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'Jack of all trades' is a description which can be something of a double-edged sword. The theory is, in football at least, that a player who can play in many different positions is a victim of that versatility, being able to fill in gaps in a side, but also being incapable of shining in any of those roles. The career of Zé Roberto is one that could be described in those terms, at least until the Parreira/Zagallo partnership returned to the Brazilian helm in 2003.
When he made his debut in 1994 for hometown club Portuguesa, he was a typical Brazilian wingback - fast, skilful and fond of attacking. He was partially converted to an attacking midfielder by the time he moved to Real Madrid in 1997, and had by that point performed in a number of midfield roles. Unable to break into the first team picture at the Bernabeu, he was loaned back to Brazil, spending six months with Flamengo.
After making it into Brazil's 1998 World Cup squad essentially as a reserve for Roberto Carlos, his only action on the pitch was three minutes in midfield as a substitute for Rivaldo. This perfectly illustrated the direction his career seemed to be heading in. having featured in his country's winning Copa América sides in 1997 and 1999, he missed out when the biggest tournament came around.
The next stop on his footballing journey was perhaps a surprise one, signing for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 1998. Here he settled into an attacking position wide on the left of midfield, in an attractive Leverkusen side that made it to the Champions League final in 2002. Immediately after that tournament, he was transferred again, this time to Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. Here he has mainly performed on the left flank, but fairly inconsistently as the German club rebuilds. His contract is up this summer, and rumour has it that he will leave Germany, perhaps to join Rivaldo at Olympiakos in Greece.
Given all of this flux in his career, it is perhaps a surprise that in his late twenties he settled into the national team's first XI. Having only made one Brazil appearance in 2002, the returning Parreira began to utilise Zé Roberto's passing and workrate in the heart of Brazil's midfield, alongside the more destrctuve Émerson. Here he has made the best of himself, quietly keeping the ball moving around midfield and occasionally lending support to the attack. At 32 years old and with 77 caps to his name, he has taken his time, but Zé Roberto's place in the sun may finally have arrived.
Position: Defensive Midfield, but is versatile.
Appearances: 78
Goals: 5
Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Full Name: José Roberto da Silva Júnior
Date of birth: 06 July 1974
Place of birth: São Paulo (SP)
International debut: South Korea 0-1 Brazil (12 August 1995)
World Cup Squads: 1 (1998)
World Cup Appearances: 1 (1 - 1998)
Portuguesa – 1994-97
Real Madrid (Spain) – 1997-98
Flamengo – 1998
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) – 1998-2002
Bayern Munich (Germany) – since 2002
Real Madrid – Spanish Championship (1997), Spanish Supercup (1997)
Bayern Munich – German Championship (2003 & 05), German Cup (2003 & 05), German League Cup (2004)
Copa America (1997 & 1999), Confederations Cup (1997 & 2005)
Brazilian Championship Team of the Season (1996)
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Bio written by: Chris Marks
Factfile compiled by: Mark Lowdon
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