Rivaldo

Rivaldo

Rivaldo with Bunyodkor in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira
Date of birth	(1972-04-19) 19 April 1972 (age 52)
Place of birth	Recife, Brazil
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s)	Forward, attacking midfielder
Youth career
1989–1990	Paulistano
1991–1992	Santa Cruz
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1991–1992	Santa Cruz	9	(1)
1992–1994	Mogi Mirim	0	(0)
1993–1994	→ Corinthians (loan)	8	(2)
1994–1996	Palmeiras	30	(14)
1996–1997	Deportivo La Coruña	41	(21)
1997–2002	Barcelona	157	(86)
2002–2003	Milan	22	(5)
2004	Cruzeiro	11	(2)
2004–2007	Olympiacos	70	(36)
2007–2008	AEK Athens	35	(12)
2008–2011	Bunyodkor	53	(33)
2011	→ São Paulo (loan)	30	(5)
2012	Kabuscorp	21	(11)
2013	São Caetano	7	(0)
2014–2015	Mogi Mirim	8	(1)
Total		481	(227)
International career
1992–1993	Brazil U20[2]	9	(1)
1996	Brazil Olympic (O.P.)[3]	7	(1)
1993–2003	Brazil	74	(35)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 2002 Korea-Japan Runner-up 1998 France FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 1997 Saudi Arabia Copa América Winner 1999 Paraguay Olympic Games 1996 Atlanta Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʁiˈvawdu ˈvitoʁ ˈbɔʁbɐ feˈʁe(j)ɾɐ]; born 19 April 1972),^[4] known simply as Rivaldo, is a Brazilian former footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder but also as a second striker, and on occasion deployed as a wide midfielder or as a winger.^[5][6] Rivaldo is regarded as one of the greatest, most skillful, and most creative players of all time. He was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints, powerful ball striking from distance, and ability to both score and create goals.^[5][6] In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year.^[7] In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.^[8] With success at club and international level, he is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or.

Rivaldo started his career in 1991 with Brazilian club Santa Cruz, going on to have spells at Mogi Mirim, a loan spell at Corinthians, and Palmeiras. In 1996, he moved to Europe with Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruña, where his performances in his only season there led him to sign for Barcelona in 1997. At Barcelona, he formed a successful partnership with Dutch international Patrick Kluivert, and won consecutive La Liga titles in 1998 and 1999, as well as the 1998 Copa del Rey. Rivaldo notably scored a hattrick against Valencia in June 2001 which qualified Barcelona for the 2001-02 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's highest goalscorers of all time.

In 2002, Rivaldo signed for Italian club A.C. Milan, winning the Coppa Italia and the UEFA 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 for Cruzeiro, Olympiacos, AEK Athens, Bunyodkor, a loan spell at São Paulo, Kabuscorp and São 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.

From 1993 to 2003, Rivaldo played 74 matches and scored 35 goals for Brazil and is the seventh highest goalscorer for the country.^[9] He helped Brazil reach the final of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and won the 1999 Copa América where he was named player of the tournament. Rivaldo starred in an attacking trio with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho in the 2002 FIFA World Cup winning team. Scoring in five of Brazil's seven games at the tournament, Rivaldo was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in 2002 having also previously been selected in 1998. He is an inductee to the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame.