | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 11 | 1 | ||||
| Grêmio | 2013 | Série A | 3 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | ||||||
| Vasco da Gama | 2013 | Série A | 24 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 24 | 1 | ||||||
| Career total | 411 | 35 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 102 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 543 | 45 | ||||
6.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2001 | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 1 | |
7. Achievements and Honours
Corinthians
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1998
- Copa do Brasil: 1995
- Campeonato Paulista: 1995, 1997, 1999
Cruzeiro
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2003
- Copa do Brasil: 2000
- Campeonato Mineiro: 2004
Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
- Coupe de France: 2011-12
- Trophée des Champions: 2005, 2007, 2012
Brazil
- Copa América: 2004
Individual
- Bola de Prata: 2000
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07
- ESM Team of the Year: 2005-06
8. Legacy and Reception
Cris is remembered as a highly effective and influential centre-back known for his robust playing style, strong physical presence, and authoritative leadership on the field. His nickname, "the policeman," aptly described his no-nonsense approach to defending and his ability to command the backline with firm discipline and unwavering control. He was recognized for his aggressive yet controlled tackling, excellent positional sense, and aerial prowess, making him a formidable opponent for any attacking player.
His impact was most profoundly felt during his time at Olympique Lyonnais, where he became an indispensable part of a team that achieved unprecedented domestic success. As a leader and eventually captain, Cris was instrumental in Lyon's historic run of four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, providing stability and resilience to their defense. His consistency and dedication earned him numerous individual accolades, solidifying his reputation as one of the league's top defenders of his era. Beyond his technical skills, Cris was admired for his fighting spirit and commitment, which inspired his teammates and resonated deeply with fans, establishing him as a legendary figure in Lyon's history. His career epitomizes the dedication required to achieve prolonged success at the highest level of professional football.