IFFHS – THE WORLD’S BEST TOP DIVISION GOAL SCORER 1999, 2000 : MARIO JARDEL (BRAZIL/FC PORTO)

PRESENTATION

Mario Jardel de Almeida Ribeiro, born 18 September 1973 in Fortaleza (Brazil), became one of the most prolific strikers in Europe and was a legend in Grêmio with the winning of the Copa Libertadores in 1995.

Mario Jardel played at the  begin of his career for Vasco de Gama (1991-1996) where he scored 26 goals in 50 matches and won ” Campeonato Carioca 1992, 93, 94. In 1995, he was loaned to Grêmio and realised a fantastic time with 67 goals in 73 matches, winning the Recopa Sudamericana, the Campeonato Gaucho and especially the Copa Libertadores 1995!

In 1996, he signed with the FC Porto in Portugal, where he scored 130 goals in 125 matches in the 4 years there ! Primeira Liga top goal scorer 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000; European Golden Shoe 1999; UEFA Champions League Top Goal Scorer 2000; Portuguese Golden Ball 1997 and 1998 and THE WORLD’S BEST TOP DIVISION GOAL SCORER 1999 and 2000 by IFFHS : he was the greatest Top Goal Scorer in the World at this moment. He won with Porto 3 Primera Liga (1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99), 2 Taça de Portugal (1998 , 2000) and 3 Supertaça Candida de Oliveira (1996, 1998, 1999).

Next step for Mario Jardel in Galatasaray (Turkey), where he played at the season 2000/01 with the winning of the UEFA Supercup and 22 goals in 24 matches ! He returned to Portugal to Sporting CP for two years and scored 53 goals in 49 matches, winning the Primera Liga 2001/02 and the Taça of Portugal 2001/02. After leaving Portugal in 2003, he had a succession of brief and unsuccessful stays in England (Bolton Wanderers), in Argentina (Newell Old Boys), in Brazil (Goes, América, Flamengo, Rio Negro), in Cyprus (Famagusta), in Bulgaria (Tcherno More Varna), in Australia (Newcastle Jets) before retiring in 2011. He won in these years the Argentina Primera Division 2004 with Newell’s Old Boys, the Cypriot Cup 2006/07 with Famagusta, the A-League with Newcastle Jets.

He won the FIFA World Youth Championship 1993 with Brazil and he was nominated in the National Team of Brazil 10 times (one goal) between 1996 and 2001.