10 Things Romário Wants You To Forget

At his best, Romário was one of the finest football players to ever lace up a pair of boots. The Brazilian was the driving force behind his country€™s first World Cup win in twenty-four years, an integral part of Johann Cruyff€™s famous Barcelona €˜Dream Team€™, and a goal-scorer without equal. His feats on the pitch should have been enough to ensure his place in the history book as a bona fide legend. Though famed for his mercurial talent, the man known as Baixinho (€˜Shorty€™) became equally notorious for his flamboyant and often unpredictable off-field behaviour. The stigma followed Romário throughout his lengthy career, from the early days as Brazil€™s latest €˜new Pele€™ to his twilight years spent continent-hopping in search of a hefty paycheque. Romário€™s time in football was as ignominious as it was ingenious, but since his retirement he has set about reinventing himself as a serious politician. Though the ex-player has largely succeeded in his transformation, even being elected to the Brazilian senate in 2014, there still remain a number of skeletons in his closet he would rather his political opponents forget.

10. He Was Sent Home From His First Major International Tournament

For most young players, youth tournaments are a way for burgeoning prodigies to make a name for themselves, and it was no different for the juvenile Romário. However, instead of playing well and scoring goals, he made his mark off the pitch - quite literally. Wasting no time in establishing his bad boy credentials, 'Baixinho' was unceremoniously dropped from the seleção before the 1985 World Youth Championship even began. No shrinking violet, the nineteen year old was allegedly caught running through the team hotel naked, after which he was heard catcalling from his balcony in the direction of women passing by the trendy Copacobana hotel. He topped his antics off by urinating from his lofty perch. Nobody was going to forget the name Romário any time soon. Coach Gilson Nunes' decision to send home his most talented forward could have backfired spectacularly, but luckily the emergent Samba stars went on to win the tournament without him. The victory justified Nunes€™ bold move, though few would agree with his sentiments that the punishment changed Romário for the better. It was just the start of the irreverent striker€™s bad-boy streak.