Former Brazilian soccer player Roberto Dinamita dies at the age of 68

• After Pelé’s death, Brazilian soccer is in mourning again.
• Former soccer player Carlos Roberto de Oliveira has died.
• Roberto Dinamita was Vasco da Gama’s greatest star.

In the early hours of Sunday, January 8, former Brazilian soccer player Carlos Roberto de Oliveira, better known as Roberto Dinamita, died at the age of 68. He had been battling colon cancer for a long time.

It was only on December 29 that the man who is considered the best soccer player of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, passed away, so it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think that a new curse of three about to be fulfilled. Rest in peace, Dynamite…

“Thank you for everything, Roberto Dinamita”

Brazilian club Vasco da Gama announced the passing of former soccer player Roberto Dinamita on social media: «Vasco da Gama communicates with inestimable regret the death of the greatest idol in the history of the club, Carlos Roberto de Oliveira, Dinamita, at the age of 68 because of colon cancer.»

“Born in the city of Duque de Caxias, in the Baixada Fluminense, Roberto Dinamita had a love of football in his childhood and joined Vasco da Gama, in the youth categories, in 1969. Three years later, the then ‘Calu’ (as he was known from the games he played in his hometown) reached the Gigante professionals. On November 14, 1971, in a match against Bahia for the Brazilian Championship, the seventeen-year-old did, for the first time, what he repeated on other 1,109 occasions.»

“Roberto Dinamita became a symbol of Vasco da Gama”

In another part of this statement issued by Vasco da Gama, which even switched its profile photo on social media to an image of Carlos Roberto de Oliveira, they said that Roberto Dinamita became a symbol of the club thanks to his more than 700 goals: “Generations were created considering a true symbiosis between the two. Roberto was Vasco. Vasco was Roberto.”

“In 1974, Dinamita was the true starting point towards the Club’s first Brazilian Championship title, being the competition’s top scorer with 16 goals scored. In the following years, the consecration with national and state artillery. In addition to the calls for the 1978 and 1982 World Cups. At the first opportunity, Roberto was the top scorer for the Brazilian team in the World Cup.”

He also played for Barcelona in Spain, but soon returned to the club he loved

Despite the fact that Roberto Dinamita is mainly associated with Vasco da Gama, he also had a brief stint at Barcelona in Spain. He only played with them for three months and eventually returned to the club he loved to continue making history. In total, he played with them for 12 years until his retirement in 1992. In 2008, Roberto Dinamita was elected team president and re-elected in 2011, winning the Brazilian Cup and Serie B of the Brazilian Championship during that time.

On April 28, 2022, in an event that was part of the tribute series for Roberto’s birthday, Vasco inaugurated his statue on the Caldeirão lawn, with the presence and great celebration of the fans, as well as distinguished guests. In the same month, Roberto received the title of Meritorious from the Vasco da Gama Regatta Club: “The greatest of all will be eternal. Your legacy is eternal. The influence on generations that have followed football for decades is infinite.»

“We love you. Forever»

Lastly, Vasco da Gama said goodbye to its greatest idol as follows: “Thank you for everything Roberto. We love you. Forever.» It did not take long for the club to report that official mourning was declared for seven days for the death of Carlos Roberto de Oliveira.

It was also reported that the body of the former Brazilian soccer player will be buried in the Estádio de São Januário, and those who wish to say goodbye will be able to do so starting this Monday from ten in the morning to seven at night: “The body will be in the field of São Januário, near the site of the statue of Roberto. The public will enter through door 3. Vasco members will be able to access through the social entrance.” A day later, he will be bid farewell by relatives and guests to be buried next to his parents.