"God gave me a gift for kicking fouls. But training is very important too. One who intends learning how to kick fouls must train hardly." -Roberto Carlos

The admiration for his father was the big incentive, which encouraged Roberto Carlos to follow football trail. Seeking for a better future for the children, the parents moved to Cordeirópolis, also in State São Paulo. The State Public School Colonel José Levy was Roberto Carlos' education "cradle".

Verônica Mario Mascarin, his teacher, says: "Roberto Carlos was a good boy who kept good relationship with everyone, he has always been a leader". Marta Iria M. Bertanha, another teacher, states: "Roberto Carlos always said, my father is an athlete and I wish to be a hero like him".

Often he showed medals and trophies that his father conquered in football games. But at physical education it was he organizing the teams and leading the whole group. An excellent scholar, disciplined and getting good concepts.

"I am retired but I am proud of seeing him at football fields all around the world and my heart bits strong at this scene, success for you, my boy Roberto Carlos", says the teacher.

As all children of poor origins he started early at 12, working at a textile industry called Torsão Cardeiro thinking always about football. One day he told his father of his dream of becoming a great football player and also of the great obstacles as he had no time for training. His father, Mr. Oscar, even considering their difficult situation told him: "Let the job go and follow your dream". "This became the happiest day of Roberto Carlos' life", says the father touched and grateful for the lighted decision.


Where It Started
The stages where the great star has been built up, Sugar plant Engenho Velho Stadium, Araras, one of São Paulo's most beautiful.

"First comes God, then the family, the work and recreation which is football, my great passion". Those have been father Oscar's lessons. The uncultivated area behind his place was the field where Roberto started his first kicks.

In 1985, playing for his father's team Atlético Juventus, his first trophy, already distinguishing as a left striker. Playing for Flamenguinho in 1986, Coach João Carlos Campos, known as Pacheco, concluded that the correct place was as left defender and
there he placed Roberto Carlos. What a sensibility and large future vision!


The Career
Roberto Carlos began his career as a forward at Uniao Sao Joao at 16 and represented Brazil for the first time at 18 in the 1992 Olympic qualifying tournament. Endowed with a very powerful shot, he moved to Palmeiras. As a full-back he has won more plaudits for his attacking play than his defending yet he was unhappy for four months at Inter Milan where the club's English coach Roy Hodgson moved him up into midfield. Roberto Carlos, overlooked for the 1994 World Cup finals where Branco and Leonardo were preferred, likes his position. "I like to go up along the touchline but I also like defending. I'm learning to defend more," he says. Paris St Germain could have had him for about $3 million in 1995. Instead he went to Inter for some $7 million. After one season he moved on to Real, joining another of the Spanish club's Italian signings, coach Fabio Capello. Quick in turning defence into attack down the left, the Brazilian international is a fine corner taker and has a devastating shot at set pieces. A free kick specialist remembered for his spectacular goal against France in a summer international, Roberto Carlos says he works at his free-kicks every day and the only secret is concentration. "I always practise, every day. I prefer to kick with the outside of my foot. There's no secret, it's much more (a question of) concentration."

1988	Starts his career at the lower teams of União São João of Araras, participating up to 26 games.
1989	Promoted to the juvenile series of União São João, plays his first official championship organized by São Paulo's Football Federation (FPF). Plays 28 games and gets the vice-championship.
1990	Climbs up to junior series and gets also the FPF's vice-championship, after playing 35 games.
1991	Still as junior, starts playing in the main professional team. Participates in 41 games of São Paulo's Championship. During this same year gets the first call for Brazilian National Team and plays the Pre-Olympics in Paraguay.
1992	Becomes a professional, takes definitively the left defender position at União São João and is transferred to Palmeiras.
1993	Gets the first call for the main Brazilian National Team.
1995	Is transferred from Palmeiras to Internazionale.
1996	Is transferred from Internazionale to Real Madrid of Spain.
1998	Vice campeão no mundial na França.
2002	Campeão Mundial no Mundial Korea Japão.

Titles

1991	Juniors World Vice-Champion (Brazilian Team)
1991	Pre-Olympics Champion (Brazilian Team)
1993	São Paulo's Champion (Palmeiras)
1993	Champion of Rio-São Paulo tournament (Palmeiras)
1993	Brazilian Champion (Palmeiras)
1994	Twice São Paulo's Champion (Palmeiras)
1994	Twice Brazilian Champion (Palmeiras)
1995	São Paulo's Vice-Champion (Palmeiras)
1996	Spanish League Champion (Real Madrid)
1996	Umbro Cup Champion, tournament played in England (Brazilian National Team)
1996	Pre-Olympics Championship (Brazilian National Team)
1996	Vice-Champion Olympic Games Atlanta (Brazilian National Team)
1997	Spanish League Champion (Real Madrid - season 96-97)
1997	America's Cup Champion (Brazilian National Team)
1997	Nations Cup Champion in Saudi Arabia
1998	Europe's Champions Cup (Real Madrid)
1998	World Vice-champion in France (Brazilian National Team)
1998	Intercontinental Cup Champion (Real Madrid)
1999	Two times Champion of European's Champions Cup (Real Madrid)
2000	Champion of Spanish League (Real Madrid - season 00-01)
2001	Three times Champion of European's Champions Cup (Real Madrid)
2002	UEFA's Supercup Champion
2002	World Cup Champion, Japan - Korea (Brazilian National Team)
2002	Intercontinental Cup Champion (Real Madrid 2 x 0 Olimpia)
2003	Champion of Spanish League (Real Madrid - season 02-03)

THE Free Kick
Many fans will remember the free kick taken by Roberto Carlos against France in 1997. The ball was placed about 30 m from the goal and slightly to the right. Carlos hit the ball so far to the right that it initially cleared the wall of defenders by at least a metre and made a ball-boy, who stood metres from the goal, duck his head. Then, almost magically (although there's a scientific aspect to it), the ball curved to the left and entered the right-hand corner of the goal, which left Barthez helplessly standing - to the amazement of the players and media alike.


Roberto Carlos in TCM 2003




Characteristics
Music style: "Pagode" and Brazilian Country Music
Singer: Chitãozinho and Xororó, Zezé di Camargo and Luciano, Bruno and Marrone
Singer: Gloria Estefan
Idol: Mr. Oscar, his father
Coringa: His wife, Alexandra
Food: Rice, beans and pasta
Movie: Smoking
Color: Black
Joy: The children, Giovanna, Roberta and Junior
Sadness: His Uncle's death
Quality: Good humor
Fault: Hard-headed


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