Rivaldo started his career in 1991 with Brazilian clubSanta Cruz, going on to have spells atMogi Mirim, a loan spell atCorinthians, andPalmeiras. In 1996, he moved to Europe with Spanish sideDeportivo La Coruña, where his performances in his only season there led him to sign forBarcelona in 1997. At Barcelona, he formed a successful partnership with Dutch internationalPatrick Kluivert, and won consecutiveLa Liga titles in1998 and1999, as well as the1998Copa del Rey. Rivaldo notably scored ahattrick againstValencia in June 2001 which qualified Barcelona for the2001-02 UEFA Champions League; the last goal was a last minute 20-yard bicycle kick winner and the hattrick itself is often ranked as the greatest ever. During his five-year tenure there, he scored 130 goals, ranking him among Barcelona'shighest goalscorers of all time.
In 2002, Rivaldo signed for Italian clubA.C. Milan, winning theCoppa Italia and theUEFA Champions League in his only season there, however, his performances were underwhelming and he cancelled his contract with Milan in late 2004. He went on to play forCruzeiro,Olympiacos,AEK Athens,Bunyodkor, a loan spell atSão Paulo,Kabuscorp andSão Caetano. In March 2014, Rivaldo announced his retirement from professional football, however since June 2015 he made appearances for Mogi Mirim, before retiring again in August 2015.
Born in Recife, Brazil, Rivaldo had a poor upbringing in thefavelas of the city.[11][12][13][14] His physical appearance still marks the poverty he experienced in his childhood:malnourishment-causedbowleggedness and the loss of several teeth.[15] Predominantly left footed, Rivaldo began his professional career at the age of 16, when he signed withPaulistano in 1989,[16] despite the Paulistano coaches believing him too physically weak to succeed.[17] Rivaldo's father Romildo was killed in a road accident in 1989, but Rivaldo signed his first professional contract later that year.[17]
He went on to play forSanta Cruz in 1991. In 1992, he moved south to the state ofSão Paulo where he played forMogi Mirim in the second tier of Brazilian football. In 1993, he moved to the state capital to play forCorinthians in thefirst division, on loan.[18]
In the next year, he switched local allegiances and moved toPalmeiras, helping the club successfully defend its league championship in 1994 and winningCampeonato Paulista in1996. In both 1993 and 1994, he was honoured by the authoritative publicationPlacar Magazine with theBola de Ouro for the best player in his position.[citation needed]
Before the 1996 Olympics,Parma announced that they had signed Rivaldo and his teammateAmaral from Palmeiras.[19] After the Olympics, there was a dispute, and rather than Italy, Rivaldo moved to Spain as he joinedDeportivo La Coruña inLa Liga. He only stayed forone season, but nonetheless it proved to be a successful one for both him and the club. Rivaldo was the joint-fourth top goalscorer of the season, with 21 goals from 41 matches, as Deportivo finished third in the league.
Rivaldo switched toBarcelona in 1997 in atransfer deal securing Deportivo a 4 billionpesetas (around $26 million) transfer fee,[16] with SirBobby Robson convincing Barcelona to sign Rivaldo ahead ofSteve McManaman by saying that Rivaldo would guarantee the team many goals.[20][21]
Rivaldooo...that's magnificent. Ohh wonderful. You just could not envisage such a finish to the season. The Brazilian completes a hat-trick, a minute from time with the most delightful of goals you will ever see. A goal in a million, to earn many many millions next season.
—Sky Sports commentary on Rivaldo's last minute overheadbicycle kick match winner against Valencia in La Liga on 17 June 2001 to qualify Barcelona for next season's UEFA Champions League.[22]
In his first season at Barcelona, Rivaldo was the second top goalscorer with 19 goals in 34 matches, as Barcelona wonThe Double ofLa Liga andCopa del Rey.[23] In1999, he won another La Liga title with Barcelona, and once again was the league's second highest scorer with 24 goals. In 1999, Rivaldo was namedFIFA World Player of the Year and he also received theBallon d'Or.[7] After Barcelona's unsuccessfulChampions League campaign, Rivaldo was linked with a move away from theCamp Nou. ThenManchester United captainRoy Keane was reported stating Rivaldo was the player he most wanted United to sign.[24]
At times around the turn of the century he was impossible to play against, and never more so than here. The quality of the goals was outstanding, but the context made his performance legendary. After just 18 months and 17 days, the book on the greatest hat-trick of the 21st century was already closed.
— Rob Smyth ofThe Guardian on Rivaldo's hat-trick against Valencia in June 2001.[25]
In histhird season at Barcelona, Rivaldo fell out with managerLouis van Gaal, when he insisted playing as a playmaker rather than on the left wing.[26] Even though he had a strained relationship with Van Gaal, Rivaldo went on to score 10 goals in the season'sChampions League as the club reached the semi-finals. Van Gaal was fired in June 2000.
In the following2000–01 season, Rivaldo was once again the second highest goalscorer of the league, with 23 goals. In the decisive last game of the season, againstChampions League finalistValencia, Rivaldo scored ahat-trick to win the game 3–2, pushing Barcelona ahead of Valencia to secure a place in the2001–02 Champions League.[6] Frequently ranked the greatest hat-trick ever,[5][25][27] his first goal was a trademarkbending free kick that curled into the bottom right corner,[25] the second saw him send the Valencia player the wrong way with afeint before a strike with little back-lift from 25 yards swerved into the bottom left corner of the net,[28] and his match-winning third occurred after Rivaldo controlled the ball with the chest from the edge of the18-yard box and executed an overheadbicycle kick in the 89th minute, which he regards as the best goal of his career.[29] An ecstatic Rivaldo ripped off his jersey and started swinging it over his head during hisgoal celebrations, while Barcelona club presidentJoan Gaspart broke with convention in the stadium's VIP box by punching the air with both fists and yelling his delight next to the opposition delegation.[6][29] After the game Rivaldo stated; "What happened tonight has been incredible. I dedicate the winning goal to all the players who have fought so hard all season and all the supporters who have suffered so much. I'm delighted to have made them happy with my goals."[6] He scored a total of 36 goals that season.[30] During his five-year tenure at Barcelona, Rivaldo scored 130 goals, ranking him among the club'shighest goalscorers of all time.[31]
Rivaldo signed a three-year deal with the ItalianSerie A clubA.C. Milan in 2002. With Milan, he won theCoppa Italia and theChampions League in the2002–03 season. In August 2003, he also won theUEFA Super Cup before cancelling his contract with Milan in November that year. After leaving Milan, he briefly returned to Brazil, playing forCruzeiro inBelo Horizonte.[18] He came close to signing forBolton Wanderers in 2004, though Bolton eventually pulled out of the deal.[32][33][34] as well as turning down a trial with Celtic during the summer of that year as he felt the offer of a trial was an insult.[35]Due to his poor performances throughout the season, he won theBidone d'Oro Award in 2003, which is given to the worst Serie A player during a particular season.[36]
Rivaldo decided to return to Brazil in early 2004, by appointment of coachVanderlei Luxemburgo who convinced him to play for the club, becoming Cruzeiro's major signing for theCopa Libertadores.[37] However, his time with the team was very short, only eleven games and two goals. As reported by CNN, Rivaldo left the club after just two months due to the firing of Luxemburgo, Rivaldo's mentor earlier in his career.[38] Rivaldo stated: "When he left, I preferred to leave as well. It was my decision because I consider Luxemburgo to be a special person."[38]
On 22 July 2004, Rivaldo joinedOlympiacos ofSuperleague Greece.[18] During the 2004–05 season he scored some stand out goals, one of them coming in his first derby against Panathinaikos that arguably turned out to be his most famous in an Olympiacos shirt: a bendingfree kick to send Olympiacos to victory over their eternal rivals. Another notable goal by Rivaldo came the following week in Olympiacos's matchday 6UEFA Champions League group game in England against eventual championsLiverpool where he scored a deft free-kick in front of theKop and put the Greek giants ahead.[39] However Olympiacos were eliminated after Liverpool talismanSteven Gerrard scored with a 25-yard half volley 3 minutes from full-time.[39] In the last game of Rivaldo's first season at Olympiacos, the club needed a victory in order to win the Alpha Ethniki championship, with Panathinaikos just one point behind. Olympiacos went on to beatIraklis 0–1 in an away match inThessaloniki, thanks to Rivaldo's goal, and secured the championship.
Rivaldo renewed his contract with Olympiacos for a third year, despite now being 34 years old. In July 2006, Rivaldo announced that the2006–07 season with Olympiacos would be his last in Europe, before returning to Brazil.[40] However, he quickly changed his decision and decided to stay for another year. The 2006–2007 season saw him score 17 goals in 27 Superleague matches. Rivaldo scored 43 goals in 81 games for Olympiacos.
Rivaldo was released by Olympiacos after a dispute with the chairman of the club,Sokratis Kokkalis, who decided that he was too old to continue with the club. Later that summer, he signed for Super League clubAEK Athens on 29 May 2007.[18] His firstSuper League goal with theAthens' club came through a penalty in their 3–0 win againstPanionios. Rivaldo had another great season and the team. After the winning match against Olympiacos with 4–0, Rivaldo showed his four fingers to the camera.
Rivaldo had stated his intention to leave Greece if the ruling went in favour of Olympiakos and AEK Athens were not declared champions. He stated: "A team that was not good enough to win the title on the pitch does not deserve the trophy."[41]
Rivaldo announced on 25 August 2008 to a Greek Sport Radio Station that he agreed to continue his career atBunyodkor in Uzbekistan, effective immediately, after what he described as an "extremely tempting contract offer".[42]
Rivaldo signed a two-year contract worth €10.2 million and later signed an extension to extend the contract to 2011.[43] On his debut for Bunyodkor, Rivaldo scored both goals in a 2–0 win.[44] In 2009, Rivaldo became the first player in the world to score one, then two, then three, then four goals in four consecutive matches. He scored one goal in the first match and two goals in the second match against Navbahor. In the third match on 25 June 2009, Rivaldo scored a hat trick in a 4–0 win against Metallurg.[45] In the fourth match, Bunyodkor beat Sogdiana Jizzakh 5–0 and Rivaldo scored four in 17 minutes. After the end of the 2009 season, Rivaldo wonUFF Topscorer award, having scored 20 league goals, and was runner up for UFF Player of the Year award. He scored 33 goals for the club in total. Rivaldo announced on 11 August 2010 on Twitter that he had cancelled his contract with Bunyodkor.[46]
On 18 November 2010, he announced he would be returning toMogi Mirim, the club that he had started his career in the early 1990s, through his Social Networking site, saying: "After sorting out a lot of things outside of the country, I have decided to play the Paulista 2011 for Mogi Mirim, of whom I am President." However, he joinedSão Paulo in January 2011.[18]
On 23 January 2011, Rivaldo joined São Paulo. He scored on his debut for them in theFirst Division againstLinense with a wonderful goal. The ball was sent over from the left hand side of the pitch, before Rivaldo controlled the ball and took it over a defender using his left knee, and finished at the near post. He spent most part of March 2011 tending injury, but came back for following fixtures such as a 1–1 draw with Palmeiras and a 2–1 win over Corinthians.
Rivaldo stated on his Twitter account that he would leave São Paulo by the end of the season: "I just want to inform everybody that on Saturday, it's going to be my last training session at São Paulo. I've been told by the club's official that this is going to be my last season here." He added: "I'm not saying goodbye to football yet. I still have a lot to accomplish. I just wish I could hang up my boots at the end of 2012."[47]
Rivaldo joined Angolan clubKabuscorp in January 2012.[18] On 18 March, Rivaldo scored a hat-trick against Recreativo Caala. Rivaldo left Kabuscorp in November 2012 after the expiration of his contract.[48]
In January 2013, Rivaldo joinedSão Caetano of Brazil'sSerie B, signing a deal that ran to December.[49] He scored his first goal for his new club in his debut againstCorinthians on 9 February. During the following match againstBragantino Rivaldo once again scored, although his team lost 2–1. In November 2013, he left the club due to knee problems.[50]
In December 2013, Rivaldo joinedMogi Mirim, signing a deal that ran until 2015. His sonRivaldinho played for the club.[51] Rivaldo had only made one league appearance for the club when he retired in July 2015.[52]
In March 2014, the Brazilian icon officially retired from football after a career which spanned more than 20 years, and he decided to remain as the president of Mogi Mirim to help run the club and to look after his son,Rivaldinho.[53] In a released statement, Rivaldo commented: "My history as a player has come to the end. With tears in my eyes today I would like to thank God, my family and all the support, the affection that I received during those 24 years as a player."[53] However, he returned to the team in June 2015. On 14 July 2015, Rivaldo andRivaldinho scored goals in the same match for the first time as Mogi Mirim beatMacaé 3–1.[54]
On 18 January 2019,SCC Mohammédia announced Rivaldo as their new technical director and coach for the following season.[55] The player denied that a deal was made, as he signed a pre-contract in which the club must achieve promotion fromNational (third tier in the Moroccan league).[56]
Rivaldo returned to the Brazil national team for the1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored three goals en route to the final, including two in the 3–2 quarter-final win againstDenmark.[58] Brazil were defeated 3–0 by hostsFrance in final, failing to defend their 1994 title. Rivaldo had not been a part of the victorious Brazilian team at the1997 Copa América tournament, but was part of the successful defence of that title at the1999 Copa América. Rivaldo finished the tournament as the top scorer, with five goals; one being an equaliser from a free-kick in a 2–1 win overArgentina in the quarter-finals, and two in the 3–0 victory overUruguay in the final. He was named theMost Valuable Player of the tournament.[59]
Rivaldo had been the centre of criticism when Brazil did not win tournaments, ever since the 1996 Olympics.[60] In the 1–0 win againstColombia in November 2000, Rivaldo was booed so heavily that he threatened to retire from playing for his country.[61]
It was a great joy and honour to play alongsideRonaldo andRonaldinho in the2002 World Cup. Our teamwork was great and it showed through the results.
The zenith and nadir of Rivaldo's national team career came at the2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted inSouth Korea and Japan, where he was able to erase the disappointment of the previous World Cup Final defeat, helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup. Featuring in an attacking trio withRonaldo andRonaldinho, dubbed "the three R's", Rivaldo scored in the first five games while Ronaldo scored in four matches.[63][64] Despite a successful tournament, Rivaldo was involved in a controversial incident againstTurkey.[65] Near the end of the match, with the ball out of play, Turkish defenderHakan Ünsal kicked a ball towards Rivaldo, who was waiting at the corner flag. The ball struck his thigh, but Rivaldo fell to the ground clutching his face.[66] The referee sent the Turkish player off with a second yellow card. After a video review, Rivaldo was fined 11,670Swiss francs by FIFA.[53]
On the eve of the final, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho warmed up in the Yokohama Stadium by merrily trying to out-wizard each other in the Japanese drizzle.
— Amy Lawrence ofThe Guardian on the bond of the "three Rs".[64]
Rivaldo's goal againstBelgium in the second round prompted Belgian coachRobert Waseige to name him as the deciding factor.[67] Ronaldinho assisted Rivaldo to score the equaliser againstEngland in the quarter-finals before Ronaldinho scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory.[68] Brazil metGermany in the final, and went on to win the tournament with a 2–0 victory, courtesy of two goals by Ronaldo with Rivaldo involved in both goals.[69] The first came after Rivaldo's shot was saved by German goalkeeperOliver Kahn with Ronaldo scoring the rebound, and the second saw Rivaldo fool the German defence with adummy as the ball ran on to Ronaldo who finished.[69] Rivaldo was named by Brazil coachLuiz Felipe Scolari as the best player of the tournament.[70] Rivaldo along with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were named in theFIFA World Cup All-Star Team.[71]
Rivaldo's last cap was on 19 November 2003 inCuritiba in a 3–3 draw withUruguay. He played 79 minutes before being substituted forLuís Fabiano. He had scored his last goal just three days earlier from the penalty spot in a 1–1 draw withPeru. In his time with the national side, Rivaldo won 74 caps, and scored 35 goals.[72]
Regarded as one of the best players of his generation,[5][6][73] Rivaldo was a skillful and creative player known for hisdribbling ability, use offeints, balance, and close ball control.[5][6][73][74] Despite his height, he was also extremely agile.[5][75] A dead-ball specialist, Rivaldo was renowned for hisbendingfree kicks andpenalty taking, as well as his ability to score from distance with powerful strikes.[5][74] Left footed and possessing excellent technique, he was also known for his ball striking from volleys, and for having a penchant for scoring frombicycle kicks.[5][6]
Apart from a right foot, Rivaldo had everything. His wiry strength allowed him to bounce off defenders, he was an outstanding dribbler, and he had a left foot that was both educated and thuggish, subtle and a sledgehammer. Brazil's bandy-legged genius was the most unstoppable footballer sinceMaradona.
— Rob Smyth writing forThe Guardian on Rivaldo's style of play in 2008.[5]
Although he was not a true striker, Rivaldo was a prolific goalscorer, capable of playing in several creative and offensive positions: during the prime of his career, a period where he won theBallon d'Or and was namedFIFA World Player of the Year, he was often deployed in aplaymakingattacking midfield role as aclassic number 10, due to his vision and passing ability, which made him an excellentassist provider.[5] He could also function as asecond striker, or as aleft winger, a position which he often occupied earlier in his career, due to his acceleration andcrossing ability.[74][76][77] Although predominantly left footed, he was capable of playing on either wing.[5][6][76]
In 2002, John Carlin ofThe Guardian noted that Rivaldo "combines to dazzling effect the two essential qualities of the ideal footballer: artistry and efficiency."[28] His colleague, Rob Smyth, echoed his views in 2008, commenting: "if you could marry British will with continental skill, you would have the perfect footballer. Such a mixed recipe was thrillingly in evidence in Diego Maradona. Since then, however, perhaps only Rivaldo has fused the two qualities," noting that like the Argentinian, the Brazilian had "bronca" (the word used repeatedly in Maradona's autobiography to refer to "anger, fury, hatred, resentment, bitter discontent).[5] Former Dutch internationalRuud Gullit believed that Rivaldo's ability and qualities were often overlooked, as "he played in the same era as Brazilian counterparts Ronaldo and Ronaldinho."[75]
^abcdefghijklm"On Second Thoughts: Rivaldo".The Guardian. 19 June 2008.Best of all there was the greatest hat-trick of all time, against Valencia on 17 June 2001, a midsummer night's dream of a performance that deserves a book
^"里瓦尔多：我认为中超和中甲差距不大，我儿子有能力踢中超" [Rivaldo: I think there is not much difference between the Chinese Super League and the China League One. My son is capable of playing in the top division].Dongqiudi. 8 May 2025.
