Luciano Emilio (born December 12, 1978 in Ilha
Solteira, Brazil) is a Brazilian soccer player, who
currently plays with MLS club D.C. United.
Emilio started playing professional soccer at the
age of 16 (1995). He played for XV de Piracicaba, a
member of the state league of São Paulo. The next
season he transferred to Rio Branco, another team in
the state league of São Paulo.
In 1997, Emilio signed with FC Cologne of the German
Bundesliga. He played for the Youth team and finally
worked his way up to the senior team where he played
for several matches. In 1999, Emilio transferred to
Alemannia Aachen, a team in the second Division of
the Bundesliga.
In 2001, Luciano Emilio made a return to Brazil to
play for União Barbarense. After a brief stint at
União Barbarense, Emilio made a move to the Honduran
league to play for Real España. He quickly
established himself as a key player and won the
league scoring titles in 2003 and 2004. He helped
lead Real España to the Apertura Championship in
2003. In 2004, Emilio made a move a move to another
Honduran team, CD Olimpia. Emilio won another
scoring title in the Apertura in 2004 with CD
Olimpia.
Emilio started a brief stint in Mexico in 2005,
signing the Mexican second division side Queretaro
where he helped the team win the 2005 Clausura
title, scoring 10 goals in the process. After
playing for a short time with Querataro, Emilio made
a return to CD Olimpia in 2005 in time to lead them
to championships in the 2005 Apertura and the 2006
Clausura, during which he once again won the scoring
title. In 2006, Emilio's eight goals in the UNCAF
Tournament were enough to propel his team to the
2007 CONCACAF Champions' cup. Ironically enough,
Emilio would go on to play against CD Olimpia in the
2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup with his new club, D.C.
United.
He signed with D.C. United January 16 as a Senior
International player, after completing his second
stint with Honduran club Olimpia. Emilio debuted for
United in the 2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup against
Olimpia, scoring once in Tegucigalpa and twice in
the return leg in Washington, DC in United's 7-3
aggregate win. He went on to score a fourth time in
three games versus CD Guadalajara in the opening
game of the CONCACAF semi-final.
At the end of his first season with D.C. United, his
team received the 2007 MLS Supporters' Shield, the
award for gaining the most points overall in a
season. In the 2007 MLS season, Emilio had 20 goals
and won the MLS Golden Boot award. Emilio won the
2007 MLS MVP award on November 14, 2007.
