Romário

Romário
Official portrait, 2023
Senator for Rio de Janeiro
Assumed office
1 February 2015
Preceded byFrancisco Dornelles
Succeeded byBruno Bonetti
Second Vice President of the Federal Senate
In office
1 February 2021 – 1 February 2023
PresidentRodrigo Pacheco
Preceded byIzalci Lucas
Succeeded byRodrigo Cunha
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
1 February 2011 – 1 February 2015
ConstituencyRio de Janeiro
Personal details
Born (1966-01-29) 29 January 1966
PartyPL (2021–present)
Other political
affiliations
  • PP (2001–2009)
  • PSB (2009–2017)
  • PODE (2017–2021)
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Spouses
Mônica Santoro
(m. 1988; div. 1995)
Danielle Favatto
(m. 1996; div. 2001)
Isabelle Bittencourt
(m. 2002; div. 2014)
Children7, including Romarinho
ProfessionFootballer, politician

Association football career
Position Striker
Youth career
1979–1980 Olaria
1981–1985 Vasco da Gama
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1988 Vasco da Gama 141 (80)
1988–1993 PSV Eindhoven 110 (98)
1993–1995 Barcelona 46 (34)
1995–1996 Flamengo 59 (60)
1996–1997 Valencia 11 (5)
1997Flamengo (loan) 22 (21)
1998–1999 Flamengo 65 (34)
2000–2002 Vasco da Gama 73 (79)
2002–2004 Fluminense 73 (45)
2003Al Sadd (loan) 3 (0)
2005–2006 Vasco da Gama 50 (35)
2006 Miami FC 25 (19)
2006Adelaide United (loan) 4 (1)
2007 Vasco da Gama 15 (13)
2009 America-RJ 1 (0)
2024– America-RJ 0 (0)
Total 698 (542)
International career
1985 Brazil U20 11 (11)
1988 Brazil U23 7 (8)
1987–2005 Brazil 70 (55)
Managerial career
2007 Vasco da Gama (interim)
2008 Vasco da Gama
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Brazil
FIFA World Cup
Winner 1994 United States
FIFA Confederations Cup
Winner 1997 Saudi Arabia
Copa América
Winner 1989 Brazil
Winner 1997 Bolivia
Olympic Games
1988 Seoul Team
CONCACAF Gold Cup
1998 USA
South American U-20 Championship
Winner 1985 Paraguay
* Club domestic league appearances and goals
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Romário de Souza Faria (born 29 January 1966), known simply as Romário (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʁoˈmaɾiu]), is a Brazilian politician and former professional footballer who is currently the Senior Senator for Rio de Janeiro and is the president of football club America-RJ. A prolific striker renowned for his clinical finishing, he is considered one of the greatest forwards of all time. He scored over 700 goals for his clubs and country and is one of only five players to have scored 100 goals with three different clubs.

Romário starred for Brazil in their 1994 FIFA World Cup triumph, receiving the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year the same year. He came fifth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll in 1999, was elected to the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002, and was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in 2004.

At club level, after developing his early career in Brazil, Romário moved to PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands in 1988. During his five seasons at PSV the club became Eredivisie champions three times, and he scored a total of 165 goals in 167 games. In 1993, he moved to Barcelona and became part of Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team", forming an exceptional strike partnership with Hristo Stoichkov. He won La Liga in his first season and finished as the top goalscorer with 30 goals in 33 matches. During the second half of his career Romário played for clubs within the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. He won the Brazilian league title with Vasco da Gama in 2000 and was top scorer three times in the league. At the end of his career he also played briefly in Qatar, the United States and Australia.

Considered a master of the confined space of the penalty area, his rapid speed over short distances (aided by his low centre of gravity) took him away from defenders, and he was renowned for his trademark toe poke finish. With 55 goals in 70 appearances, Romário is the fourth-highest goalscorer for the Brazil national team, behind Neymar, Pelé and Ronaldo. He is third on the all-time list of Brazilian league's top scorers with 155 goals. He is the ninth-highest goalscorer in the history of football with 784 goals in 1002 official games.

Romário started his political career in 2010, when he was elected deputy for the Brazilian Socialist Party. He was then elected senator in 2014. In 2017, he switched parties for Podemos, and in 2021, he joined the Liberal Party.