Roberto Dinamite was developed at Vasco da Gama youth squad. He is one of the most famous Vasco da Gama players, and is the greatest goal scorer of the club. He scored 698 goals wearing the club's shirt and 864 goals in all his career. He played 1022 matches. He was nicknamed Dinamite by the journalist Aparício Pires, of Jornal dos Sports newspaper, after scoring a spectacular goal in his debut in the professional team, on 25 November 1971, against Internacional, at Maracanã stadium. The journalist wrote in the newspaper that the Dynamite-Boy detonates at Maracanã. In 1989 and 1990, he played for Portuguesa of São Paulo state, scoring 11 goals. His last goal was scored on 26 October 1992, when, in Campeonato Carioca, Vasco da Gama beat Goytacaz 2–0 at São Januário Stadium. He retired on 24 March 1993, when he was 39 years old. His last match was on that day, when Deportivo de La Coruña of Spain beat Vasco da Gama 2–0 at Maracanã stadium, in a friendly game that Zico played for Vasco together with him.
International career
Roberto Dinamite earned 47 caps with the Brazilian national team, between September 1975 and June 1984, scoring 25 goals, including matches against combined teams, and clubs. He played 38 matches against national teams, and scored 20 goals, and the nine other matches were against combined teams, and clubs, scoring 5 goals in those matches. His first national team match was played on 30 September 1975, when the Peruvian national team beat Brazil 3–1. Roberto Dinamite's first Brazilian national team goal was scored on 23 May 1976, when Brazil beat England 1–0. His last cap was earned on 17 June 1984, when Brazil and Argentina drew 0–0. He was a reserve player in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals. He was also reserve player for Serginho in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and was called by Telê Santana after Careca got injured. Roberto Dinamite played five Brazil Olympic team matches, all of them in 1972. He scored one goal in his last match, played on 11 August 1972, when Brazil and Tuna Luso drew 1–1.
Maior Ídolo do Rio by Jornal dos Sports newspaper: 1985
Craque do Brasil by Jornal dos Sports newspaper: 1985
Politics
After his retirement from football, he became a politician. In 1992, after joining the PSDB party, he ran for the State Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, being elected with 34,893 votes, and being re-elected twice since. As a member of PMDB, Roberto Dinamite was elected Rio de Janeiro state deputy in 1994, with 68,516 votes, in 1998, with 44,993 votes, in 2002, with 53,172 votes and in 2006, with 49,097 votes. He is currently a member of PMDB party. Roberto Dinamite was a candidate to Vasco da Gama presidency in 2003 and in 2006. He was elected president of Vasco da Gama on 21 June 2008.
