When Romário de Souza Faria arrived at Valencia CF in the summer of 1996, it was one of the most talked about transfers in Spanish football. The Brazilian — already a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994 and one of the most prolific forwards of his generation — signed for Valencia under president Paco Roig, in hopes of sparking a title challenge in La Liga. Indeed, Valencia CF had been runners-up in the league the previous season and had also been finalists in the Copa del Rey.  They had also qualified to play in Europe. So, hopes were really high when Romario joined the club. The feeling amongst many fans  was that with this legendary striker in the squad, the team and club would be lifted to even greater heights.

A Star Arrives With Big Promises

Romário landed in Valencia amid massive fanfare. He declared to the Spanish press upon arrival: “He venido a un equipo que me puede ayudar a ser el número uno… si juego 40 partidos, marcaré más de 30 goles” — “I’ve come to a team that can help me be number one… if I play 40 games, I will score more than 30 goals.”

On paper, it seemed a dream pairing: a club on the rise bringing in one of football’s most gifted marksmen. Yet almost immediately, trouble followed.

On the Pitch: Flashes of Brilliance, Limited Impact

Romário’s actual match record at Valencia was modest: across two short spells in the 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons he appeared in just 11 La Liga games scoring 6 league goals in total. His debut season saw him struggle for rhythm — and tensions off the field overshadowed his footballing contributions.

His goals, when they came, were memorable. One standout moment was a powerful volley against Atlético Madrid in a friendly at Mestalla that Romário himself later shared on social media — “Echo de menos celebrar un gol…’ (“I miss celebrating a goal… take a look at the one I scored for Valencia against Atlético in ’97… modestly speaking, it was a great goal.”) — underscoring the talent that could have flourished.

Yet injuries, managerial change and tactical mismatch limited his playing time. Valencia finished mid-table in 1996–97, and despite a recall under Jorge Valdano, Romário never fully established himself in the squad.

Nightlife and Notoriety: The Press Narrative

Almost as quickly as he scored goals, Romário made headlines for his off-field lifestyle. Spanish national press outlets chronicled his frequent nights out in Valencia — with parties often well into the early hours in ‘locales’ like the Malvarrosa beach clubs or Juan Llorens nightlife district.

In one notorious interview reported by El País, Romário was asked about going out after a night of supposed “illness,” replying with characteristic candour: “¡Cuando salgo, bailo con las piernas, no con la garganta… Yo hago lo que quiero!” — “When I go out, I dance with my legs, not my throat… I do what I want!” — famously adding that teammates complaining could “que se jodan” (“they can screw themselves”).

This public persona of a bohemian yet unapologetic star made him a favourite topic of the local and national press — often overshadowing his footballing craft.

Tensions with Coaches and Team

Romário’s relationships with Valencia’s managers were fraught:

• Luis Aragonés, who initially didn’t want the transfer, clashed with Romário repeatedly — at one point refusing to play him and triggering a standoff that eventually saw Aragonés later resign and Romario being loaned back to Brazil. Romario still bears a grudge over their public fallout, recently labelling Aragonés “an idiot” from that tense period in Valencia.
• Romario threatened the club’s owners:  “Either I stay or he stays.” This was reportedly said during the standoff with Aragonés — and Valencia chose the coach.
• Under Claudio Ranieri, the Italian coach publicly warned him about late nights: “Si sales por la noche… contigo no juego.” — “If you go out at night… I won’t play you.”

Despite this, teammates and observers noted his natural gift. In broader retrospectives on his career figures like Miguel Ángel Angulo acknowledged Romário’s unique talent: “Romario hizo cosas que nosotros ni soñando hubiésemos podido…” — “Romário did things we could only dream of…” — pointing to the brilliance beneath the turbulence.

David Albelda remembers Romário: “His arrival wasn’t too well accepted by the veteran players because they knew what kind of player was coming. Among the fans he had enormous appeal.” “Yes, he came to training, but he didn’t show up much. He came looking tired, lay on the treatment table, had a coffee… and when we came back, he was already gone.” “As a footballer… he’s one of the best I’ve played with, but more suited to a team that was constantly dominating.”

Valencia CF legend Fernando Gómez remembers training and playing with Romario: “He was an extraordinary player, his first five metres were scintillating, and his technique and ease of scoring was incredible. He arrived at the VCF in his last period in Europe, and he didn’t really show his best here, but as a footballer he was one of the greatest near and inside the box. “

Romário playing under VCF coach Claudio Ranieri: “I can’t feel comfortable at Valencia because, with the squad it has, it makes you cry. Ranieri has tried to play… and for me, like Marcelinho or Ortega, that way of playing doesn’t suit me.”

 Ariel Ortega (Romário’s fellow teammate) related an anecdote that Romário once approached captain Zubizarreta with money in hand and said: “Mis multas por adelantado.” (“My fines in advance.”) — implying that Romário expected to be fined and wanted to pay ahead of time rather than changing his behaviour.

• Romário on freedom and nightlife: “When I leave the training ground, I own my life and do what I want.”
• On teammates’ reactions:“Teammates? Fuck them… I don’t have to give them explanations about these things.”
• On nightlife and scoring: “I’ve been playing football for 18 years and the night has always been my friend… when I don’t go out, I don’t score.”

 Even within Valencia’s squad, veteran leader Andoni Zubizarreta had to intervene at one point, organizing a team meeting that led to Romário asking for forgiveness and the crisis being called “belonging to the past,” emphasizing the club’s desire for unity amid discord.

Legacy: A Love-Hate Tale

For many Valencia fans, Romário remains a figure of what might have been — an unparalleled talent whose career at Mestalla was too short, too erratic, and too marked by personal flair to translate into sustained success. The press labelled his Valencia chapter with terms like “caótico” (chaotic) and “surrealista,” while match coverage oscillated between awe at his goals and exasperation at his priorities.

Yet even today, decades on, his legacy in Valencia evokes a certain nostalgia — a reminder of the unpredictable blend of genius and controversy that defined one of football’s most flamboyant forwards. As he celebrates his 60th birthday, Romário’s time at Valencia is remembered with mixed feelings: there were flashes of brilliance but arguments with a number of managers and an inability to integrate with the squad too. All of this doomed his time at Valencia. He is remembered as a controversial yet unforgettable and talented footballer who left his mark on the city in more ways than one.

Tellingly, Romário’s leaving in the winter transfer period,  saw the arrival of Adrian ‘The Cobra’ Ilie. An amazing success in his first ‘half’ season at Valencia, the Romanian scored 12 goals in just 17 la Liga matches! Without Romário’s brilliance but with Ranieri’s tactical approach, Valencia CF was about to enter the most glorious period in its football club history…

Report by Will McCarthy

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’