Romario: The Art of Goal-Scoring Brilliance.

Romario, the legendary Brazilian footballer, is revered as one of the greatest forwards in the history of the sport. With his exceptional goal-scoring ability, technical finesse, and innate instincts on the field, Romario left an indelible mark on the world of football. This article delves into the remarkable career of Romario, highlighting his achievements, playing style, and enduring legacy.

Born on January 29, 1966, in Rio de Janeiro, Romario de Souza Faria grew up with a passion for the beautiful game. His exceptional talent was evident from a young age, and he quickly rose through the ranks of Brazilian football. Romario's breakthrough came when he joined Vasco da Gama, where his scoring prowess caught the attention of football fans and professionals worldwide.

Romario's impact extended beyond club football as he became an integral part of the Brazilian national team. He played a crucial role in Brazil's victory at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, scoring five goals and earning the tournament's Best Player award. His partnership with Bebeto in the famous "Bebeto-Romario" duo became iconic, and their celebrations remain etched in football history.

What set Romario apart was his natural ability to find the back of the net. With his exceptional finishing skills, speed, and clinical precision, he amassed an incredible goal tally throughout his career. Romario's ability to anticipate, create space, and convert opportunities made him a nightmare for defenders. His total of over 1000 career goals solidifies his status as one of the most prolific goal-scorers of all time.

"It has to be Romário. You never knew what to expect from him. His technique was outstanding, and he scored goals from every possible position, most of them with his toe, funnily enough."

— Johan Cruyff when asked to name the greatest player he ever coached.

Romario's playing style was characterized by his agility, dribbling ability, and astute positional sense. He had an exceptional first touch, combined with quick bursts of acceleration that left defenders trailing in his wake. Romario's ability to create opportunities for himself, along with his composure in front of goal, made him a true master of his craft. His son, Romarinho, also played for Vasco da Gama in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.

1990 World Cup

Romário was one of the most talked about stars leading up to the 1990 World Cup in Italy but picked up a serious injury three months before the big kick-off. Despite doing everything to recover in time and being rewarded with a spot in the squad, his lack of fitness meant he was restricted to playing only 66 minutes in one match, against Scotland. Brazil was eliminated in the round of 16 by their rival side Argentina.

1994 World Cup

Brazil played the first seven matches of the 1994 World Cup qualification without Romário and suffered their first loss ever in World Cup qualifying against Bolivia. His exclusion provoked a wave of outrage, with journalists and fans calling for his return to the team. Brazil had to beat or tie against Uruguay at the Maracanã Stadium to finish first in their group. Before the match against Uruguay, Parreira gave up and called Romário. Back in his beloved number 11 jersey, prior to the game, Romário stated: "I already know what is going to happen: I'm going to finish Uruguay".Brazil won 2–0, with Romário scoring both goals, and qualified for the World Cup. Parreira commented afterward: "God sent Romário to the Maracanã"

At the 1994 World Cup held in the United States, Romário partnered with Bebeto in an attack to lead his country to a record fourth World Cup title. Romário scored five goals in the tournament: one in each of the three first-round matches, against Russia, and Cameroon, and a trademark toe-poke finish against Sweden. He scored one against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals; and 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 for the round of 16 elimination match. Although he did not get on the scoresheet in the final in Los Angeles against Italy, a game played in searing heat which ended as a goalless draw, he converted Brazil's second penalty in the shoot-out, which ended in a 3–2 win for Brazil. Romário won the World Cup Golden Ball as the most valuable player of the tournament and was named to the World Cup All-Star Team.

In the subsequent years, Romário formed, along with fellow Brazilian forward Ronaldo, a feared attacking combo, which was colloquially referred to as the Ro-Ro duo. The first title which the strikers won while playing together in the front line, was the 1997 Copa América in Bolivia where they scored a total of eight goals. Later on in December 1997, they each scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 win against Australia in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup final. Romário finished the tournament as the top goalscorer with seven goals while Ronaldo added four. In 1997 alone, the duo scored an impressive total of 34 international goals with 19 coming from Romário. The Ro-Ro attack was expected to headline the upcoming World Cup in France.

1998 and 2002 World Cup absence

Romário was left out of the 1998 World Cup squad. Medical exams had revealed that he had a muscular injury, and he received intensive treatment leading up to the tournament, but he did not recover completely and was dismissed the day of the deadline for the World Cup squad submissions. Just after the decision was announced, Romário held a press conference where he broke down in tears while saying that "This is very sad for me, a big disappointment. This is a very difficult moment in my life".Brazil lost the World Cup final against hosts France.

Prior to the 2002 World Cup, Romário, aged 36, was in considerably good form while playing for Vasco da Gama, but once again he was left out of the national squad by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari due to indiscipline. The final incident happened when he pulled out of the Brazil squad for the 2001 Copa América in Colombia. He told Scolari that he was having an eye operation, but played friendlies for club side Vasco da Gama in Mexico and went on holiday instead. Romário gave a televised news conference in which he made his case and apologized, bursting into tears three times, though he said he could not remember doing or saying anything against the manager and the players. The BBC's South American football correspondent, Tim Vickery, called Romário's news conference "bizarre" and reported that there were "increasingly credible rumors" that "senior players asked Scolari not to recall the veteran striker". Scolari was unmoved and did not pick him, saying before his squad announcement that Romário's exclusion was "technical and tactical". After the announcement, he said that it was a result of Romário's withdrawing from the Copa América: "People forget the details, but I do not. I almost got fired from the national team after [the Copa América]." (Brazil had been beaten in the quarter-finals by Honduras.) Without Romário, Brazil went on to win the World Cup for the fifth time.

Described by Jere Longman of The New York Times as "short on humility, long on talent", Romário demanded a window seat on the team plane and refused to sit next to Bebeto. He did however join Bebeto in one of the most iconic images of the tournament. After Bebeto scored against the Netherlands in Dallas, his goal celebration generated headlines around the world when he began rocking an imaginary baby – his wife had given birth to their third child just days before – with Romário (and Mazinho) then joining Bebeto in the rocking motion.

on 27 April 2005, Romário played his last game with the Brazil national team in a friendly and celebratory match in São Paulo. He wore the captain's armband and scored the second goal in Brazil's 3–0 win against Guatemala. Following the end of his playing career with Brazil, Romário successfully campaigned for Brazil to be awarded host status for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Romario's personality was as vibrant off the field as it was on it. Known for his charisma, outspokenness, and occasional controversy, he remained true to himself throughout his career. Romario's off-field endeavors include successful stints in politics and social activism, where he championed causes for the underprivileged. In the 2010 general election, Romário was elected to the Chamber of Deputies on the Brazilian Socialist Party ticket. He was the sixth most-voted candidate for deputy in Rio de Janeiro.

Romario's journey from the streets of Rio de Janeiro to becoming a global football icon is a testament to his unparalleled talent, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence. His impact on the game, both domestically and internationally, is undeniable. Romario's legacy as a goal-scoring phenomenon and his contributions to Brazilian football will forever be remembered, ensuring his place among the all-time greats in the pantheon of football legends.

Honors

Vasco da Gama:

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2000

Campeonato Carioca: 1987, 1988

Copa Mercosur: 2000

PSV Eindhoven:

Eredivisie: 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92

KNVB Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90

Dutch Super Cup: 1992

Barcelona:

La Liga: 1993–94

Supercopa de España: 1994

Flamengo:

Campeonato Carioca: 1996, 1999

Copa Mercosur: 1999

Al-Sadd:

Qatar Crown Prince Cup: 2003

América-RJ:

Campeonato Carioca Second Division: 2009

Brazil Youth:

U-20 South American Championship: 1985

Olympic Silver Medal: 1988

Brazil:

FIFA World Cup: 1994

Copa América: 1989, 1997

FIFA Confederations Cup: 1997

Individual:

U-20 South American Championship's top scorer: 1985

Campeonato Carioca's top scorer: 1986, 1987, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Vasco da Gama Player of the Year: 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001

1988 Seoul Summer Olympics top scorer

Dutch League's top scorer: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91

Dutch Cup's top scorer: 1988–89, 1989–90

Dutch Footballer of the Year: 1989

UEFA Champions League top scorer: 1989–90, 1992–93

Onze de Bronze: 1993

FIFA World Player of the Year Silver Award: 1993

Pichichi Trophy: 1993–94

Trofeo EFE Best Ibero-American Soccer Player of the Spanish League: 1993–94

FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1994

FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot: 1994

FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1994

Onze d'Or: 1994

FIFA World Player of the Year: 1994

L'Équipe Champion of Champions Sportsman of the Year: 1994

South American Team of the Year: 1995, 2000, 2001

FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Shoe: 1997

FIFA Confederations Cup Silver Ball: 1997

Rio-São Paulo Tournament's top scorer: 1997, 2000

CONCACAF Gold Cup All-Star Team: 1998

Brazilian Cup's top scorer: 1998, 1999

Copa Mercosur's top scorer: 1999, 2000

Placar Golden Boot: 1999, 2000, 2002

Brazilian League's top scorer: 2000, 2001, 2005

FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2000

Bola de Ouro: 2000

Bola de Prata: 2000, 2001, 2005

South American Footballer of the Year: 2000

CBF Golden Boot: 2001, 2005

FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2002

FIFA 100: 2004

Rei do Gol Trophy: 2005

USL 1st's MVP: 2006

USL 1st's top scorer: 2006

Prêmio Craque do Brasileirão – Special Honor: 2007

Golden Foot Legends Award: 2007

Marca World Cups All-Time Team: 2014

International Football Hall of Fame – Pachuca, México

Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame

Ballon d'Or: 1994 – Le nouveau palmarès (the new winners)

Globe Soccer Awards Player Career Award: 2022

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