Brazil football legend Romário shoots for political power

On the pitch they called him “Shorty” – a diminutive football legend who rose from the slums of northern Rio to become a giant of Brazil’s “beautiful game”.

Now, the 5ft 6ins former Barcelona and Brazil striker is pushing for a new, unexpected title: Romário MP.

The third highest scorer in the history of Brazilian international football, known more for his deadly touch in front of goal than his views on economic policy, hopes to become one of Brazil’s 513 federal deputies in October’s elections.

“On the pitch I was one of the best in my position,” the former PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona striker said last week during a visit to Brazil’s congress with members of his latest team, the Brazilian Socialist party (PSB). “I will try to be one of the best here too.”

Romário de Souza Faria, better known as just Romário, is one of several Brazilian football stars hoping to swap pitches for politics in the coming elections.

While the involvement of ex-footballers in Brazilian politics is not unprecedented – Pele, Brazil’s self-styled “king of football”, was minister of sport between 1995 and 1998 – a record number of Brazilian craques, or stars, are expected to run for office this year.

Other candidates reportedly include the former Corinthians idol Marcelinho Carioca, who is running for the lower house on an education ticket, the Atletico Mineiro striker Marques, who intends to run for the Brazilian Labour party (PTB) in Belo Horizonte after hanging up his boots later this month, and the former Brazil stars Edmundo and Vampeta.

“I want to get the kids off the streets,” Marques said in a recent interview. “I’m tired of seeing politicians hiding the people’s money in their shoes.”

The Brazilian press has reacted to the footballers’ candidacies with a strong dose of irony and Romário, a notorious rebel who was once famously sent home from the Youth World Cup finals in 1985 after being caught peeing off a Moscow hotel balcony, has come in for particular flak.

“[Romário’s] adhesion to the Socialist party took place one month after his [seafront] penthouse was auctioned … in order to pay debts with neighbours,” noted the weekly news magazine Epoca, suggesting that Romário was more interested in the MP’s salary of about R$8,000 (about £3,000) a month than furthering issues such as tax or electoral reform.

Unlike many would-be politicians who have already begun setting out their policies to the electorate, Romário has so far revealed little about his plans for office.

Last year, when announcing his allegiance to the PSB, Romário scored an own goal, telling a press conference he was in fact joining the Social Democratic party (PSDB).

Romário’s agent told the Guardian his client would “almost certainly” run for office but that the ex-striker was away in Miami and unavailable for interview.

In a brief interview with the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper, however, Romário described Brazil’s outgoing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as his political idol (“he came from nothing … and has changed the history of Brazil”) and claimed he had “always” been a socialist.

“I’m genuine and people can believe what I say,” Romário said. “Secondly, I’m predestined – that’s how it was in football and in politics it will be the same.”