Name: Vágner de Araújo Antunes
Nickname: "Bacharel" "Xerifão"
Country:
BrazilClub: Palmeiras
Position: *CB
Side: RF/BS
Age: 28-32 years (11/12/1954)
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 78 kg
Attack: 70
Defence: 85
Balance: 83
Stamina: 81
Top Speed: 79
Acceleration: 78
Response: 86
Agility: 76
Dribble Accuracy: 77
Dribble Speed: 75
Short Pass Accuracy: 78
Short Pass Speed: 71
Long Pass Accuracy: 82
Long Pass Speed: 78
Shot Accuracy: 66
Shot Power: 82
Shot Technique: 67
Free Kick Accuracy: 73
Curling: 68
Header: 86
Jump: 85
Technique: 80
Aggression: 70
Mentality: 83
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 76
Injury Tolerance: A
Condition: 6
Weak Foot Accuracy: 5
Weak Foot Frequency: 5
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Standard/Lasting
CARDS:
S07 - Man Marking
S10 - DF Leader
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Marking - D-Line Control
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Balanced
INFO:
Bacharel was signed by Palmeiras amid much skepticism from the São Paulo press. On the pitch, he became one of the club’s standout players during a period where the team was in a bad time. Unusually for a centre-back, he took corner kicks with precision and was an excellent supporting player. Alongside Luís Pereira, he formed one of Palmeiras' best defensive duos of the 1980s. Praised for both skill and fighting spirit, his nickname came from calling everyone "bacharel" (bachelor).
He debuted against Mixto-MT in a 3–0 win on February 23, 1983, and achieved a record that still stands: together with fellow defender Márcio, in his final season at Palmeiras, they went 1,148 minutes without conceding a goal. His peak came between 1983 and 1987, when he scored 22 goals in 260 matches. Even in the club’s title drought, he was regarded as one of its finest defenders. Between 1984 and 1986, his form was so strong that he was considered for the national team. He left a legacy as a technical defender who could build play from the back and pose a constant threat on set pieces.
Years after leaving Palmeiras, on the afternoon of April 14, 1990, during a Paraná Clube vs. Sport Club Campo Mourão match in the State Championship, Bacharel collided heads with opposing defender Charuto while contesting an aerial ball. He was treated on the field and taken to a hospital in Curitiba. Discharged two days later, he soon returned complaining of pain. A scan revealed a skull fracture, and his condition worsened, leading to a transfer to another hospital on April 19.
Vágner Bacharel died on April 20, 1990, at age 35, from cerebral edema caused by the fracture, six days after the collision.