New England Soccer Today

Cate dies in car crash

Cate celebrates with Ted Chronopoulos after setting up Chronopoulos' second goal in a 2-1 win over D.C. United at Foxboro Stadium on August 18, 2001. (Photo by Art Donahue/artdonahue.com)

Former New England Revolution striker Marco Antônio Lemos Tozzi, better known as Catê, passed away on Tuesday morning in a car accident in his native Brazil. The creative attacker, who was the Revs top scorer in 2001, was just 38 years old.

Cate celebrates one of his two goals in a 2-1 Revolution win over the Columbus Crew on May 16, 2001 at Foxboro Stadium. (Photo by Art Donahue/artdonahue.com)

Catê played just one season (2001) with the Revs, but made quite the impact scoring eight goals and eight assists in 22 MLS games (20 starts). He also played a key role in the Revs run to the 2001 U.S. Open Cup Final – the team’s  first ever appearance in a championship match – with two goals and an assist while appearing in all five matches, starting four.

In addition to being the Revolution Scoring Champion and 11th overall in MLS in scoring, Catê was the Revs lone 2001 Major League Soccer All-Star, the team’s only MLS Player of the Week selection in 2001 and selected as the Man of the Year by the Midnight Riders, an independent Revs supporters group. He wowed fans with Brazilian flair in his runs in the attack and took the team’s set pieces.

Prior to joining the Revs, Catê played in Sao Paolo, Cruzeiro, and Flamengo, among others, in Brazil, Sampdoria in Italy, and Universidad Catolica in Chile. He won the 1993 U-20 World Cup and the 1992 U-20 South American Championship with Brazil and the Chilean Championship with Universidad Catolica. Additionally, he was part of the Sao Paolo squads that won the prestigious Copa Libertadores (1992) and Intercontinental Cup (1993).

Catê spent the rest of his playing days with various clubs in Brazil, Chile and Venezuela before moving into coaching in 2008.

The Cruz Alta, Brazil native reportedly died after his car, a Fiat Uno, collided with a Scania truck. The cause of the crash was unknown, though it was reportedly raining at the time.

Catê is the second former Revolution player to pass away in the past three months, following the death of Winston Griffiths on October 23rd.

Catê (Marco Antônio Lemos Tozzi)
November 7, 1973 – December 27, 2011

Cate meets with fans at the Funway Cafe on August 18, 2001. (Photo by Art Donahue/artdonahue.com)

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