Romário

At 58 years old, Romário has this physical status:

Club career

Romário was born in childhood and playing for Olaria, a tiny club from Rio de Janeiro's suburb. He was drafted to Vasco da Gama's junior team, where he earned his first call-ups to the national team (1987, 1988). Romário was able to make international news when he became the top scorer at the 1988 Olympic football tournament.

He migrated to PSV Eindhoven, where he gained the Economie in 1989, 1991, and 1992. Romário scored 165 goals in 167 games at PSV, and he was praised for his ability to function in the tight space of the penalty box.

Romário's laid back demeanor and blaming self-confidence will be displayed throughout his career, with Guus Hiddink, his head coach at PSV, saying, "If he felt that I was a little more nervous than normal ahead of a big game, I'm going to score and we're going to triumph." What's amazing is that eight out of ten times he told me that he scored and we did win."

Romário joined FC Barcelona in 1993-94 and spent time on the team's "Dream Team," which included strike partner Hristo Stoichkov, midfielders José Mari Bakero, and Michael Laudrup, as well as prolific goalscorer Ronald Koeman. Barcelona also qualified for the 1994 UEFA Champions League Final, where the team was a strong favorite to win, but they lost 0–4 to Milan, despite being strong favorites to win. The buildup to the final saw Spanish newspapers already naming Barcelona as winners, while Cruyff told his staff, "You're better than them, you're going to win." With Romário and Stoichkov leading the Barcelona attack, Milan defender Paolo Maldini admitted that his team was underdogs, but that Barcelona aides were pushed on by Barcelona's arrogance. Barcelona back room workers were cheery, "We went there to retrieve the cup, not to compete for it."

In the El Clásico's dramatic 5–0 victory over Roma, one of the defender's best performances was a hat-trick, with the defender barely moving the ball around the ground before finishing with a trademark toe-poke into the corner of the net. In the 2 games against Manchester United, where he nummegged Peter Schmeichel to score at Old Trafford and scored again, earning the 4–0 victory at the Camp Nou in front of 114,000 supporters, his highlight for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League came in. "Of all the great things that happened during my career, Manchester United captain Steve Bruce, who fought in defense that night, says, "The night was the best because our backsides were kicked big-style." Stoichkov and Romário are both etched in my memory, especially Romário, who was unquestionably the best player I ever encountered.

After being named runner-up in 1993, Romário was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994. Despite being lauded for his performances, Romário was prone to controversies, and he was suspended for five games in 1994 after landing a left hook to Sevilla's Diego Simeone. Romário left Barcelona unexpectedly in January 1995 after being in a rift with coach Cruyff.

Romário returned to Brazil in 1995 to play for Flamengo, but he spent five years in Spain, excluding two short-lived comebacks to Spain during that time. Romário struck an opposition defender on the chest during a Copa Libertadores match against an Argentine team in 1995, retaliation for a punch on his teammate Edmundo. He began his Valencia career in 1996–97, but after enduring tense discussions with then head coach Luis Aragonés, he was loaned back to Flamengo.

At the beginning of the 1997–98 season, Romário returned to Valencia. Romário, who said he did not want to have any players stay at the club against their will, became a fan of good preparations for the World Cup in France, and after playing only six league games in the season, he returned to Flamengo.

Romário returned to Vasco da Gama in 2000 and joined up with fellow international striker Edmundo. The two forwards guided Vasco to the final of the 2000 FIFA Club World Championships, with Romário finishing as the joint top goalscorer with three goals. At the Estádio do Maracan, the two most notable performances were a 3-1 win over European champions Manchester United, where Romário scored twice in three first-half minutes and Edmundo scored a third before halftime. Having worked well together at Flamengo, Edmundo became jealous of Romário's power, claiming that the club was "a court, Romário the king, and [club chairman] Eurico Mirando the king." Romário replied after Vasco's victory just a few days later: "Now the court is pleading: the king, the prince, and the fool [Edmundo]" said the king.

Romário had one of his best seasons in his career as a result of his victory over the Copa Mercosur and the Brazilian league championship with Vasco, when he was 34 years old. Romário's success was crucial in the Mercosur final, where Vasco defeated Brazilian rivals Palmeiras from So Paulo. In Sao Paulo, a decisive third took place after splitting the first two matches. Before halftime, Palmeiras had a 3–0 lead. Vasco scored four goals in the second half, including Romário's winner in the stoppage time, which culminated in his hat-trick. Both the South American and Brazilian Footballer of the Year awards were given to Romário. He spent both the 2000 and 2001 seasons as the Brazilian league's top goalscorer.

He played for Fluminense from 2002 to 2004. Romário completed a three-month deal with Al Sadd in Qatar, but after a frustrating stretch without scoring a single goal, he returned to Fluminense. After a spat with the coach, he was dismissed from the team on October 21. He also hit a fan who had thrown six live chickens at him during preparation. Romário then returned to play for the team he started with, Vasco da Gama. Romário scored 22 goals in the Brazilian Championship in 2005, making him the league's top goalcorer for the third time.

Romário and his former 1994 FIFA World Cup teammate Zinho joined Miami FC at the start of 2006. He played for Miami FC in the first USL-1 Playoffs, scoring 19 league goals in 25 appearances for the club.

Tupi, a newly promoted Campeonato Mineiro team, has announced a short-term contract with Romário to play for the Juiz de Fora team in the Taça Minas. However, the Brazilian Football Confederation forbaded the transfer, despite the fact that the deal was not concluded after the closing of the international transfer window. Romário did not make his team debut but took part in practice sessions.

Romário was sold by AUFC Board member Mel Patzwald to Adelaide United's Australian A-League club Adelaide United for a five-game visitor stint, showcasing the A-League's brief history. He appeared in his first match for Adelaide United against the Central Coast Mariners on November 25, 2006. He eventually scored a goal for Adelaide during his last game on December 15, 2006, putting an end to what some believe to be a frustrating spell for the team. In January 2007, he signed a new contract with Vasco da Gama.

Romário scored his 1000th goal, a penalty kick against Sport Recife, who was playing for Vasco da Gama on May 20th. Pelé, Puskás, Friedenreich, and Binder were named by the Brazilian press as one of just a handful of players in professional football history to do so, including Pelé, Puskás, Friedenreich, and Binder. Both Brazilian and international press covered the 1000th goal, with the game being postponed for over 20 minutes to allow for fan celebrations. The 1000 goals have caused some ambiguity, and Romário's research staff also tracked his objectives in junior, friendly, and non-official games.

FIFA congratulated Romário for his historic victory but revealed that he is already on 929 goals, with others scoring in unofficial friendly matches. He played 968 goals in 1188 games during his career, according to RSSSF. Romário's debut on DVD in 2008 brought the best goals of his career to a halt, with 900 goals listed. Vasco da Gama unveiled a statue of Romário at the Estádio Sánuário in honor of the historic event.

Romário will head Vasco's first match as the interim boss of the team against Club América of Mexico in the return leg of their Copa Sudamericana quarter final on September 24, 2007, and he'll also play as a player. Romário, a 41-year-old boy, was fired Celso Roth as the head of Vasco da Gama and also played the match against Club América at the same time. Romário will be in charge of the team for the match, according to Vasco da Gama president Eurico Miranda, but it is likely that it will be temporary. Romário protested Miranda's involvement in team selection on February 6, 2008, but the team was eventually suspended, but he remained a player.

After a match against Palmeiras on October 28, Romário said he had tested positive for finasteride (aka Propecia) on December 4th. He claims it was in an anti-baldness treatment; however, the drug is outlawed as it is a masking agent for anabolic steroids.

Romário resigned from playing and coaching, as of March, on February 5, 2008. Fans had expected that he would drop from playing but not coaching, so this decision came somewhat unexpected. He has made it clear that he will only be focusing on the FIFA Confederations Cup and helping with the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Romário, on the other hand, denied that he had resigned on the 27th of March. Wisdom Chicawanda assisted Romário on his 1345th goal, where Wisdom yelled at them.

Romário revealed on April 15, 2008, at his DVD launch, that he would have to retire from football. He cited his weight as a major factor in his decision to withdraw from the game. Romário played for many clubs on five continents for more than two decades. He scored 71 goals in 85 appearances for Brazil (includes appearances and goals in the Olympics) and claimed to have scored over 1,000 club goals. Romário has officially announced his retirement from playing, saying: "It's inconvenient.

Romário revealed in August 2009 that he would come out of retirement to play for America from Rio de Janeiro. He said he'd play for the team to please his late father's wishes. Romário made his comeback on November 25th, 2009, on November 25, 2009. He came on during the match between America and Artsul in the 68th minute, replacing Adriano. Despite not scoring, America defeated 2–0, which helped the team to win the Carioca Championship Second Division title.

International career

Romário, a member of Brazil's national team, captured the silver Olympic medal in Seoul in 1988, finishing as the top-goalscorer in six matches with seven goals in six matches. At the 1989 Copa América, he earned his only goal against Uruguay, bringing an end to Brazil's long trophy drought in front of their own supporters at the Maracan. He was a member of the Brazilian team in the World Cups of 1990 and 1994. He scored 71 goals in 85 international matches (including senior and Olympic teams), making him the fourth-highest goalscorer in Brazil's history.

Romário was one of the most talked about celebrities leading up to the 1990 World Cup in Italy, but three months before the big game, he sustained a serious injury. Despite doing everything possible to return in time and being rewarded with a spot in the team, his inability meant he was limited to only 66 minutes in one match against Scotland. Brazil's rival team Argentina had been disqualified in round 16 of 16 by Brazil's rival team Argentina.

During Romário's fruitful season with PSV Eindhoven, he was called up to the national team for a friendly match against Germany on December 16, 1992 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira left Romário as a reserve, but he later expressed his dissatisfaction with his departure from the Netherlands as a result of his knowledge that he would not have come over from Netherlands if he had no intention to play. Parreira had to ban Romário from the Brazilian team as a result of his intervention.

Brazil lost their first match in world Cup qualifying against Bolivia in the first seven games of the 1994 World Cup qualification without Romário. His departure sparked a storm of outrage, with journalists and fans calling for his return to the team. To finish first of their group, Brazil had to defeat or tie Uruguay at the Maracan Stadium. Parreira bowed out and called Romário ahead of the match against Uruguay. Romário said, "I already know what is going to happen: I'm going to finish Uruguay" despite being back in his favorite number 11 jersey prior to the game. Brazil defeated 21-0, with Romário scoring both goals and qualifying for the World Cup. "God sent Romário to the Maracan," Parreira said later.

Romário partnered Bebeto in 1994 World Cup championship in the United States to lead his country to his fourth World Cup victory. Romário scored five goals in the tournament, one in each of the three first round matches against Russia, Cameroon, and a trademark toe-poke finish against Sweden. In the quarterfinals, he scored one against the Netherlands, as well as the game-winning header against Sweden in the semifinals.

Romário also assisted Bebeto in the only goal of the match against the United States in San Francisco, where the round of 16 elimination matches will be played in San Francisco. Despite the fact that he did not get on the scoresheet in the final in Los Angeles against Italy, a game played in searing heat that resulted in a goalless draw, Brazil won by 3–2 for Brazil. Romário earned the World Cup Golden Ball as the tournament's most valuable player, and was selected in the World Cup All-Star Team. Romário is also the first person to have won the Golden Ball and the World Cup in the same tournament.

Romário requested a window seat on the team plane and refused to seat next to Bebeto, according to Jere Longman of The New York Times as "short on humility, long on talent." he did however appear in one of the tournament's most famous images. Bebeto's goal celebration in Dallas earned news around the world when he started rocking an imaginary baby – his parents had just given birth to their third child just days before – with Romário and Mazinho then joining Bebeto in the rocking proces.

Romário and fellow Brazilian forward Ronaldo forged a feared attacking pairing in the years that was colloquially referred to as the Ro-Ro duo. The 1997 Copa América in Bolivia, which the strikers won while playing together in the front line, was the first title to win for the strikers. In a 6–0 victory over Australia in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup final, they both scored a hat-trick in December 1997. Romário won with seven goals, while Ronaldo added four. The pair scored an impressive total of 34 international goals in 1997 alone, with 19 coming from Romário. The Ro-Ro assault was expected to dominate the forthcoming World Cup in France.

Romário was left out of the 1998 World Cup team. Medical tests had revealed that he had suffered a muscular injury and underwent intensive medical care leading up to the tournament, but he didn't recover fully and was dismissed the day before the World Cup squad submission deadline. Romário held a press conference just after the decision was revealed, where he broke down in tears while saying that "this is very sad for me," which was a huge disappointment. "This is going to be a trying time in my life." Brazil lost the World Cup final against France.

Romário, 36, had been in excellent form while playing for Vasco da Gama before, but coach Luiz Felipe Scolari kept him out of the national squad due to indiscipline. He was forced to leave the Brazil squad for the 2001 Copa América in Colombia when he was involved in the last incident. He told Scolari that he was going to have an eye surgery but that he played for team side Vasco da Gama in Mexico and went on holiday instead. Romário held a live broadcast news conference in which he pleaded his case and apologized, bursting into tears three times, although he said he had no intention of doing or saying anything against the players or the players. Tim Vickery, the BBC's South American football reporter, called Romário's news conference "bizarre" and revealed that "senior players begged Scolari not to recall the veteran striker." Scolari was unmoved and did not choose him, with the squad's announcement that Romário's expulsion was "scientical and tactical," as he did not select him. "People forget the details, but I don't." Romário's departure from the Copa América after the news, he said. "I was almost kicked from the national team after [the Copa América]] --" (Brazil had been defeated in the quarter-finals by Honduras) Brazil went on to win the World Cup for the fifth time without Romário.

Romário played his last game with the Brazilian national team in a friendly and commemorative match in So Paulo on April 27, 2005. In Brazil's 3–0 victory over Guatemala, he wore the captain's armband and scored his second goal. Romário successfully lobbied for Brazil to be named host for the 2014 FIFA World Cup after an extensive playing career with Brazil.

Political career

Romário was elected to the Chamber of Deputies on the Brazilian Socialist Party's ticket in the 2010 general election. He was the sixth most voted candidate for deputy in Rio de Janeiro.

He outlined his political agenda against the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, condemning the event as mired in corruption and money laundering. He also voiced displeasure with Sean Kiley, Rideiro Valcke, Jérôme Valcke, and Sepp Blatter. He is one of many people who have said that the 2018 FIFA World Cup was "stolen" from England and sold to Russia as part of the FIFA 2011 scandal.

Romário declared in February 19 that he would run for the Brazilian senate in the 2014 general election, and that was officially announced in June. Romario was elected to the Senate with the most votes ever by a candidate for the state of Rio de Janeiro on October 5th.

Romário left the PSB and joined Podemos in June 2017, becoming the president of the country of Rio de Janeiro. Romário ran for governor of Rio de Janeiro in the Brazilian general election in March 2018 as a candidate for the centrist Podemos party. Romário came in fourth place in fourth place with 8.6% of valid votes.

Romário migrated from the Liberal Party to the Liberal Party in April 2021. He praised Brazil's President, Jair Bolsonaro, and slammed the former government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in October.

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