Romario Announces His Retirement

Malice · 15-04-2008 1:02pm #1

From here

Veteran Brazilian striker Romario has formally announced his retirement at the age of 42.

The 1994 World Cup winner's playing contract with Vasco da Gama expired on March 31, and he does not intend to seek another. Romario has not played for Vasco in recent months due to differences with president Eurico Miranda.

"Officially, I won't play any more. I've given up. Everything has been very funny. I've enjoyed it a lot," Romario told SporTV in Rio de Janeiro at the launch of a DVD showing 900 of his 1,002 career goals.

"I've thought about this a lot to decide I had to stop. It's very difficult to return to playing after six months without playing."

There has been talk of a farewell match for Romario at Maracana involving the three Rio giants he represented - Vasco, Flamengo and Fluminense.

"If somebody offers me to play a farewell match, it would be good that I wear the national shirt or maybe one that mixes the Vasco, Flamengo and Fluminense shirts," he said.

"It must be well done. I'd like to call up my friends."

Romario, the World Player of the Year in 1994, also represented Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven and Valencia during a 23-year senior career.

I thought he had retired once he hit 1,000 career goals but obviously not. Not a bad player in his day. I remember him scoring loads of goals for Barcelona in the early nineties.

eZe^ · 15-04-2008 1:08pm

Thought he announced it back in March?

Anyway, fantastic striker, I still think Brazil would have won WC98 if he had been fully recovered to join the squad. One of the best strikers ever imo. Best finisher Ive ever seen, intelligence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgLlvzhYqd4

Retire In Peace.

Xavi6 · 15-04-2008 1:42pm

Meh sure only 256 of his goals were in competitive games

(Seriosuly though, absolute legend)

Malice · 15-04-2008 3:02pm

Xavi6 wrote: »

Meh sure only 256 of his goals were in competitive games

That's probably close to the true total

. There was a lot of "discussion" around the time it was announced that he was on 999 career goals. People politely pointed out that doing things like including goals scored in matches with your neighbour's children in a game of five a side on the beach inflate the total just a bit.

I would be very interested to see the DVD that is coming out.

Best finisher Ive ever seen

He was definitely very good but Ronaldo and Fowler during the early and uninjured parts of their careers were better in my opinion.

MisterAnarchy · 15-04-2008 3:04pm

One of the most instinctive finishers I've ever seen.

eZe^ · 15-04-2008 4:31pm

malice_ wrote: »

He was definitely very good but Ronaldo and Fowler during the early and uninjured parts of their careers were better in my opinion.

Cant agree there. There was nobody Ive ever seen more intelligent and clinical infront of goal. He may not have been as complete or as extraordinary as Ronaldo, but he was just so clinical.

From a number of oldies I have talked to, the only finishers that were better than him that they had seen were Puskas and Di Stefano.

Pigman II · 15-04-2008 4:47pm

Wiki have him on 367 career goals. Long way from 1000! Does anyone have a breakdown on where these over 600 or so came from?

eZe^ · 15-04-2008 4:55pm

Maybe you were looking at the goals he's scored domestically?

EDIT-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romário

Scroll down about 6/7 down the page, it has his 1002 goals statistic there.

He has included youth goals, does that mean Bojan will make 1000 goals before he's 20. He's got 967 already. =P

To be fair though, only 77 of those goals he's counted are youth goals, over 900 goals is still absolutely fantastic.

Jazzy · 15-04-2008 5:45pm

my favorite player as a kid

retire in peace!

UnitedIrishman · 15-04-2008 6:40pm

I remember seeing an article in which Bobby Robson said he was the best finisher he'd ever seen. He said that he would do nothing for so long in the game but then when he got a half-chance he'd be the quickest to react and it'd be goal. In a sense he was a bit like Pippo Inzaghi but better. Those kind of players are very rare and hard to find. That have such pace over 5 yards and know exactly where they need to be and then the composure to finish.

Jonny Arson · 15-04-2008 6:48pm

he must have been playing alot of friendlies against the likes of Swords Rovers if he got to that magical '1002' goal mark

bloody brilliant footballer tho'

retire in peace (i'm liking this phrase too!

)

Malice · 15-04-2008 8:09pm

eZe^ wrote: »

Cant agree there. There was nobody Ive ever seen more intelligent and clinical infront of goal.

It's only my opinion, you're entitled to disagree

.

As UnitedIrishman says, he was similar to Inzaghi. He'll do nothing for most of a match and then as soon as you take your eye of him - bang! The ball's in the back of the net.

Goal Compilation: