player
Roberto Carlos: Career Stats, Clubs and Honours
Roberto Carlos career statistics, clubs, senior international record, major honours, playing style and all-time defender ranking case.
Summary
Roberto Carlos made the left-back position an attacking event through acceleration, width and extraordinary striking power.
Quick facts
- Primary role
- Left back
- Senior career
- 1991–2016
- Major clubs
- Palmeiras, Inter, Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe
- Senior national record
- 125 caps / 10 goals for Brazil
- Defenders ranking
- #8 in The Top Football's all-time list
Verified record
Career statistics
Senior club league appearances and goals, plus official senior international caps and goals.
| Club | Years | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| União São João | 1991–1993 | 21 | 3 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 1992–1993 | 3 | 0 |
| Palmeiras | 1993–1995 | 44 | 3 |
| Inter | 1995–1996 | 30 | 5 |
| Real Madrid | 1996–2007 | 370 | 47 |
| Fenerbahçe | 2007–2009 | 65 | 6 |
| Corinthians | 2010–2011 | 35 | 1 |
| Anzhi Makhachkala | 2011–2012 | 25 | 4 |
| Delhi Dynamos | 2015–2016 | 3 | 0 |
| Club total | — | 596 | 69 |
| National team | Years | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 1992–2006 | 125 | 10 |
Major team honours
- Brazil FIFA World Cup ×1
- Brazil Copa América ×2
- Real Madrid Champions League ×3
- Real Madrid La Liga ×4
- Palmeiras Brazilian championship ×2
Stats sources: WorldFootball — Roberto Carlos record .
Career path
Roberto Carlos moved from Brazilian football to Inter and then found his defining home at Real Madrid. Eleven seasons and 527 official Madrid matches turned a spectacular physical profile into durable elite production.
Playing style
He could recover huge distances, but his identity came from what happened going forward: explosive overlaps, early crosses and shots that forced opponents to defend areas usually considered safe.
International record
Brazil used Roberto Carlos in 125 official senior matches. He won the 2002 World Cup, reached the 1998 final and formed one of the sport’s most recognisable full-back pairings with Cafu.
All-time ranking case
He widened expectations for attacking full-backs and remains the reference whenever power and adventure from deep are part of the argument. That is the basis for placing him at number 8 in our best football defenders of all time ranking.
Sources