Roberto Carlos

Who is Roberto Carlos?

Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha, more commonly known simply as Roberto Carlos, is a retired Brazilian footballer and current coach of Sivasspor in Süper Lig. He started his career in Brazil as a forward but spent most of his career as a left back and has been described as the "most offensive-minded left back in the history of the game".

He was nicknamed el hombre bala due to his powerful free kicks, which have been measured at over 105 miles per hour. He is also known for his running speed, long throw ins and 24-inch thighs. In 1997 he was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year. Considered one of the best left backs in history, Roberto Carlos was chosen on the FIFA World Cup Dream Team, and in 2004 was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.

Roberto Carlos started playing for Brazil in 1992 and was a member of the Seleção in three World Cups, helping the team reach the final in 1998 and win the 2002 tournament. He was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in 1998 and 2002.

At club level he joined Real Madrid in 1996 where he spent eleven hugely successful seasons, playing 584 matches in all competitions, scoring 71 goals.