Rivaldo

At 52 years old, Rivaldo has this physical status:

Club career

In 1991, he made his way to play for Santa Cruz. He went south to So Paulo, where he played for Mogi Mirim in the second class of Brazilian football in 1992. On loan, he went to the state capital to play for Corinthians in the first division in 1993.

He switched local allegiances and Palmeiras in the next year, helping the club win the league championship in 1994 and winning Campeonato Paulista in 1996. He was honoured by the Bola de Ouro magazine in 1993 and 1994 for his best player in his position.

Parma announced that they had signed Rivaldo and his colleague Amaral from Palmeiras before the 1996 Olympics. Following the Olympics, there was a controversy, but rather than Italy, Rivaldo departed to Spain, joining Deportivo La Coru's in La Liga. He only stayed for one season, but the club and him both had a fruitful year. As Deportivo finished third in the league, Rivaldo was the joint-fourth top goalscorer of the season, with 21 goals from 41 games.

Rivaldo was moved to Barcelona in 1997 in a transfer agreement that earned Deportivo a 4 billion pesetas (around $26 million) transfer fee, with Sir Bobby Robson assisting Barcelona in a hire of Rivaldo ahead of Steve McManaman, who said that Rivaldo would guarantee the team many goals.

Barcelona defeated The Double of La Liga and Copa del Rey in his first season as the second top goalscorer with 19 goals in 34 games. He won another La Liga title with Barcelona in 1999, and he was second highest scorer with 24 goals. Rivaldo was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1999, and he's since been named Ballon d'Or. Rivaldo had been linked to a departure from Camp Nou after Barcelona's dismal Champions League campaign. Rivaldo was the player he most wanted to sign, according to Manchester United captain Roy Keane.

Rivaldo suffered out with Barcelona's new boss Louis van Gaal when he preferred to be a playmaker rather than on the left wing in his third season. Despite having a strained friendship with Van Gaal, Rivaldo continued to score ten goals in the season's Champions League as the club advanced to the semi-finals. Van Gaal was fired in June 2000.

Rivaldo was second highest goalscorer of the league in the 2000–01 season, scoring 23 goals. Rivaldo won the game 3–2 in the last game of the season against Valencia CF. His first goal, which he regarded as the highest hat-trick ever, came in the bottom right corner, and his match-winning third came after Rivaldo controlled the ball with the chest from the edge of the 18-yard box and launched an overhead bicycle kick in the 89th minute, which he described as the best goal of his career. During his goal-making festivities, Rivaldo ripped off his shirt and began swinging it over his head, while Barcelona club president Joan Gaspar broke with tradition in the stadium's VIP box by punching the air with both fists and yelling his delight next to the opposition delegation. Barcelona's victory lifted them ahead of Valencia to a spot in the 2001–02 Champions League. "What happened tonight has been amazing," Rivaldo said after the game. I dedicate the winning goal to all the players who have fought so hard all season and all the supporters who have suffered so much. "I'm so happy to have made them happy with my goals." That season, he scored a total of 36 goals. Rivaldo scored 130 goals in five years at Barcelona, placing him among the club's highest goalcorers of all time.

In 2002, Rivaldo agreed to a three-year contract with Milan's Italian Serie A club Milan. In the 2002-03 season, he won the Coppa Italia and the Champions League with Milan. He also won the UEFA Super Cup in August 2003 before ending his deal with Milan in November. He returned to Brazil for a brief period after leaving Milan and playing for Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte. In 2004, Bolton Wanderers was close to joining Bolton Wanderers, but Bolton eventually dropped out of the contract. He received the Bidone d'Oro Award in 2003, which is given to the worst Serie A player of the season, owing to his poor results throughout the year.

Rivaldo returned to Brazil in early 2004, by the appointment of coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo who pleaded for the team, the team's first major signing for the Copa Libertadores. However, his time with the team was short, with only eleven games and two goals. Rivaldo left the club after just two months due to the dismissal of Luxemburgo, Rivaldo's mentor earlier in his career, as announced by CNN. "I left as well," a rival said. "I made the call because Luxemburgo was a personal person," I said.

Rivaldo joined Olympiacos of Superleague Greece on July 22, 2004. He had some standout goals in his first derby against Panathinaikos, one of which turned out to be his most memorable in an Olympiacos shirt: a bending free kick to send Olympiacos to victory over their eternal rivals. Rivaldo's second game in Olympiacos' matchday 6 UEFA Champions League group game in England against eventual champions Liverpool F.C. was another highlight of the week. where he scored a deft free-kick in front of the Kop and put the Greek giants ahead. However, Olympiacos were eliminated after Liverpool talisman Steven Gerrard scored with a 25-yard half volley 3 minutes from full time. The club needed a victory in order to win the Alpha Ethniki championship in the last game of Rivaldo's first season as Olympiacos, with Panathinaikos just one point behind. Olympiacos won the championship after beating Iraklis 0–1 in an away match in Thessaloniki, thanks to Rivaldo's goal.

Despite being 34 years old, Rivaldo renewed his contract with Olympiacos for the third year. Rivaldo revealed in July 2006 that the 2006–07 season with Olympiacos would be his last in Europe before returning to Brazil. However, he changed his mind and decided to stay for another year. In 27 Superleague games, he scored 17 goals from 2006-2007. In 81 games for Olympiacos, Rivaldo scored 43 goals.

Rivaldo was suspended by Olympiacos following a spat with Sokratis Kokkachis, who decided he was too old to continue with the team. He signed for AEK Athens, a Super League club, later this summer. In Athens' 3–0 victory over Panionios, his first Super League goal with the Athens' team came via a penalty. Rivaldo and the team had another good season. Rivaldo's four fingers were seen on the camera after the winning match against Olympiacos with a score of 4–0.

Rivaldo had stated his intention to leave Greece if the court preferred Olympiakos and AEK Athens, not the champions. "A team that was not strong enough to win the championship on the pitch does not deserve the award," he said.

Rivaldo revealed on August 25, 2008, to a Greek Sport Radio Station, that he had decided to continue his work in Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, starting immediately after what he described as a "highly enticing contract bid."

Rivaldo signed a two-year deal worth €10.2 million and later signed a contract extension to extend the agreement until 2011. Rivaldo scored both goals in a 2–0 victory on his debut for Bunyodkor. Rivaldo made history by winning one, two, three, and finally four goals in four straight matches. In the second match against Navbahor, he scored one goal in the first match and two goals. Rivaldo won by a 4–0 victory over Metallurg in the third match on June 25, 2009. Bunyodkor defeated Sogdiana Jizzakh 5–0 in their fourth match, and Rivaldo scored four in 17 minutes. Rivaldo earned the UFF Topscorer award after the 2009 season, scoring 20 league goals, and was runner-up for the UFF Player of the Year award. He has scored 33 goals for the club in total. On August 10, 2010, Rivaldo announced on Twitter that he had terminated his deal with Bunyodkor.

"I have decided to play in Mogi Mirim, the team where he began his career in the early 1990s, on November 18, 2010." However, he joined So Paulo in January 2011.

Rivaldo joined So Paulo on January 23, 2011. With a spectacular goal against Linense on their first visit to them in the First Division. Rivaldo took the ball over from the left hand side of the pitch before Rivaldo ruled it and snared a defender using his left knee and finished at the near post. He missed the majority of March 2011 due to a weakened wrist, but he returned to play in upcoming games such as a 1–1 draw with Palmeiras and a 2–1 victory over Corinthians.

"I just want to tell everybody that it's going to be my last training session at So Paulo on Saturday," Rivaldo posted on Twitter. I've been told by the club's representative that this will be my last season on the team." "I'm not saying goodbye to football right now," he continued. I have a lot to do before coming to a conclusion. I just wish I could hang up my boots at the end of 2012."

Rivaldo joined Kabuscorp in January 2012, and he was a member of Angolan club Kabuscorp. Rivaldo scored a hat-trick against Recogniza Caala on March 18, 1998. After the expiration of his employment, Rivaldo left Kabuscorp in November 2012.

Rivaldo joined So Caetano in January 2013, extending his contract to December. In his first match against Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, he scored his first goal for his new club. Although his team lost by 2–1, his team lost by 2–1. He left the club in November 2013 due to knee injuries.

Rivaldo joined Mogi Mirim in December 2013, extending until 2015. Rivaldinho, his son, was a member of the club. When he retired in July 2015, Rivaldo had only played in one league match for the club.

The Brazilian icon officially resigned from football after a career spanning more than 20 years, and he elected to remain as the president of Mogi Mirim in March 2014 to help with the team and look after his son, Rivaldinho. Rivaldo said in a tweeted tweet: "My time as a player has come to an end." I would like to thank God, my family, and all the help that I received during those 24 years as a player today with tears in my eyes. However, he rejoined the team in June 2015. Mogi Mirim defeated Macaé 3–1. Rivaldo and Rivaldinho scored goals in the same match for the first time on July 14, 2015, a first match for Rivaldo and Rivaldinho.

Rivaldo was appointed as the SCC's next technical director and coach for the following season on January 18, 2019. The player denied that a contract had been signed as he started a pre-contract with the club, which requires the club to be promoted from National (third tier in the Moroccan league).

International career

He made his debut for the Brazil national football team in 1993, scoring his first goal against Mexico in a friendly match. He was selected to represent Brazil at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Brasilia. The Brazilian team earned the bronze medal, but Rivaldo was not selected for the third place playoffs.

Rivaldo has rejoined the Brazilian national team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals en route to the final, two in the 3–2 quarter-final victory over Denmark, where he scored two goals. In the final, Brazil was defeated 3–0 by France, who were unable to defend their 1994 crown. Rivaldo was not a member of the drivable Brazilian team at the 1997 Copa América tournament but was part of the 1998 Copa América triumph. Rivaldo finished the tournament as the top scorer with five goals, one being an equalizer from a free-kick in a 2–1 victory over Argentina in the quarter-finals, and two others in the 3–0 victory over Uruguay in the final. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament by the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

When Brazil did not win tournaments again after the 1996 Olympics, rivalry had been the source of skepticism. Rivaldo was booed so strongly during his 10-0 victory over Colombia in November 2000 that he threatened to withdraw from playing for his country.

Rivaldo's national team's zenith and nadir appeared at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted in South Korea and Japan, where he was able to forget the disappointment of the previous World Cup Final defeat, assisting Brazil in their fifth World Cup victory. Rivaldo scored in the first five games, while Ronaldo scored in four games, despite Ronaldo and Ronaldinho's being in an attacking trio with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Despite a fruitful tournament, Rivaldo was involved in a controversial situation against Turkey. Hakan Ünsal, a Turkish defender who had the ball out of play, kicked a ball towards Rivaldo, who was waiting at the corner flag, about the end of the game. Rivaldo collapsed to the ground clutching his face, as the ball struck his thigh. The referee issued a second yellow card to the Turkish player. Rivaldo was fined 11,670 Swiss francs by FIFA after a video review.

Rivaldo's victory over Belgium in the second round prompted Belgian coach Robert Waseige to select him as the deciding factor. Rivaldo scored the equalizer against England in the quarter-finals before Ronaldinho scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory. Brazil defeated Germany in the semifinals and then went on to win the tournament by 2–0, thanks to two goals by Ronaldo with Rivaldo involved in both goals. Rivaldo's shot was saved by German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn after the rebound, and Rivaldo fooled the German defense with a dummy as the game continued to Ronaldo, who finished. Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari named Rivaldo as the best player of the tournament by a rival. In the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho were selected.

Rivaldo's last cap came in 19 November 2003 in Curitiba in a 3–3 draw with Uruguay. He played for 79 minutes before being recalled for Lu's Fabiano. In a 1–1 draw with Peru, he had scored his last goal just three days before from the penalty spot. Rivaldo played for 74 caps and scored 35 goals during his time on the national team.

Source