Roberto Carlos
The most offensive-minded left-back in history
Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha (born 10 April 1973), often recognized as Roberto Carlos and sometimes RC3, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He has been described as the "most offensive-minded left-back in the history of the game", and one of the greatest full-backs in history. In 1997, he was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2002, was runner-up for the Ballon d'Or. He is primarily known for his long career at Real Madrid and constant presence on the Brazilian national team.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha
- Born
- 10 April 1973
- Birthplace
- Garça, São Paulo, Brazil
- Height
- 1.68 m / 5 ft 6 in
- Position
- Left-back
Lore & Background
Roberto Carlos started his career in Brazil as a forward but spent most of his career as a left-back. At club level, he joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan in 1996 to spend 11 highly successful seasons, playing 584 matches in all competitions and scoring 71 goals. At Real, he won four La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League three times. In April 2013, Marca named him in their "Best Foreign Eleven in Real Madrid's History".
He made his debut for the Brazil national team in 1992, played in three World Cups, helping the team reach the final in 1998 and win the 2002 tournament. With 125 caps, he has made the fourth-most appearances for his national team. He took up management and was named as the manager of Sivasspor in June 2013, resigned in December 2014, and from January to June 2015 was manager of Akhisarspor. He announced his retirement from playing at age 39 in 2012, but briefly came out of retirement in 2015 when he was appointed player/manager of Indian Super League club Delhi Dynamos.
Reader's Guide
Roberto Carlos is best known for his attacking prowess as a left-back, his powerful free kicks, and his long tenure at Real Madrid where he was part of the Galácticos era. His career highlights include winning four La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League titles with Madrid, and the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Brazil. He is remembered for iconic goals such as a bending 40-yard free kick against France in 1997 and a volley from near the sideline against Tenerife in 1998.
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