Rivaldo Biography –
Introduction Like many other Brazilian
players
that went big, soccer was the only way for Rivaldo to get out of
poverty. But whereas other soccer players came from relative poverty,
Rivaldo had to suffer it at its fullest. Fortunately for us, he did end
up being a soccer player and he is one of the most important Brazilians
to play in Europe over the past decade.
This Rivaldo biography is
dedicated to a player that is quickly closing in on his retirement day,
but who already left so much behind him.
Full
name
Vítor
Borba Ferreira
Date
of birth
April
19, 1972
Place
of birth
Paulista,
Brazil
Height
6.1FT
- 1.86M
Playing
position
Attacking
Midfielder
Rivaldo Biography –
Professional Debut in Brazil 1989 was a tragic year for Rivaldo,
having
lost his
father to a road accident and being himself at one point unable to
continue playing soccer. Fortunately, later that year, local club
Paulista took him on and offered him a professional contract at age 17.
He didn't get a chance at Paulista, simply because he was too fragile
for professional soccer yet, so he was sold to Santa Cruz FC in 1991
where he played his first matches and scored his first professional
goals.
Rivaldo's
goals
attracted the interest of Mogi Mirim
EC, who signed him after a single season at Santa Cruz, but his big
break would come in 1993, when one of Brazil's most powerful clubs,
Corinthians, signed the young soccer player.
He didn't disappoint the
Corinthians fans
and he proved to be a decisive soccer player, Rivaldo scoring close to
20 goals in 40 matches in his first (and only) season with the club.
1993 also saw the debut of Rivaldo for Brazil's
national side and he even managed to score his first goal, in
a friendly against Mexico.
The next season, he
found
himself switching
clubs again, this time for Palmeiras, who were then reigning champions
in Brazil. His 2 seasons at Palmeiras were amongst the most successful
in his career, Rivaldo's goal tally reaching 53 in 104 matches. This
extraordinary goal/match ratio earned him a move to Europe, when
Deportivo La Coruna signed him.
Season
Club
Games
Goals
1990
Paulista
0
0
1991
Santa
Cruz FC
18
8
1992
Mogi
Mirim EC
27
9
1993-1994
Corinthians
41
17
1994-1996
Palmeiras
104
53
1996-1997
Deportivo
La Coruna
41
21
1997-2002
FC
Barcelona
157
86
2002-2004
AC
Milan
22
5
2004
Cruzeiro
2
1
2004-2007
Olympiacos
81
43
2007-Present
AEK
Athens
6
2
Last
Update - 2007
Domestic League Only
Rivaldo Biography –
Deportivo and FC Barcelona His only season with Deportivo was
a great
deal for
both the player and the club. Adapting quite well for a fresh new
Brazilian soccer player, Rivaldo managed to score 21 times in 41
matches, becoming the fourth league top scorer that season
and making
Spanish giants FC Barcelona put a $25 million offer for him on
Deportivo's table. Obviously, they accepted and Rivaldo went on to play
for the club that would be determinant to his career.
His 5 seasons at
Barca were
the peak of his
career, as Rivaldo's goal tally for the club went over the 100 mark in
approximately 170 matches. Winning the Spanish league twice (1998 and
1999) and the Spanish Cup and European Super Cup once (1998 both)
opened Rivaldo's taste for trophies
and although he did not get anymore with Barcelona, he moved to AC
Milan in 2002, just in time to be crowned Champions League winner with
the rosso-neri squad.
Years
National
Team
Games
Goals
1993-2003
Brazil
74
34
Rivaldo Biography –
Greek Period His two seasons with Milan
weren't very
convincing
as Rivaldo was not even a first team regular anymore (he was also
benched by a string of annoying injuries). In 2004, hungry
for more success
and a guaranteed first team place, Rivaldo moved to Greek champions
Olympiacos, helping them win the league thrice, in 2005, 2006 and 2007
as well as the Cup on two occasions, in 2005 and 2006. the 2007-2008
season will find Rivaldo playing for Olympiacos' rivals, AEK Athens.
