Rapids Sign Brazilian Forward Edu

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - The Colorado Rapids have signed forward Edu from Brazil's Vitoria.

A veteran of Brazil's 2000 Olympic team, the 33-year-old is most known for a nine-year stretch in Spain with Celta Vigo and Real Betis.

Luis Eduardo Schmidt made his pro debut with Brazil's Sao Paulo in 1997 and scored 28 goals in 117 appearances with Celta from 2000-04, helping the club to reach the Champions League for the first time. He then scored 41 goals in 136 games for Betis from 2004-09, also helping the team to its first Champions League appearance.

He returned to Brazil in 2009 with Internacional and had a free transfer to Vitoria last June.

Edu made his only international appearance against Thailand in February 2000.

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