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 36)
Place of birth	Garça, Brazil
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 6+1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Left Wingback
Club information
Current club	Fenerbahçe S.K.
Number	3
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1990–1993 1993–1995 1995–1996 1996–2007 2007–	União São João Palmeiras Internazionale Real Madrid Fenerbahçe	0330(10) 068 0(5) 030 0(5) 370 (46) 045 0(3)
National team2
1992–2006	Brazil	125 (19)[2]
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 6, 2007. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of October 6, 2007. * Appearances (Goals)

Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha (born April 10, 1973, Garça, São Paulo), better known simply as Roberto Carlos, is a Brazilian football player who currently plays for Turkish club Fenerbahçe S.K.,^[3] normally as a wingback. Carlos was a member of the Brazil national team in three World Cups, helping the team reach the final in the 1998 edition and win the 2002 tournament. He is also known for his trademark and sometimes seemingly impossible free kicks and explosive shots.

Before joining Fenerbahçe, he played for Spanish club Real Madrid for eleven 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 one hundred matches in the Champions League, as of February 2008.^[4]

He finished second to countryman Ronaldo in the 1997 FIFA World Player of the Year award poll and was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. Encyclopædia Britannica heralds Roberto Carlos as an excellent exponent of the wingback position.^[5]

Club career

União São João (1992-1993)

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 (1993-1995)

In Palmeiras Roberto Carlos was recognized as one of the greats of Brazilian football, winning two consecutive Brazilian Leagues.

Inter Milan (1995-96)

After almost signing for Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough side in 1995, Roberto Carlos chose a move to Milan and played in Inter for just one season. 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 (1996-2007)

Roberto Carlos played at Madrid eleven 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.

On August 2, 2005, Carlos 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 sixteen against Bayern Munich, which led to Roy Makaay's goal, the quickest goal in the tournament's history, effectively eliminating Real from the competition. On March 9, 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 Carlos slotted it home. As a result, Real Madrid were on course for their 30th La Liga championship. And today a very good footballer

Fenerbahçe (2007-present)

On June 192007, Roberto Carlos signed a two year contract and one year optional with the Turkish Super League Champion Fenerbahçe at the stadium in front of thousands of fans.^[7][8] In the first official match he played with the team, Fenerbahçe won the Turkish Super Cup against Beşiktaş J.K. by 2 goals. During a league match against Sivasspor, he scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe on August 25, 2007 on a flying 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.^[9] 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 is unhappy about the final result and would do his best to carry the domestic trophy back to Şükrü Saraçoğlu.^[10]

National team

Roberto Carlos amassed 125 caps, scoring 11 goals^[11] for the Brazilian national team. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he played seven matches, including the final loss to France. After a qualifying game for the 2002 FIFA 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.

He is especially famous for a free kick against France on June 3, 1997, where he shot from 35 m (110 ft) from the centre-right channel, and scored. The ball spun so much that the ballboy 10 yards to the right ducked instinctively, thinking that the ball would hit him. Instead, it eventually curled back on target.

After the elimination by France in the quarterfinal of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he announced his retirement from international football. Against France, he was widely criticised for fixing his socks during a Zinedine Zidane free kick which resulted in a goal from Thierry Henry.

Statistics

As of 6 October 2007

Honours

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Brazil
Men's Football
Bronze	1996 Atlanta	Team Competition

Club

• Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras
  • Brazilian League: 1993, 1994
  • Rio-São Paulo Tournament: 1993
  • São Paulo State Championship: 1993, 1994
• Real Madrid C.F.
  • La Liga: 1996-97, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07
  • Spanish Super Cup: 1997, 2001, 2003
  • UEFA Champions League: 1997-98, 1999-00, 2001-02
  • UEFA Super Cup: 2002
  • Intercontinental Cup: 1998, 2002
• Fenerbahçe S.K.
  • Turkish Super Cup: 2007

Country

• Brazil
  • Copa América: 1997, 1999
  • FIFA World Cup: winner 2002, runner-up 1998
  • FIFA Confederations Cup: 1997

Individual

• Golden Foot: 2008 ^[12]
• Fifa World Player of the Year: Second place (1997)

References

External links

• Roberto Carlos: the BEST Goals
• Roberto Carlos: website oficial (Portuguese)
• 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
• Profile on transfermarkt.de
• Breakdown of the "impossible goal"

Brazil squad – 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship Runners-up 1 Roger • 2 Zelão • 3 Castro • 4 Andrei • 5 Marquinhos • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Paulo Nunes • 8 Djair • 9 Élber • 10 Luiz Fernando • 11 Sérgio Manoel • 12 Ferreti • 13 Anderson • 14 Serginho • 15 Rodrigo • 16 Sandro • 17 Ramon • 18 Sérgio Eduardo • Coach: Calainho

Brazil squad – Copa América 1993 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Antônio Carlos • 4 Valber • 5 César Sampaio • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Edmundo • 8 Boiadeiro • 9 Müller • 10 Palinha • 11 Zinho • 12 Zé Carlos • 13 Winck • 14 Luís Henrique • 15 Paulão • 16 Zetti • 17 Luisinho • 18 Marquinhos • 19 Edílson • 20 Almir • 21 Viola • 22 Elívelton • 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 Ávila • 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 – 1998 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Taffarel • 2 Cafu • 3 Aldair • 4 Júnior Baiano • 5 César Sampaio • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Giovanni • 8 Dunga • 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 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 • 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 – 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 • 3 Lúcio • 4 Roque Júnior • 5 Edmílson • 6 Roberto Carlos • 7 Ricardinho • 8 Gilberto Silva • 9 Ronaldo • 10 Rivaldo • 11 Ronaldinho • 12 Dida • 13 Belletti • 14 Anderson Polga • 15 Kléberson • 16 Júnior • 17 Denílson • 18 Vampeta • 19 Juninho • 20 Edílson • 21 Luizão • 22 Rogério Ceni • 23 Kaká • Coach: Scolari

Brazil squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Dida • 2 Cafu • 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