RIO DE JANEIRO – At 58, Brazilian football legend Romario has quite a resume – World Cup winner, senator, president of his favourite club, America of Rio de Janeiro.
Now, 15 years after hanging up his boots, the iconic striker has decided to add another entry to his curriculum vitae, coming out of retirement to rejoin America as a player.
The 1994 World Cup winner announced on April 17 he has officially registered to play for struggling America, who are in the second division of the Rio state championship and fighting to return to the top flight.
“I’m ready to try to give my beloved America a little help,” Romario wrote on Instagram. “Thank you everyone for your support!”
His return will be a family affair – Romario’s son Romarinho, 30, also plays as a forward for the club.
“It will be a dream come true to share the pitch with my son,” he added.
In an earlier post on April 16, Romario said that he did not plan to play the entire state championship.
“I just want to play some matches with my beloved team and realise the dream of playing alongside my son,” he wrote.
Rio de Janeiro’s football federation confirmed Romario’s registration as a player, adding that he will receive a minimum wage, which will be donated to the club. Romario grew up supporting America, his late father’s favourite club.
But he started his professional career with their local rivals, Vasco da Gama, and soon made the big move to Europe, where he shone with PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona, and also played for Valencia.
Along the way, he was an integral member of the Brazil side who won the 1994 World Cup in the United States, scoring five goals and winning the Fifa World Player of the Year award that year.
Romario made 70 appearances for his country from 1987 to 2005, scoring 56 goals.
He claimed to have scored more than 1,000 goals, but those statistics include strikes in youth level, unofficial and friendly matches.
The Brazilian retired in 2008, but made a first comeback the following year for a brief stint at America.
Elected to the Senate in 2014, Romario also recently became president at America, and has been tasked with patching up the club’s tattered finances and returning them to top-flight play. REUTERS, AFP
