Get to know Bebeto, the former center forward and politician

Get to know Bebeto, the former center forward and politician

Grace Waruguru
June 3, 2024 at 5:45 PM

Bebeto is a retired footballer turned politician regarded as one of Brazil's iconic athletes. He played several positions, including the forward, striker, and attacking midfielder positions, before trying his hand at coaching and, ultimately, politics. Here is everything you should know about him.

Former Brazilian footballer Bebeto
Bebeto, whose full name is José Roberto Gama de Oliveira, was one of the iconic Brazilian footballers of his time. Photo: @bebeto7 (Modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Table of Сontents:

Footballers like George Weah thrived in football before transitioning into politics later in their careers. Bebeto spent over 20 years pursuing his professional career with various clubs. Get to know his story and career milestones in this article.

Bebeto's profile and bio summary

Full name

José Roberto Gama de Oliveira

Age

60 years old (As of 2024)

Date of birth

February 16th, 1964

Nickname

Bebeto

Place of birth

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Nationality

Brazilian

Marital status

Married

Spouse

Denise de Oliveira

Children

Mattheus Oliveira, Stephanie Oliveira, and Junior Oliveira

Height

5 feet, 10 inches

Weight

68 kgs

Hair colour

Grey

Eye colour

Brown

Profession

Former professional footballer and coach, politician

Position

Forward, striker, attacking midfielder

Social media presence

Instagram, X (Twitter)

What is Bebeto's age?

Bebeto at an interview in Poland
Bebeto at an interview before a draw on February 23, 2019, in Gdynia, Poland. Photo: Stuart Franklin (Modified by author)
Source: Original

Bebeto was born on February 16th, 1964, making him 60 years old as of 2024. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. Bebeto's real name is José Roberto Gama de Oliveira.

Bebeto's family

The Brazilian athlete was born in Salvador, Brazil, to Carmem Gama de Oliveira and Wilson Carvalho de Oliveira. Unfortunately, they have not shared more details about themselves online. Additionally, information about his siblings, if any, remains undisclosed.

Who is Bebeto's wife?

The 60-year-old is married to Denise de Oliveira, a former volleyball player who represented Flamengo in 1988. The pair have three children together: Mattheus Oliveira, Stephanie Oliveira, and Junior Oliveira.

Stephanie is married to Carlos Eduardo, while Mattheus is a professional footballer. Mattheus is signed with Farense, a Portuguese football club, which he joined in 2023. He plays as an attacking midfielder.

Bebeto's career

Bebeto in Gdynia, Poland
Bebeto attends a meet and greet event preceding the official draw for the FIFA U - 20 World Cup on February 23, 2019, in Gdynia, Poland. Photo: Stuart Franklin
Source: Getty Images

Who did Bebeto play for? The striker spent his youth career with local Brazilian clubs Bahia and Vitoria. His professional debut was in 1982, and he spent the next 20 years playing for different local and international clubs, including:

  • Flamengo: 1983-1989, 1996
  • Vasco da Gama: 1989-1992, 2001
  • Deportivo La Coruña: 1992-1996
  • Sevilla: 1996-1997
  • Botafogo: 1998-1999
  • Toros Neza: 1999
  • Kashima Antlers: 2000
  • Al-Ittihad: 2002

Bebeto was a prolific goal scorer, scoring 86 goals in 131 appearances for Deportivo La Coruña and 34 goals for Flamengo during his first tenure with them.

José Roberto played for Brazil from 1985 to 1998. He participated in three World Cups (1990, 1994, and 1998). Thanks to Bebeto's goals, he was among the best players in the 1994 tournament, which they won.

Bebeto in Beijing, China
Bebeto attends the 'Vivo X21 FIFA World Cup Extraordinaire Edition¡¯ on May 22, 2018, in Beijing, China. Photo: Visual China Group
Source: Getty Images

He is remembered for rocking an imaginary baby in the infamous ''rock-a-bye baby'' gesture alongside his teammates to celebrate his goals. His son had been born two days prior. The retired player is the sixth-highest goal scorer for his national team. Bebeto's stats also include:

  • He scored 39 goals in 75 appearances for Brazil.
  • Bebeto was Brazil's top scorer in the 1989 Copa America, in which they won. He was the top scorer in the same tournament.
  • The athlete won a bronze medal at the 1986 Summer Olympics and a silver medal in 1988.
  • José Roberto was named South America's Footballer of the Year in 1989.
  • He was part of the 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time list published by World Soccer.
  • The footballer was La Liga's top scorer in 1992.
  • Bebeto won the FIFA World Player of the Year Silver Award in 1994.

When did Bebeto retire?

After a successful professional career, Bebeto retired from international football in 1988. He continued playing club football for 14 more years before hanging his boots in 2002.

Bebeto's net worth

The player likely made a fortune from his professional career. According to Net Worth List, the father of three is worth an estimated $1.9 million. Unfortunately, the details of his brand endorsements and investments remain under wraps.

Bebeto's photos

Bebeto in Doha, Qatar
Bebeto arrives before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final draw at the Doha Exhibition Center on April 01, 2022, in Doha, Qatar. Photo: Igor Kralj
Source: Getty Images

Bebeto has an active social media presence, regularly sharing moments of his career and personal life. His Instagram account has 744k followers (as of June 2024), while on X(Twitter), the Brazilian national has over 537k followers.

What is Bebeto doing now?

After a successful playing career, Bebeto ventured into football management. He managed America (RJ), a Brazilian club based in Rio de Janeiro, from 2009 to 2010. In 2010, he transitioned to politics and was elected to Rio de Janeiro's Legislative Assembly under the Democratic Labour Party.

The athlete-turned-politician is still actively involved in politics and occasionally plays charity football for his home country.

Frequently asked questions

Despite his retirement from the football scene years ago, Bebeto is still considered one of the legendary players. Here are some frequently asked questions about the athlete:

How old is Bebeto?

The retired Brazilian player was born on February 16th, 1964. He is 60 years old as of June 2024. Bebeto's zodiac sign is Aquarius.

What s Bebeto's real name?

Bebeto in September 2019
Bebeto poses for a portrait in the photo booth before The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019 at Excelsior Hotel Gallia on September 23, 2019, in Milan, Italy. Photo: Michael Regan
Source: Getty Images

Bebeto's real name is José Roberto Gama de Oliveira. The root of his nickname is not clear, although some online sources claim that it means to pass a soccer ball forward with precision.

Is Bebeto married?

The footballer is married to Denise de Oliveira and has three children. Their last-born son, Matthew Oliveira, is a professional footballer who has followed in his father's footsteps and is an attacking midfielder.

Final word

Bebeto was a formidable force during his active years. One of the most memorable collaborations was between him and former Brazilian player Romário de Souza Faria. As long as the pair played together, Brazil never lost any game. Romario is also retired and ventured into politics later in his career.

READ ALSO: The biography and player profile of Zizinho

Sports Brief published a feature story about the late football legend Zizinho, a striker, attacking midfielder, and second forward for Brazil's national team, among other clubs. What are some exciting facts about him?

Zizinho died in 2002, at age 80, following heart complications. He started his career in the early 1930s and retired in 1962. He later took up basketball and worked as an income tax inspector. Read more about the deceased footballer by clicking on the link above.

Authors
Grace Waruguru photo
Grace Waruguru
Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.