Roberto Carlos (footballer)

Roberto Carlos

Personal information
Full name	Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha[1]
Date of birth	April 10, 1973 (1973-04-10) (age 37)
Place of birth	Garça, São Paulo, Brazil
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position	Left wingback
Club information
Current club	Corinthians
Number	6
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1990–1992	União São João	33	(10)
1993–1995	Palmeiras	68	(5)
1995–1996	Internazionale	30	(6)
1996–2007	Real Madrid	370	(47)
2007–2010	Fenerbahçe	65	(6)
2010–	Corinthians	28	(4)
National team‡
1992–2006[2]	Brazil	125	(11)
Honours Competitor for  Brazil Men's Football Bronze 1996 Atlanta Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 8, 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of October 6, 2007

Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha (born 10 April 1973 in Garça, São Paulo, Brazil) commonly known as simply Roberto Carlos, is a Brazilian footballer. He was a member of the Brazil national team in three World Cups, helping the team reach the final in 1998 and win the 2002 tournament. He is also known for his trademark free kicks, explosive running speed and powerful curling banana trajectory shot.

Roberto Carlos plays for Corinthians in Brazil. Previously he played for Spanish club Real Madrid for 11 years, winning four leagues, three UEFA Champions League trophies, and two Intercontinental Cups. He is also one of only six players to have played more than 100 matches in the Champions League, as of February 2008.^[3] He finished second to countryman Ronaldo in the 1997 FIFA World Player of the Year award poll and was named as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers by Pelé in March 2004. Encyclopædia Britannica heralds Roberto Carlos as "an excellent exponent of the wing back position."^[4]

Biography

Roberto Carlos was born in a small coffee farm in the city of Garça, São Paulo. Raised with no luxury, he had a poor childhood and used to spend his time between helping his parents, farm workers, and playing with his friends. In 1981, Roberto Carlos and his family moved to Cordeiropolis.

Club career

União São João

Roberto Carlos began his professional career playing for União São João, a football club based in Araras (São Paulo state). Despite playing at what was seen as a lesser club, he was called up for the Brazil national football team.

Palmeiras

At Palmeiras, Roberto Carlos was recognized as one of the greats of Brazilian football of all time, winning two consecutive Brazilian Leagues

Internazionale

After almost signing for Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough side in 1995, Roberto Carlos chose a move to F.C. Internazionale Milano, in the Serie A, playing one season for the Nerazzurri. He scored a 30 yard free-kick on his debut vs Vicenza. Javier Zanetti also made his debut in this game alonside former England international Paul Ince.The then-coach of Inter, Roy Hodgson, wanted him to play as a left winger, but Carlos preferred to play only as a left back.

Real Madrid

Roberto Carlos played at Real Madrid C.F. for 11 seasons, playing a total of 584 matches and scoring 71 goals in all competitions. 370 of them were league matches, in which he scored 46 goals from his left-back position. He famously set up Zinedine Zidane to score the winner for Real Madrid to win the Champions League in 2002. His consistently high standard and dynamic displays saw him voted into the uefa.com users' UEFA Team of the Year in 2002 and 2003.^[5]

On 2 August 2005, he received dual Spanish and Brazilian citizenship. This proved important for Real Madrid, as it meant that he now counted as a European Union player. In January 2006, he set a club record for the most league matches played by a non-Spanish born player by making his 330th appearance for Madrid. He broke the previous mark of 329 held by Alfredo di Stéfano.^[6]

Having played 30 or more league matches for ten consecutive seasons and being one of the most consistent players in the squad, he was heavily criticized for conceding the ball early during the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Bayern Munich, which led to Roy Makaay's goal, the quickest goal in the tournament's history. On 9 March 2007, he announced his decision to not renew his contract with Real Madrid. But in one of the last few games of the season in the dying seconds against Recreativo de Huelva, Fernando Gago played a beautiful pass and Roberto Carlos slotted it home. As a result, Real Madrid were on course for their 30th La Liga championship. He was linked with a move to Chelsea in the summer of 2006.^[7]

Fenerbahçe

On 19 June 2007, Roberto Carlos signed a two-year contract and one year optional with the Turkish Super League champions Fenerbahçe at the stadium in front of thousands of fans.^[8][9] In the first official match he played with the team, Fenerbahçe won the Turkish Super Cup against Beşiktaş by two goals. During a league match against Sivasspor, he scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe on 25 August 2007 on a diving header, which was only the third headed goal of his career.

He was injured during the final period of the same season and missed the title race between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray.^[10] His team eventually lost the title to their rivals, while guaranteeing a place for themselves in Champions League knockouts for the next season. He announced that he was unhappy about the final result and would do his best to carry the domestic trophy back to the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.^[11]

On 7 October 2009 Roberto Carlos announced that he would leave Fenerbahçe upon the expiration of his contract in December 2009. He offered to return to Real Madrid and play for free, though he also said return to the Brazilian domestic leagues was a possibility^[12] and announced on 25 November 2009 his departure.^[13]

He played in his last match for the Turkish club when he came on in the 89th minute as a substitute against Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League on 17 December 2009. Team-mates gave Carlos a goodbye shower after the match as Fenerbahçe fans chanted "I love you Carlos," giving him a standing ovation.^[14]

Corinthians

After 15 years away from Brazil, Roberto Carlos returned to his country in 2010 to play for Corinthians, one of the most successful football teams in Brazil. He joined his friend and former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo.

On June 4, 2010, Roberto Carlos scored a goal against Internacional and helped Corinthians to move to the top of the Brazilian Campeonato table. The Timão won the game with the score of 2-0.^[15]

International career

Roberto Carlos amassed 125 caps, scoring 11 goals^[16] for the Brazilian national team. At the 1998 World Cup, he played seven matches, including the final loss to France. After a qualifying game for the 2002 World Cup, Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert spat on Roberto Carlos, an action which caused FIFA to give Chilavert a three-match suspension and forced him to watch the first game of the World Cup from the stands. Roberto Carlos also played seven matches in the finals, scoring a goal from a free kick against China. He also was a starter in the final against Germany, with Brazil winning 2–0. After the tournament Carlos was also included in the World Cup's All Star team.

He is especially famous for a free kick against France in the inaugural match of Tournoi de France 1997 on 3 June 1997. He shot from 35 m (115 ft) from the centre-right channel, and scored. The ball curved so much that the ball boy 10 yards to the right ducked instinctively, thinking that the ball would hit him. Instead, it eventually curled back on target, much to the surprise of goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, who just stood in place.^[17] In 2010, a team of French scientists produced a paper explaining the trajectory of the ball.^[18]

Roberto Carlos' next international tournament was 2006 World Cup. In July 2006, after Brazil's 1-0 defeat to France in the World Cup quarter-finals, Roberto Carlos announced his retirement from the national team, saying, "I've stopped with the national team. It was my last game."^[19] He said he no longer wanted to play for Brazil because of the criticism he faced from fans and Brazilian media for his failure to mark goal scorer Thierry Henry on France's winning goal.^[2]

Upon signing with Corinthians in January 2010, Roberto Carlos told TV Globo that he hoped to play at the 2010 World Cup and believed his return to Brazilian football may help him return to the national team, as manager Dunga had yet to settle on a left back.^[2] However, the long time left-defender was left off the 30-man provisional squad that was submitted to FIFA on 11 May 2010, along with veteran and famous players such as Ronaldo.^[20] Despite his deep desire to do so, Roberto Carlos was not named in Coach Dunga's final squad of 23 for the Brazilian squad in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. Instead, Brazil newcomer Michel Bastos earned a spot for the left wingback position.^[21]

Career statistics

As of August 25, 2009

^{[22] [23]}

Honours

Club

Palmeiras

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1993, 1994
• Campeonato Paulista: 1993, 1994
• Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1993

Real Madrid

• UEFA Champions League: 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02
• La Liga: 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07
• Supercopa de España: 1997, 2001, 2003
• Intercontinental Cup: 1998, 2002
• UEFA Super Cup: 2002

Country

Brazil

• FIFA Confederations Cup: 1997
• Copa América: 1997, 1999
• FIFA World Cup: 2002

Individual

• UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2003
• Golden Foot: 2008
• FIFA 100

References

External links

Sites

• Roberto Carlos: website oficial
• Roberto Carlos - FIFA competition record
• Sambafoot profile (Portuguese)
• Profile at fenerbahce.org (Turkish)
• Profile at TFF.org (Turkish)
• FootballDatabase provides Roberto Carlos's profile and stats
• Carlos wins Golden Foot
• Profile on transfermarkt.de

Goals

• First goal for Corinthians
• TOP 10 goals

Other

• Roberto Carlos teaches how to take free-kicks
• Breakdown of the "impossible goal"

Brazil squad Brazil squad – Copa América 1993 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Antônio Carlos • 4 Válber • 5 César Sampaio • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Edmundo • 8 Boiadeiro • 9 Müller • 10 Palhinha • 11 Zinho • 12 Carlos • 13 Winck • 14 Luís Henrique • 15 Paulão • 16 Elivélton • 17 Luisinho • 18 Marquinhos • 19 Edílson • 20 Almir • 21 Viola • 22 Zetti • Coach: Parreira Brazil squad – Copa América 1995 Runners-up 1 Taffarel • 2 Jorginho • 3 Aldair • 4 Ronaldão • 5 César Sampaio • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Edmundo • 8 Dunga • 9 Túlio • 10 Juninho • 11 Zinho • 12 Danrlei • 13 Rodrigo • 14 André Cruz • 15 Narciso • 16 Leandro • 17 Beto • 18 Leonardo • 19 Souza • 20 Ronaldo • 21 Sávio • 22 Dida • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalists 1 Dida • 2 Zé Maria • 3 Aldair • 4 Ronaldo Guiaro • 5 Flávio Conceição • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Bebeto • 8 Amaral • 9 Juninho • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Sávio • 12 Danrlei • 13 Narciso • 14 André Luiz • 15 Zé Elias • 16 Marcelinho Paulista • 17 Luizão • 18 Ronaldo • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – Copa América 1997 Winners (5th Title) 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 Márcio Santos • 5 Mauro Silva • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Giovanni • 8 Dunga • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Leonardo • 11 Romário • 12 Carlos Germano • 13 Djalminha • 14 Zé Maria • 15 Célio Silva • 16 Gonçalves • 17 Zé Roberto • 18 César Sampaio • 19 Flávio Conceição • 20 Denílson • 21 Edmundo • 22 Paulo Nunes • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Dida • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 Júnior Baiano • 5 Dunga • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Bebeto • 8 Flávio Conceição • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Leonardo • 11 Romário • 12 Rogério Ceni • 13 Zé Maria • 14 Gonçalves • 15 Zé Roberto • 16 César Sampaio • 17 Doriva • 18 Denílson • 19 Juninho • 20 Rivaldo • 21 Rodrigo • 22 Russo • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 J. Baiano • 5 C. Sampaio • 6 R. Carlos • 7 Giovanni • 8 Dunga (c) • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Emerson • 12 Carlos Germano • 13 Zé Carlos • 14 Gonçalves • 15 André Cruz • 16 Zé Roberto • 17 Doriva • 18 Leonardo • 19 Denílson • 20 Bebeto • 21 Edmundo • 22 Dida • Coach: Zagallo Brazil squad – Copa América 1999 Winners (6th Title) 1 Dida • 2 Cafu • 3 Odvan • 4 Antônio Carlos • 5 Emerson • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Amoroso • 8 Vampeta • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Alex • 12 Marcos • 13 Evanílson • 14 César Belli • 15 João Carlos • 16 Serginho • 17 Marcos Paulo • 18 Flávio Conceição • 19 Beto • 20 Christian • 21 Ronaldinho • 22 Zé Roberto • Coach: Luxemburgo Brazil squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup winners (5th title) 1 Marcos • 2 Cafu (c) • 3 Lúcio • 4 Roque Jr. • 5 Edmílson • 6 R. Carlos • 7 Ricardinho • 8 Gilberto • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Ronaldinho • 12 Dida • 13 Belletti • 14 Polga • 15 Kléberson • 16 Júnior • 17 Denílson • 18 Vampeta • 19 J. Paulista • 20 Edílson • 21 Luizão • 22 Rogério • 23 Kaká • Coach: Scolari Brazil squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Dida • 2 Cafu (c) • 3 Lúcio • 4 Juan • 5 Emerson • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Adriano • 8 Kaká • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Ronaldinho • 11 Zé Roberto • 12 Rogério Ceni • 13 Cicinho • 14 Luisão • 15 Cris • 16 Gilberto • 17 Gilberto Silva • 18 Mineiro • 19 Juninho • 20 Ricardinho • 21 Fred • 22 Júlio César • 23 Robinho • Coach: Parreira