Former Palmeiras and Brazil Midfielder Edu Manga Dies at 58

Palmeiras confirmed his death, with conflicting reports on his recent illness.

Overview

Palmeiras announced the passing of Eduardo ‘Edu Manga’ Antônio dos Santos on October 3 at age 58, with family confirmations reported on social media.
Early coverage diverges on circumstances, with one report citing hospitalization in Barueri for kidney problems and another noting cancer treatment in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Revealed by Palmeiras in 1985, he scored 44 goals in 188 matches and earned call-ups to the Brazil national team in the late 1980s.
He enjoyed a prolific spell at Club América with 37 goals in roughly 50 games and lifted the 1990 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup and Copa Interamericana, and the Mexican club issued condolences.
His career also included Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan, Real Valladolid in Spain, and Emelec in Ecuador; he retired at Figueirense in 2002 and later worked in Ecuador, serving as Emelec’s sporting director in 2022.