FOOTBALL: ROMARIO CLOSER TO 1,000 GOALS - EVEN WITHOUT SCORING

I am always a fond admirer of Romario. I always feel that he is not given enough chances to show his full capabilities both in club and country football. I always find it a great joy watching him dribble the ball with ease past so many defenders without even depending on speed to score goals.

Whenever he is in the penalty box, you will be assured he is the most calmest person on earth as he patiently find the opening to score. He is very dangerous when he is in the zone. That is truly a samba dance of a great Brazilian footballer. He is definitely up there among the footballers whom I respect in this generation. He is in my list of great fooball legends.

(article taken from thestar.com.my/sports on Monday, February 20, 2006)

SAO PAULO: Romario is getting all the help he can to reach his 1,000th career goal.

The veteran striker had five goals added to his list on Friday after a re-count made by Vasco's club officials. He now has a total of 960 goals.

Vasco said it researched Romario's career and discovered that five goals were not being counted. The club also said Romario lost a goal, which had been erroneously given to him.
Romario said his main objective is to reach the 1,000th goal by the end of this season, when he is expected to retire from professional football.

Several of Romario's goals this year came in friendlies against minnow clubs in matches set up by Vasco as part of a project called “Romario 1,000,'' aimed at helping the striker reach the milestone.

Nine of Romario's 14 goals this season came in six of those friendlies. The striker netted a total of 35 goals last season.

Last week, Romario refused to play in a friendly set up by Vasco when he saw that some of his opponents from a small German club were over 50 and visibly out of shape.
Romario, who turned 40 in January, played his 1,200th career match against Portuguesa yesterday in the Rio de Janeiro state championship. It was his 500th game with Vasco.

The striker, who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title in the United States, stunned everyone last year by winning the scoring title in the tough Brazilian league. He netted 22 goals, two more than 22-year-old Argentina international Carlos Tevez of Corinthians.

Romario burst onto the scene with Vasco in 1985. He returned to the club in 2000, after having played abroad with PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona. He also played with Vasco rivals Flamengo and Fluminense.

Romario said he intends to pursue a career in beach football after retiring.