Bebeto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bebeto
Bebeto in 2010
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2011
Personal details
Born	José Roberto Gama de Oliveira (1964-02-16) 16 February 1964 (age 61) Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Political party	PODE (2017–present)
Other political affiliations	PDT (2009–13; 2016–17) SD (2013–16)
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Spouse	Denise de Oliveira ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	3, including Mattheus
Profession	Former football player and coach
Bebeto Personal information Playing position Forward Youth career 1981 Bahia 1981–1982 Vitória Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1982 Vitória (7) 1983–1989 Flamengo 80 (34) 1989–1992 Vasco da Gama 53 (28) 1992–1996 Deportivo La Coruña 131 (86) 1996 Flamengo 15 (7) 1996–1997 Sevilla 5 (0) 1997 Vitória 8 (8) 1997 Cruzeiro 0 (0) 1998–1999 Botafogo 17 (9) 1999 Toros Neza 8 (2) 2000 Kashima Antlers 8 (1) 2000 Vitória 3 (0) 2001 Vasco da Gama 8 (2) 2002 Al-Ittihad 5 (1) Total 341 (178) National team 1996 Brazil Olympic (O.P.) 6 (6) 1985–1998 Brazil 75 (39) Teams managed 2009–2010 America (RJ) Honours Men's Football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 1994 United States Runner-up 1998 France FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 1997 Saudi Arabia Copa América Winner 1989 Brazil Olympic Games Silver 1988 Seoul Team Bronze 1996 Atlanta Team FIFA U–20 World Cup Winner 1983 Mexico South American U-20 Championship Winner 1983 Bolivia Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

José Roberto Gama de Oliveira (born February 16, 1964), known as Bebeto, is a famous Brazilian former professional football player. He played as a forward, which means he was a goal scorer. After his amazing football career, he became involved in politics. In 2010, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro.

Bebeto is one of Brazil's top goal scorers, with 39 goals in 75 games for his country. He was the top scorer for Brazil when they won the 1989 Copa América tournament. He also helped Brazil win their fourth FIFA World Cup title in 1994. There, he played alongside another great player, Romário. Many people think Bebeto is one of the best players of his time.

He also helped Brazil win the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup. Bebeto won Olympic silver and bronze medals with Brazil in 1988 and 1996. In 1989, he was named the best football player in South America. Bebeto was also chosen as an ambassador for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Bebeto's Early Football Days

Bebeto in 2009

Bebeto was born in Salvador, Brazil. He started his football journey in 1983 with a team called Vitória.

Playing for Clubs Around the World

Bebeto played for many different football clubs during his career. In Brazil, he played for famous teams like Flamengo, Vasco da Gama, Cruzeiro, and Botafogo.

He also played in other countries. He played for Deportivo La Coruña and Sevilla in Spain. He also played in Mexico for Toros Neza, in Japan for Kashima Antlers, and in Saudi Arabia for Al Ittihad. He finally retired from playing in 2002.

Time at Deportivo La Coruña

Bebeto spent four years playing in Spain for Deportivo La Coruña. He scored an amazing 86 goals in 131 games for them. In his first season, 1992–93, Bebeto was the top scorer in the Spanish league, called La Liga, with 29 goals.

In the 1993–94 season, Deportivo had a chance to win their first-ever La Liga title. They needed to beat Valencia in the very last match. Near the end of the game, Deportivo got a penalty kick. Bebeto was usually the one to take penalties, but he chose not to this time. Another player, Miroslav Đukić, took the shot but missed. The game ended 0–0, and Barcelona won the title instead.

Later Club Career

In 1996, Bebeto went back to play for his old club Flamengo in Brazil. After only 15 games, he returned to Spain to play for Sevilla, but he didn't score any goals there. In 1997, Bebeto joined Cruzeiro for just one match. This was the 1997 Intercontinental Cup final against Borussia Dortmund, which his team lost 2–0.

Bebeto started scoring goals again when he played for Vitória in late 1997 and Botafogo in early 1998. His good performance helped him get picked for Brazil's team in the 1998 World Cup. In 2001, a Scottish team, St Mirren, decided not to sign him because they were worried about how fit he was. He joined his last club, Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, in 2002 when he was 38 years old.

Playing for Brazil

Bebeto played for the Brazilian national team from 1985 and scored 39 goals in 75 games. He played in three World Cups: 1990, 1994, and 1998. In the 1994 World Cup, he was one of the best players. He scored three goals and helped set up two others for Brazil, who won the championship. Four years later, in 1998, Brazil finished second, and Bebeto again played a key role.

The Famous Partnership with Romário

During the 1994 World Cup, Bebeto and Romário formed a very strong team together, even though they had some personal differences. They were big rivals in the Spanish League, often competing to be the top scorer. Romário even gave Bebeto the nickname "Chorao," which means "Crybaby," because Bebeto would sometimes complain to referees. Before the World Cup, Romário even said he wouldn't sit next to Bebeto on the flight!

However, today, Bebeto and Romário are friends. Bebeto has said that they talk often. In 2018, Bebeto praised their partnership, saying: "Brazil has never lost a game when Bebeto and Romário played together! Not a single game! Also, every time we played together, at least one of us scored."

The "Baby Rocking" Celebration

Bebeto became very famous for his goal celebration at the 1994 World Cup. His wife had given birth to their third child just two days before a quarter-final match against the Netherlands. After scoring a goal, Bebeto ran to the side of the field. He put his arms together and started rocking them back and forth, pretending to rock a baby. His teammates, Romário and Mazinho, quickly joined in. That child, a boy named Mattheus, later grew up to become a professional football player himself.

Bebeto also won a silver medal for Brazil at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He was later chosen to play in the 1996 Summer Olympics as an older player. In the bronze medal match against Portugal, he scored three goals, which is called a hat-trick.

How Bebeto Played Football

Bebeto is known as one of Brazil's greatest strikers. He was very good at scoring goals and finishing plays. Even though he wasn't very tall or strong, he was fast and always looked for chances to score. He was smart about how he moved on the field to get away from defenders.

Bebeto also had great technical skills and could control the ball very well. He had good vision and could help other strikers by giving them assists. Because of these skills, he sometimes played as a playmaking attacking midfielder or a supporting striker earlier in his career. Later, he became a main striker or centre-forward, which is where he really shined.

Coaching Career

On December 16, 2009, Bebeto became the head coach for the América Football Club. After a few games, he was let go on February 13, 2010. His record as coach was three wins, one draw, and four losses.

Bebeto's Family Life

Bebeto is married to Denise Oliveira. She used to play volleyball for Flamengo. They have two sons and one daughter. One of their sons, Mattheus, is also a professional football player.

Honours and Awards

Bebeto won many awards and championships during his career.

Flamengo

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1983, 1987
• Campeonato Carioca: 1986
• Taça Guanabara: 1984, 1988, 1989

Vasco da Gama

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1989
• Taça Guanabara: 1990

Deportivo La Coruña

• Copa del Rey: 1994–95
• Supercopa de España: 1995

Botafogo

• Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1998

Kashima Antlers

• J League: 2000
• Emperor's Cup: 2000
• J.League Cup: 2000

Brazil U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1983

Brazil U23

• Pan American Games: 1987
• Olympic Games Silver medal: 1988; Bronze medal: 1996

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1994
• Copa América: 1989
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 1997

Individual Awards

• Campeonato Carioca top scorer: 1988, 1989
• Copa América top scorer: 1989
• South American Footballer of the Year: 1989
• South American Team of the Year: 1989
• Bola de Prata: 1992
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top scorer: 1992
• Pichichi Trophy: 1992–93 (top scorer in La Liga)
• La Liga Team of The Year: 1993
• Olympic Games top scorer: 1996
• Torneio Rio-São Paulo top scorer: 1999
• World Soccer: One of the 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
• Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame

Images for kids

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  Bebeto in 2009