Brazilian soccer heroes look to make splash in politics

Rio de Janeiro, Agencias
Romario and Bebeto, leading goal scorers on the Brazilian team that won the 1994 World Cup, have joined the political fray as candidates for national and regional legislative seats, respectively, in next month's elections.
After lengthy soccer careers that included stints with teams in Brazil, Europe, Japan and Saudi Arabia, the two former strikers now are hoping to use their name recognition among Brazilian voters to propel themselves into political office.

The controversial Romario de Souza Faria, 44, who has put several failed business ventures behind him, kicked off his political aspirations one year ago by joining the Brazilian Socialist Party, or PSB, which is allied with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's center-left government.

The party fielded him as a national congressional candidate in the Oct. 3 elections and the former star for Barcelona and Holland's PSV has not disappointed, showing political skill to rival his ability on the field in taking a practically insurmountable lead in the polls.

In his political platform, Romario, a child of the Rio de Janeiro favelas, promotes sports as a way of reaching out to marginalized, slum-dwelling children and adolescents.

"For me, the goal of politics is very simple: I was born in a shantytown and I know what those children need," Romario told Efe during a political rally in the city of Petropolis, 66 kilometers (40 miles) from Rio.

"Without any type of pretentiousness on my part, I felt I had done all I could in soccer and I brought joy to many Brazilians with my dribbling and my goals. Now is the time to show that I am also the best in the political arena," Romario says on his campaign Web site.

The retired superstar's platform also includes support for children with developmental problems and their families, an issue that affects him personally because he has a daughter with Down Syndrome.

For his part, Jose Roberto Gama de Oliveira, known as "Bebeto," who joined the ranks of the Democratic Labor Party last October, is competing for a seat in the Rio de Janeiro state legislature.

The former star of Spain's Royal Sporting Club of La Coruña also is counting on support from fans who fondly remember Brazil's fourth World Cup title, which came at the 1994 tournament in the United States.

Bebeto says he never planned to enter politics. "When I heard talk about corruption, lies and many other scandals, it sapped my motivation," he said.

But the 46-year-old former striker said friends, relatives and colleagues urged him to run because they saw in him "the family values and ethical behavior that should precede any desire to participate in politics."

Like Romario, Bebeto has promised to introduce sports into school policies and invest in high-level programs to train athletes for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

If elected, these two men who thrilled soccer fans for many years on the field will have the chance to achieve success in an entirely different ambit and win over people who in many cases are fed up with traditional politicians.