Who is Roberto Dinamite, a legend of Brazilian football and Vasco da Gama?
Carlos Roberto de Oliveira , better known as Roberto Dinamite , was born on April 13, 1954, in Duque de Caxias, Brazil, and died on January 8, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro. His nickname was given to him early in his career: a journalist from Jornal dos Sports exclaimed that the young striker had "exploded" the Maracanã with his first goal for Vasco, and christened him "Boy-Dinamite" .
Roberto Dinamite, an icon of Vasco da Gama
Roberto Dinamite played for Vasco da Gama from 1971 to 1993 (with a few loan spells in between), setting some astonishing records: 1,110 games played and 708 goals scored , making him the top scorer and most used player in Vasco da Gama's history.
He also remains the all-time top scorer in the Brazilian championship , with 190 goals , as well as in the Rio de Janeiro state championship (Carioca), with 284 goals . Roberto Dinamite notably scored 5 goals in a single match against Corinthians in 1980, an exceptional performance.
The Brazilian striker also played for FC Barcelona (1979–1980) on loan, making 11 appearances and scoring 3 goals. Roberto Dinamite would return to Vasco, his beloved club, to become an eternal legend.
Roberto Dinamite with the Brazilian national team
Between 1975 and 1984, Roberto Dinamite earned 38 caps for Brazil, scoring 20 official goals . He participated in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups (notably scoring a brace against Poland in 1978). The Vasco da Gama star was also the joint top scorer of the 1983 Copa América , sharing the title with two other players (3 goals each).
Roberto Dinamite's list of achievements
Roberto Dinamite's record consists mainly of individual performances or performances with his club, Vasco da Gama:
- Brazilian champion with Vasco in 1974
- 5-time Rio State Champion ( 1977 , 1982 , 1987 , 1988 , 1992 )
- Winner of prestigious individual awards:
- Bola de Prata (Brazilian Championship Silver) in 1979 , 1981 , 1984
- Twice top scorer in the Brasileirão in 1974 and 1984
- Three-time top scorer in the Carioca Championship in 1978 , 1981 and 1985
- "Idol of Rio" according to Jornal dos Sports in 1985
- Roberto Dinamite is also among the 5 greatest goalscorers of all time in the first division according to the IFFHS, with more than 500 official goals to his credit.
Roberto Dinamite, the player AND the politician!
After his retirement from sports, Roberto Dinamite went into politics: elected state deputy of Rio de Janeiro and president of Vasco da Gama from 2008 to 2014. His name remains engraved in the history of the club, even with an avenue named in his honor near the São Januário stadium.
Roberto Dinamite symbolizes the Brazilian goalscoring spirit : a nose for goal, exceptional consistency, and unwavering loyalty to his club. With over 700 goals and 1,100 matches , he embodies a golden era of Rio de Janeiro and Brazilian football. For Vasco da Gama, he remains forever the hero, the club's eternal icon.