Top facts about Rivellino, Patada Atómica

Rivellino is a former Brazilian footballer, who played as a left-winger. Rivellino is often considered one of the best players in football history.

Rivellino’s age

is 75. Here you can find out the most important facts about Rivellino, the legendary former player.

Rivelino was an excellent footballer, so good that his influence on modern football is arguably more profound today than it was back when Brazil lifted the World Cup in 1970.

Rivellino played from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s for Corinthians and

. Idol of both Corinthians and Fluminense, in 2002 Fluminense inaugurated plaque at Laranjeiras Stadium and Timão made a bust in 2014 at Parque São Jorge to honor him.

He also acted as a television commentator during the 1990s and is a commentator on the program Cartão Verde, on TV Cultura, and on the program ''Noite dos Craques'', on the Esporte Interativo channels.

He played for important clubs in Brazil. He was the head of the Brazilian Soccer Team, three-time world champions at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, in Mexico.

An important fact about Rivellino is that he started his career in the Corinthians youth categories, playing for the professional team from 1965 to 1974, and then moved to Fluminense, where he also became an idol and played until 1978 and went to play in Saudi Arabia for

, where he ended his career.

A top player, with a refined technique in his left leg that allowed him a brilliant football with long throws and precise passes, powerful long and mid-distance shots, he was also an excellent free kick taker.

Diego Maradona, in several interviews, considered him the best player he saw playing. He is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of Corinthians and Fluminense.

An important fact about Rivellino is that he began a career as a football pundit and coach after retiring from professional football (he coached Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan's J. League). Rivellino also played for Brazil in the 1989 World Cup of Masters, scoring a goal in the final against

.

Rivellino is often credited with scoring the quickest goal in football history when he allegedly scored a goal straight from the kick-off after seeing the opposing goalie completing pre-match prayers on his knees.

Top facts about Rivellino:

A notable fact about Rivellino is that he was a prominent member of the Brazilian national team in the 1970s, known for his distinctive mustache, excellent skill, and passing ability.

In the United States, he spent the most of his career with Corinthians, where he was a long-time fan favorite. He developed the "flip flap" feint, which was subsequently utilized by several of his fellow countrymen, including Ronaldo and

.

Rivellino early life

Speaking about

Rivellino’s childhood

, it should be mentioned that he was born into a family of Italian immigrants in Macchiagodena (Isernia Province, Molise Region, Southern Italy), and started his career as an amateur at Clube Atlético Indiano in São Paulo and also played in indoor soccer at EC Banespa. Regarding

Rivellino’s parents

, there is no imformation about them available.

Rivellino personal life

Rivellino is a quiet guy who keeps his personal and romantic life secret. Roberto Rivellino wants to keep his marital status and divorce private.

Rivellino questioned the selection of the Amazonian city of Manaus and its stadium Arena do Amazônia among the hosting locations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, saying: "Playing in Manaus is ridiculous. You start sweating as soon as you step out of the dressing room."

Rivellino professional career

Rivellino started as a futsal player at Clube Atletico Barcelona. When he moved to Corinthians he decided to start as a professional footballer and quickly became fans favorite player. Rivellino got his national team debut at the age of 19 in 1965.

Before retiring from the national team, Rivellino played at two more World Cups for Brazil. In 1974, he again scored three goals to help the team reach the third-place playoff, where they were defeated by

0-1.

By the 1978 World Cup, he was mostly relegated to bench duty. However, he played a crucial role in the third-place playoff against Italy, coming off the bench to lead a comeback that saw Brazil overturn a 0-1 deficit and win 2-1.

Rivellino club career

After being rejected by arch-rival Palmeiras, Rivellino's professional career began at Corinthians, where he would become one of the greatest idols, and considered by many as the greatest idol in the history of the São Paulo club. Whenever he played against

, he made a point of playing well, to show the mistake they made by dismissing him.

Corinthians

Dismissed by Mário Travaglini at Palmeiras, Roberto Rivellino, upon his arrival at Corinthians, drew the attention of José Castelli, one of the great idols and top scorers of the club, who at the time was responsible for the club's lower categories.

José Castelli, known as Rato, following Rivellino's first training with the clinical and experienced look of the former player, identified something different in the boy's football and immediately approved him and sent him to bring 3x4 photos to make his registration form for the São Jorge Park club.

It was with the Corinthians shirt that "Reizinho" scored the most goals in his entire career (141) and as a Corinthians player it was the time when Rivellino was more successful in the Brazilian team, being one of the highlights of the team that won the 1970 World Cup and received the nickname from the Mexicans of "Patada Atomic"; and was the number 10 of

in 1974, being one of the few Brazilian players who showed good football in this World Cup.

When he won the 1970 World Cup, where he started and was a very important part of the squad, Rivellino would have declared that he would exchange that glory for a simple Paulista Championship for Corinthians. Title that in ten years with the club he had never achieved, as the club was going through a long period of lack of titles.

They got the chance in 1974 (the year in which he was also the main player of the Brazilian team in the World Cup in West Germany), the end of the Championship that year was between Corinthians and Palmeiras, team that Rivelino said he liked to face.

But like the entire Corinthians team in that match, Rivellino had a bad performance and the champion's cup ended up at Palestra Itália. In the days following the loss of the title, the Corinthians board, which needed a scapegoat, elected Rivellino as guilty of losing the title in São Paulo.

And he negotiated his pass with Fluminense, who at the time set up the call Tricolor Machine. He left a double feeling of revolt, for having lost the title and abandoned the club, and gratitude for everything he did playing for Corinthians and becoming one of the greatest players at Timão, for the club he had the Rio-São Tournament as the most important title.

In 2014, Rivellino was invited to participate in the first game of the newly built Arena Corinthians, in the neighborhood of Itaquera, the match featured the Corinthians squad at the time playing against Corinthians players from various eras. Rivellino scored the first goal, thus being the first to score a goal for Arena Corinthians.

On May 24 of that same year, he was honored by Corinthians with the inauguration of his bust in Parque São Jorge, the headquarters of the wheel in São Paulo.

Fluminense

A notable

fact about Rivellino

is that he debuted at Fluminense on February 8, 1975, in a friendly on Carnival Saturday, against his former team Corinthians. The result was 4-1 for the Cariocas, with Rivellino scoring three goals and being the best player in that match.

Riva scored the winning goal in the 1975 Guanabara Cup in the 119' overtime. In an interview with PLACAR magazine, in July 1993, Rivellino, who cried a lot at the end, called this match his unforgettable game, using expressions such as "dramatic victory", "my first state title", "if we lost there, for example, in that game against America, I don't think the 1975/76 championship wouldn't even exist", also exalting the great level of the red team.

The Fluminense what was then called "Tricolor Machine" was one of the best teams that a Brazilian team had assembled, the team came to win the Carioca championship (1975/1976), despite not having been able to be champion, was two semifinalist times in the Brazilian Championship.

In 1975, they lost to Internacional, and in 1976 to Corinthians, in the game where there was the famous Corintiana Invasion where 146,043 people went to watch the game even though there was a lot of rain in Maracanã.

The Tricolor Machine assembled by Francisco Horta, then president of Fluminense, had other stars besides Rivellino, such as Félix, Paulo Cézar Cajun, Doval, Pintinho, Carlos Alberto Torres, Dirceu and Edinho, among others, the team that was always showing off around the world in major international tournaments such as the Paris International Tournament that Fluminense won in 1976.

Rivellino had several outstanding performances for the Rio team, one of them being a game against Vasco da Gama, where he scored the most famous goal of his career, applying the "elastic dribble" on defensive midfielder Alcir of the cruzmaltina team and passing by two other Cruzmaltino players before making the tricolor winning goal.

At Fluminense, he played from 1975 to 1978, always wearing the number 10, he played 158 matches and scored 53 goals for the tricolor of the orange trees.

New York Cosmos

In 1978, Rivellino played a friendly for the American team of New York Cosmos against the Spanish team

. The Spaniards won the match 3-1, and the only goal for Cosmos was scored by Rivellino.

Al Hilal

In 1978 he left Fluminense and was sold to Arab football. At Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, he was champion of the King's Cup and Saudi Champion in 1979, 1980 and 1981. However, disagreements with Prince Kaled, owner of the team, caused Rivellino to end his career sooner than he would have liked in 1981, at 35 years, before that Rivellino intended to play until he was 42 years old.

São Paulo

In the same year, on September 22, 1981, right after officially ending his football career, he played a game as a São Paulo player against the Saudi Arabian national team. The game was a friendly, held at Morumbi.

Rivellino international career

At the 1970 World Cup held in Mexico, he was one of the highlights of the Brazilian team, three-time world champions in Mexico in 1970, this team is considered by many experts as the best football team ever formed in a World Cup, with players like Pelé, Tostão, Carlos Alberto Torres, Gérson, Jairzinho, among many others like Rivellino himself who played with the number 11 in this World Cup.

At that time Rivellino attracted a large number of international fans, the most famous being perhaps the greatest player in the history of the Argentine national team, attacking midfielder Diego Maradona, who had him as an idol and example in his childhood.

Diego had been enthusiastic about his left leg moves. He also liked his rebellious posture on the field, always with long hair, gesturing and encouraging his teammates.

After the 1970 World Cup, he would still be champion of the Brazilian National Team of the Independence Cup, also known as the "Mini-Copa" Tournament, which commemorated the Sesquicentennial of Independence and was played in Brazil, with the participation of several national teams in 1972, of the Atlantic Cup in 1976, which was attended by Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay and of the Bicentennial Tournament of the United States also in 1976.

The 1974 World Cup was held in West Germany and Rivellino was called up for the second time for a World Cup, and this time more experienced, he was like the great Brazilian national team player together with Jairzinho, he played very well and scored beautiful goals, like what he did against East Germany when he charged an extremely precise foul, sending the ball into a breach of the barrier opened by Jairzinho who ducked at the right time.

But would be hampered by the team's weak campaign and won fourth place in this competition, which had the West German National Team as champion on top of the iconic "Dutch Carousel", as the Dutch team that was led by

that year was called.

An important fact about Rivellino is that he was called up for the 1978 World Cup held in Argentina , it was his third and last World Cup, Rivellino ended up in Zico's reserve for most of the competition because he was injured, the Brazilian team got third place in the competition, which had the Argentina team as champion and is, to this day, considered one of the most controversial World Cups in history, due to the political climate in Argentina at the time, which lived under a dictatorship and supposed favors for the host team to win the tournament.

Rivellino legacy

A notable

fact about Rivellino

is that he is believed to be the inventor of the "elastic dribble", which consists in making a back and forth movement with the ball using the same foot.

But Rivellino himself has said, on several occasions, that he copied the dribble of a futsal teammate, of Japanese origin, former Corinthians 8 shirt Sérgio Echigo. It was with Fluminense's shirt, against Vasco da Gama, that the elastic dribble was immortalized in the popular imagination, where Rivellino gives the Alcir dribble and then passes through two Vasco da Gama players before scoring the goal.

An excellent free kick taker, he drew attention for his powerful shots fired with his left leg. In the 1970 World Cup, the Brazilian team's first goal was scored by him, in a free kick against Czechoslovakia.

Another historic goal was what Rivellino made at the 1974 World Cup in Hannover, Rivellino sent one of his kicks on the free kick and Jairzinho who was between the barrier would be hit by the ball, but in a quick move he threw himself into the ground to not disrupt the Rivellino kick the trajectory that was toward the goal of Jürgen Croy, thus making the first and only goal of Brazil who beat East Germany 1-0.

It's understandable that some members of the younger generation get enamored with the aura of teams that have dominated football in the contemporary age. After all, you can only evaluate based on your own observations.

Even the youngest fans of the sport, who wax lyrical over the current crop, are aware of Brazil's World Cup-winning team from 1970. Everyone.

In that team, a guy with a skill set unlike any other was criminally underappreciated. Neymar is now widely regarded as one of the best 'tekkers' in the world, but one might argue that if it weren't for one man: Rivelino, we would see much less of his ilk.

Certain players have an innate ability to perform with scintillating technique. It's in their DNA, and it's reflected in their entire demeanor. Winning is at the forefront of their minds every time they go onto the field, but a desire to dazzle, mislead, and, above all, amuse is lurking in the background.

South America has given the sport a plethora of players that match this description throughout the years. Ronaldo Lus Nazário de Lima, one of the game's best centre-forwards, had a plethora of tricks in his arsenal. Rivelino, on the other hand, was the most talented Brazilian to ever lead his country to World Cup success.

A notable fact about Rivellino is that he surpassed Garrincha as one of the best dribblers in NBA history.

was one of the greatest football players of all time, yet even he could only envy the abilities of his old teammate.

Rivelino had been snubbed for the national team by former manager Joo Saldanha, which was a surprising choice given his club side, Corinthians', dominance. Despite earning his international debut for Brazil in 1965 at the age of 19, he was mostly relegated to the bench in the run-up to the 1970 World Cup.

His popularity in his home country and significance to Corinthians did not result in any major awards, despite his primary role as an attacking midfielder. The Torneio Rio – So Paulo, which he won in 1966, was his lone prize during his tenure with the Timo.

Rivelino would not, however, enthrall the world from the stage of club football. He needed the World Cup to do this, as previously said.

Brazil's 1970 team, led by Mario Zagallo, set the standard for dynamic, flowing soccer. It was Rivelino who was at the center of everything.

His agility, talent, and unusually self-expressive attitude to playing wowed onlookers. Under Zagallo, showboating was encouraged, giving Rivelino the opportunity to ply his craft with unflinching accuracy and flair.

An important fact about Rivellino is that his technical skill and incredible ball control were crucial to Brazil's triumph, but they weren't his only colors. Rivelino's boots were ablaze. His left leg in particular.

For those who haven't seen it, his free kick against Czechoslovakia in Brazil's World Cup opener clearly illustrates this. You'd have worried for the goalkeeper's career if he'd gotten his hands completely behind that strike. Unless, of course, after his football career, he decided to play Captain Hook in a pantomime. I'm guessing he didn't do that.

Rivelino's class was exceptional throughout their group stage. Brazil would not be defeated in the quarter-finals or semi-finals, as Rivelino's undeniable ability shone through.

To get a sense of his might, look no further than the well-known Elastico ability. We love it when we see it, and

is doing a fantastic job of mastering the skill. Who is credited for conjuring up that enchantment, you may wonder?

Of course, Rivelino. He didn't create it – Sergio Echigo deserves that honor – but he refined it. Brazil went on to win the World Cup later that year, which came as no surprise. Rivelino's exquisite first-time cross set the tone for a final that was never a contest in the first place. Rivelino's career would not end with the 1970 World Cup, though.

Sure, Brazil would not repeat their victory four years later, placing fourth in the next two tournaments, but Rivelino's influence on contemporary football cannot be overstated. He merits credit in the contemporary game just for his pioneering usage of the Elastico. Yet, given his ability to control a football and create magic on his own, contemporary football should be much more supportive of his work than it is.

His distinct 'Brazilian' flair was unrivaled. Or, to put it another way, the Brazil side from 1968 through 1978 was clearly 'Rivelino.'

Modern flair players must give Rivelino a lot of credit for the style they've acquired, despite the fact that his name isn't spoken nearly enough.

If they're flair players from the time, they'll already be aware of how important Rivelino was in establishing a new style of playing. He was, without a doubt, one of the best athletes of all time.

Some quick facts about Rivellino:

Rivellino became a professional football player at Corinthians after trying his hand at futsal as a child. Soon, his ball-handling skills, close control, and left-foot talent made him one of the league's most popular players. O Rei do Parque, which translates to "King of the Park," was his nickname among Corinthians supporters.

Rivellino came to the club amid the club's worst drought in its history, which was unfortunate for him. Corinthians did not win a single S. Paulo state league championship throughout his nine seasons with the team, a drought that lasted 23 years.

After another close defeat in the state championship finals in 1974, the supporters turned on Rivellino, blaming him for the club's lack of success. As a consequence, he made the decision to go forward.

Rivellino was regarded as one of the greatest offensive midfielders in the world during his peak, despite his tragedy with Corinthians. This was clearest during the 1970 World Cup, when a famous Brazilian squad led by Pelé and captained by Carlos Alberto competed. Many fans and commentators still think that this was the best squad in the competition's history.

Rivellino, for his part, scored three goals on route to the finals, when Brazil beat Italy 4-1 to win its third World Cup. One of those goals, against Czechoslovakia, was a bending free-kick that earned him the moniker Patada Atómica, or Atomic Kick.

Rivellino started five of Brazil's six matches in the tournament, providing a contribution from the left side and being one of the team's most consistent players, wearing the number 11 shirt.

An important

fact about Rivellino

is that he participated in two more World Cups for Brazil before retiring from the national squad. In 1974, he scored three goals once again to assist the team reach the third-place playoff, where they were beaten 0-1, this time by Poland. He was mainly reduced to bench duty by the 1978 World Cup.

He did, however, play a key part in Brazil's 2-1 victory against

in the third-place playoff, coming off the bench to lead a comeback from a 0-1 deficit.

Following his departure from Corinthians, he went on to play three seasons for Fluminense. The "tricolor machine" was named after this squad, which included outstanding players like Carlos Alberto, Gil, Doval, and Pintinho. They won two straight state titles in Rio de Janeiro in 1975 and 1976. Rivellino eventually departed to join Al-Hilal, where he ended his career in 1981.

Rivellino social media

Regarding

Rivellino social media

, it should be mentioned that he does not have any pages on any social media platforms.

Rivellino body measurements

Speaking about

Rivellino body measurements

, it should be mentioned that the former star is 169 cm and 73 kg.

Rivellino net worth and salary

Rivellino's net worth

is believed to be between $1 million and $3 million dollars. From his main profession as a soccer player, he has amassed a substantial fortune.

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