Raí facts for kids
Raí in 2009
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Raimundo Souza Vieira de Oliveira | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 May 1965 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ribeirão Preto, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1985 | Botafogo-SP | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1987 | Botafogo-SP | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | → Ponte Preta (loan) | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1993 | São Paulo | 110 | (25) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1998 | Paris Saint-Germain | 147 | (51) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | São Paulo | 19 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 284 | (77) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1998 | Brazil | 49 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | São Paulo (director of football) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Raimundo Souza Vieira de Oliveira (born on May 15, 1965), known as Raí, is a famous Brazilian former football player. He played as an attacking midfielder, which is a player who helps both defend and score goals. Raí is the younger brother of another famous footballer, Sócrates.
Raí played for the Brazilian national team for over ten years. He was a key part of the team that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup! He spent most of his 15-year career playing for two big clubs: São Paulo in Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain in France. With these teams, he won 10 major titles and scored almost 100 goals. Many fans, journalists, and players see Raí as a legend at Paris Saint-Germain, even though he played there for a relatively short time.
Contents
Raí's Club Career
Starting Out in Football
Raí was born in Ribeirão Preto, a city in São Paulo, Brazil. He began his football journey with a local team called Botafogo. In 1986, he moved to Ponte Preta. There, he made his first appearance in Brazil's top league, the Série A.
Success with São Paulo FC
In 1987, Raí joined São Paulo FC. He had a slow start due to an injury, scoring only one goal in his first year. However, when coach Telê Santana arrived, Raí became a fantastic goal scorer. In 1991, he scored 28 goals overall. That year, his team won both the regional Campeonato Paulista and the National Championship.
In 1992, Raí helped São Paulo win their very first Copa Libertadores title. This is a huge tournament for South American clubs. He scored the only goal in the second game of the final against Newell's Old Boys. This goal led to a penalty shootout, which São Paulo won. Later that year, Raí was amazing in the 1992 Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo. He scored both goals in a 2–1 win against FC Barcelona. Because of his great performance, Raí was named the South American Footballer of the Year for 1992.
São Paulo defended their Copa Libertadores title in 1993. Raí scored again in the final as they beat CD Universidad Católica 5–1.
Playing for Paris Saint-Germain
In June 1993, Raí moved to France to play for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (PSG). He stayed with São Paulo until the end of the year before joining PSG. He scored six goals in 28 games as his new club won the French national championship. This was only the second time PSG had won it!
Raí also helped PSG win the French Cup and the League Cup in the next season. He scored in the League Cup final against SC Bastia, which PSG won 2–0. He also helped PSG reach the semi-finals of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League.
Raí was very important when PSG won the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. He scored two goals in a 3–1 home win against Parma. He also played in the final against SK Rapid Wien. During his five years at PSG, he scored double-digit goals in three seasons. In 1997–98, he scored in both the Coupe de la Ligue final and the Coupe de France final. PSG won both games against Bordeaux and Lens.
Coming Back to São Paulo
When he was 33, Raí returned to play for São Paulo FC again. He officially retired from playing football in the year 2000.
Raí's International Career
Raí played his first game for the Brazilian national team in 1987. He played 49 games for his country in total. He was chosen for the 1987 Copa América tournament in Argentina. His first game was on May 19, 1987, in a 1–1 draw against England.
Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira picked Raí for the 1994 FIFA World Cup team. Raí was the team captain during the group stage. He scored a penalty goal in Brazil's first match, a 2–0 win against Russia. Later in the tournament, Dunga took over as captain. Raí came on as a substitute in some knockout games. Brazil went on to win the World Cup that year!
Life After Football
After he stopped playing football, Raí became involved in helping others. He has worked with two different organizations that do good deeds for the community.
In the early 2000s, Raí even appeared in a Brazilian TV show called Laços de Família. He played himself, an ex-footballer who meets one of the show's characters on a flight to New York.
Raí's Achievements
Here are some of the major titles and awards Raí won during his amazing career:
São Paulo
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1991
- Campeonato Paulista: 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000
- Copa Libertadores: 1992, 1993
- Intercontinental Cup: 1992
Paris Saint-Germain
- Division 1: 1993–94
- Coupe de France: 1994–95, 1997–98
- Coupe de la Ligue: 1994–95, 1997–98
- Trophée des Champions: 1995
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1995–96 (and runner-up in 1996–97)
Brazil National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 1994
- Copa América runner-up: 1991
Individual Awards
- Bola de Prata: 1989
- Intercontinental Cup Most Valuable Player: 1992
- South American Footballer of the Year: 1992
- South American Team of the Year: 1992
- IFFHS World's Best International Goal Scorer: 1992
- French Division 1 Foreign Player of the Year: 1995, 1997
- ESM Team of the Year: 1995–96
- Laureus Sport for Good Award: 2012
- Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur: 2013
- Honorary degree from the Paris Nanterre University: 2019
See also
In Spanish: Raí para niños
