By Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
Romario (left) poses with San Souci Lido's general manager Pierre Battaglia who kept for his team. - Paul Reid / Staff Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
FAST APPROACHING 37 years old, his days of playing for the Brazilian national team might have passed but former World Cup most valuable player (MVP) Romario de Souza Faria is still a valuable commodity.
Romario, as he is known to millions of football fans around the world, displayed some of his considerable skills during a friendly six-a-side game played between a Brazilian team including former Jamaica Football Federation technical director Clovis de Oliveira and a Super Clubs team at Grand Lido Braco on Tuesday.
Before a fair-sized crowd, Romario, who appeared to be favouring a leg injury, scored a quickfire hat-trick late in the game to take the visitors to a 3-2 come from behind win.
A penalty, a brilliant free kick into a reduced sized goal and a flick through the legs of the goalkeeper after a mazy run in tight quarters, gave the crowd what they came to see.
Speaking through de Oliveira, who acted as interpreter, Romario who was controversially left out of the Brazil team that won an unprecedented fifth World Cup in Asia this summer, said he did not want to concentrate on the national team right now.
After getting over this most recent injury, Romario said that he wants to concentrate on playing for his Brazilian Club team Fluminese and let things take care of themselves.
He also said that he intends to enjoy his first trip to the island with his pregnant wife but said despite the fact he was injured, decided to take part in the game.
Romario added that he "stretched himself to play for the Jamaicans" who turned out to see him and described the game as "fun."
The short, stocky player missed the 1998 World Cup in France through injuries he received while playing for his then Brazilian Club Flamengo and the decision was taken eight days before the start of the tournament to leave him out of the team.
Before making his big break in football, the little man was said to be too small and turned away by Vasco de Gama the club that discovered him in 1979. He has played for a number of top clubs including Vasco, PSV Eindhoven in Holland, Barcelona in Spain; Flamengo in Brazil after the 1994 World Cup.
