_(cropped).jpg) Zé Roberto withPalmeiras in 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Roberto da Silva Júnior[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1974-07-06)6 July 1974 (age 50) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left wing-back,midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Palestra de São Bernardo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Portuguesa | 61 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Real Madrid | 15 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Flamengo | 24 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | Bayer Leverkusen | 113 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | Bayern Munich | 110 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Nacional | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | →Santos (loan) | 13 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | →Bayern Munich (loan) | 59 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Hamburger SV | 54 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Al-Gharafa | 14 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Grêmio | 82 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Palmeiras | 68 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 648 | (51) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2006 | Brazil | 84 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
José Roberto da Silva Júnior (born 6 July 1974), commonly known asZé Roberto, is a Brazilian former professionalfootballer who played as aleft wing-back or as amidfielder. He is most well-known for his time with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, as well asPortuguesa,Grêmio andPalmeiras in the Brazilian league.
He made his debut forPortuguesa where he played for two seasons before joining Real Madrid in January 1997. He left Real Madrid later that year to get more playing time and increase his chances of selection for the1998 FIFA World Cup. He joined Flamengo before returning to Europe in the summer of 1998, signing for Bayer Leverkusen.
At Bayer Leverkusen, Zé Roberto challenged Bayern Munich for theBundesliga title, as Leverkusen finished runner-ups on three occasions. Leverkusen also made it to the2002 UEFA Champions League final which they lost to Real Madrid. In 2002, Zé Roberto joined Bayern Munich where he won four Bundesliga titles over six seasons. He also played for Santos, Hamburger SV, Al-Gharafa, Grêmio and Palmeiras. Over the course of his career, he played 961 club games and took the field 84 times for Brazil.[3]
Currently, he is a technical advisor toPalmeiras, acting directly with the players and the coaching staff.[4]
Zé Roberto started in the youth ranks ofPalestra de São Bernardo but it was while playing forPortuguesa, as a left-back, that he became known throughout Brazil after finishing as runner-up in1996 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
He then joinedReal Madrid in January 1997 for a brief spell, where he helped them win the1996–97Spanish league championship.[5] He was also part of the Madrid's1997–98 UEFA Champions League winning squad,[6] scoring his only goal for the club in the opening group match againstRosenborg BK,[7] before moving back to Brazil to play forFlamengo midway through the season. In an interview in 2012, Zé Roberto spoke of his decision to leave Madrid because of his ambition to play for Brazil at the1998 FIFA World Cup in France and had limited opportunities to prove his talents in Spain.[8]
The first half of 1998 Zé played for Flamengo under managerPaulo Autuori alongsideRomário,Palinha,Juan (who would later play for Leverkusen andAS Roma), and his former Portuguesa teammateRodrigo Fabri for theRio de Janeiro State Championship, finishing disappointingly as runners-up. After this he was signed by GermanBundesliga clubBayer 04 Leverkusen.[9]
He joinedBayer Leverkusen in the summer of 1998.[10] It was at Leverkusen that he really made a name for himself, quickly becoming a popular figure at the club. During his four-year stay, Bayer enjoyed their most successful period at the time, finishing as runners-up in the GermanBundesliga on three occasions.
On 4 December 2001, he opened the scoring with a curling free kick againstDeportivo de La Coruña in the 64th minute, as Bayer comprehensively beat the Spanish side 3–0 in the second group stage of the Champions League.[11] Following Bayer's victory overLiverpool in the quarter-finals of theChampions League on 9 April 2002,[12] Zé Roberto announced that he would be joining former teammateMichael Ballack at Bayern Munich.[13] Despite the transfer distractions, Zé Roberto helped Bayer reach thefinal of the Champions League on 15 May 2002, losing 2–1 to former club Real Madrid in Glasgow.[14] In four years at the club, Zé Roberto appeared in 113 league matches scoring 16 goals.
In May 2002, Zé Roberto joinedBayern Munich for a reported fee of €12 million, signing a three-year deal, linking up with emerging German talentSebastian Deisler and former Leverkusen teammateMichael Ballack.[15][16] With Bayern, he claimed the domestic league and cup double three times between 2002 and 2006. He found his starting spot threatened under new coachFelix Magath and left the club in 2006. Following the announcement that he would not return to Bayern Munich, he publicly criticized the club's style of play and predicted struggles if changes were not made.
Being a free agent, Zé Roberto signed through his agentJuan Figer a three-year contract withClub Nacional de Football in Montevideo, a club he would never play for.[17] In August 2006, it was announced that Zé Roberto would joinSantos FC in Brazil for one year.[18] He helped the team win the 2007Campeonato Paulista,[19] his first title in a Brazilian competition. He scored seven goals in the2007 Copa Libertadores, where Santos reached the semi-finals.During his time with Santos, Zé Roberto appeared in 48 official matches and scored 12 goals, playing for the first time in his career as anattacking midfielder.
In June 2007, it was announced that Zé Roberto would return to Bayern Munich, which paid one million euro to Nacional for a two-year loan.[17][20] He stated, "It was as if I’d never been away", en route to winning a fourth domestic double with theBavarians. The revitalised Zé Roberto demonstrated all his newly acquired skills by scoring five goals and forming a rock-solid partnership withMark van Bommel in his new role in central defensive midfield.[21]
Zé Roberto made a successful start to the 2008–09 season, scoring four goals in his first 11 starts. He would conclude his second spell at the club appearing in 59 league matches and scoring nine goals.
Zé Roberto left the club at the end of the 2009 season after Bayern executives refused to offer him a new two-year deal.[22]
Zé Roberto's contract with Bayern ran until 30 June 2009. The club offered him a contract until 2010, though he declined.[23] Bundesliga sideHamburger SV officially announced his signing to a two-year contract on 2 July 2009.[24][25]Der Spiegel reported that Hamburg actually paid €4 million sign-on fees to Zé Roberto's agentJuan Figer, which Bayern also paid €1 million in 2007.[26][17]
In May 2011, Zé Roberto confirmed that he would not renew his contract with the German team as he wanted a longer contract than the new one offered by the club.[27]
On 10 July 2011, Zé Roberto signed a two-year contract with theQatari clubAl-Gharafa.[28]
After a season with Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa, Zé Roberto returned to Brazil in May to joinGrêmio FBPA inPuerto Alegre, helping them finish third in theCampeonato Brasileiro Série A. On 10 December 2012, he expressed his desire to retire at Grêmio after extending his contract by a further year.[29]
On 9 December 2014, Zé Roberto left Grêmio as the club decided not to renew his contract.[30]
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On 22 December 2014, Zé Roberto joinedPalmeiras on a one-year contract, valid until 31 December 2015.[31] He was immediately appointed team captain, helping them win the2015 Copa do Brasil with four goals scored in the competition and a successful penalty in the final. In theCampeonato Brasileiro Série A, Palmeiras finished in the 9th position. He signed a one-year extension to his contract on 19 October 2015, valid until 31 December 2016.[32] On 28 November 2016, he won hisfirst national championship in Brazil.[33] He declared after the final match againstChapecoense that he would not retire at the end of the season.[33] Eventually, on 9 December, he signed a new contract with Palmeiras, keeping him at the club until the end of 2017.[34] On 24 November, he announced that the Palmeiras match againstBotafogo two days later would be the last of his career and that he would retire.[35]
Zé Roberto was part of theBrazil squads at the1998[36] and2006 World Cups.[37] In 1998, he helped the Seleção to the final, making one appearance,[38] but was an unused substitute as Brazil lost to hostsFrance 3–0.[39][40] He was left out of the 2002 World Cup winning squad due to a calf injury.[41] In the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany Zé Roberto scored Brazil's third and final goal in a man of the match performance in Brazil's second round match againstGhana.[42] He was the only Brazil player to feature in the all star team of the tournament.[43]
Zé Roberto helped Brazil to wins at the1997 and1999 editions of the Copa América, scoring Brazil's third goal in their 3–1 defeat ofBolivia in the final on 26 June 1997.[44]
He also represented Brazil at the1997 and2005 FIFA Confederations Cups in Saudi Arabia and Germany respectively, winning both. He played the full ninety minutes of thefinal in 2005, as Brazil overpowered arch rivalsArgentina 4–1 on 29 June 2005.[45]
Capable of playing both as a left-sideddefender and in severalmidfield positions, Zé Roberto was a quick, hard-working and versatile left-footed player who in his prime was known for his technique, vision and efficient style of play as well as hisdribbling, passing,crossing and tackling ability.[38][46] He started his career as an attackingfull-back orwing-back on the left flank, occasionally functioning in abox-to-box role in midfield; he was later deployed as aleft-winger and subsequently in a more creative role as anattacking midfielder, although he struggled to find space in the national side in this position due to the presence of several other world-class playmakers in the squad.[38] During his time at Bayern Munich, Zé Roberto excelled alongside van Bommel as adefensive midfielder due to his ability to read the game, break down opposing plays and subsequently start counter-attacks; his adeptness at this new holding role led him to be called up to the Brazil national team once again, where he also formed an effective and consistent defensive midfield partnership withEmerson.[38]
In 2022,Betsson, the leading international sportsbook and casino operator, announced Zé Roberto as a global ambassador on a three-year deal across all brands in its portfolio describing him as the best strategic partner to represent its brand in Brazil.[47]
As of July 2024, Roberto had over 2.8 million followers on Instagram and has become a major fitness influencer in Brazil.[48]
Zé Roberto is married to Luciana, with whom he has three children.[49]
He is aChristian, stating, "Aside from the fame, the money, from not being able to have anything and today being able to have everything, I find that the difference is to have God in my heart, by accepting Jesus. The money will finish, fame will be forgotten, but God is special. Today I have God and tomorrow I will live with God in a much better place, that is, Heaven."[50]
He defended Brazil managerTite's decision to call upDani Alves to play in the2022 FIFA World Cup.[51]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Portuguesa | 1994 | Série A | ||||||||||
| 1995 | Série A | |||||||||||
| 1996 | Série A | |||||||||||
| Total | 61 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Real Madrid | 1996–97 | La Liga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 1997–98 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[b] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 1998–99 | Bundesliga | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 38 | 4 |
| 1999–2000 | Bundesliga | 27 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 7 | |
| 2000–01 | Bundesliga | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7[e] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| 2001–02 | Bundesliga | 30 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 15[b] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 5 | |
| Total | 113 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 150 | 18 | ||
| Bayern Munich | 2002–03 | Bundesliga | 31 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| 2003–04 | Bundesliga | 30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| 2004–05 | Bundesliga | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8[b] | 1 | 2[c] | 1 | 36 | 3 | |
| 2005–06 | Bundesliga | 27 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| Total | 110 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 157 | 8 | ||
| Santos (loan) | 2006 | Série A | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | – | 13 | 2 | |
| 2007 | Série A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14[g] | 7 | – | 15 | 7 | ||
| Total | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 7 | – | 28 | 9 | |||
| Bayern Munich (loan) | 2007–08 | Bundesliga | 30 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 10[h] | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 49 | 5 |
| 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 29 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9[b] | 2 | – | 42 | 7 | ||
| Total | 59 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 91 | 12 | ||
| Hamburger SV | 2009–10 | Bundesliga | 23 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 14[i] | 1 | – | 39 | 7 | |
| 2010–11 | Bundesliga | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total | 54 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 | – | 72 | 8 | |||
| Al-Gharafa | 2011–12 | Qatar Stars League | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 1 | ||
| Grêmio | 2012 | Série A | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4[f] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 |
| 2013 | Série A | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9[g] | 3 | 9[j] | 4 | 41 | 10 | |
| 2014 | Série A | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[g] | 0 | 7[j] | 1 | 44 | 1 | |
| Total | 82 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 118 | 15 | ||
| Palmeiras | 2015 | Série A | 26 | 2 | 9 | 4 | — | 14[k] | 1 | 49 | 7 | |
| 2016 | Série A | 27 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5[g] | 0 | 9[k] | 0 | 45 | 2 | |
| 2017 | Série A | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5[g] | 1 | 11[k] | 0 | 34 | 1 | |
| Total | 68 | 3 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 128 | 10 | ||
| Career total | 528 | 50 | 53 | 7 | 141 | 18 | 57 | 7 | 840 | 83 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 1995 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 11 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 15 | 3 | |
| 2000 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 1 | |
| Total | 84 | 6 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 June 1997 | Estadio Hernando Siles,La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1997 Copa América |
| 2 | 24 July 1999 | Estadio Jalisco,Guadalajara, Mexico |  Germany | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 3 | 1 August 1999 | Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico |  Saudi Arabia | 3–2 | 8–2 | 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 4 | 4 August 1999 | Estadio Azteca,Mexico City, Mexico |  Mexico | 3–4 | 3–4 | 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 5 | 5 June 2005 | Estádio Beira-Rio,Porto Alegre, Brazil |  Paraguay | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 27 June 2006 | Westfalenstadion,Dortmund, Germany |  Ghana | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
Real Madrid[52]
Bayern Munich[52]
Santos[52]
Palmeiras[52]
Brazil[52]
Individual
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
