Rôni

1. Overview

Roniéliton Pereira Santos, commonly known as Rôni, is a former Brazilian footballer who played as a striker. Born on 28 April 1977, his career spanned over a decade and a half, primarily in Brazil, but also included notable stints in Russia and Japan. He represented the Brazilian national team at various levels, including the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. This article details his club career, international appearances, significant statistics, and the numerous honours he achieved throughout his playing days, alongside his activities and controversies following retirement.

2. Early life and background

Roniéliton Pereira Santos was born on 28 April 1977, in Aurora do Tocantins, a municipality in the state of Tocantins, Brazil. Standing 68 in ^{(173 cm)} tall and weighing 154 lb ^{(70 kg)}, he was known for being right-footed. His formative years in football began within the youth ranks in Brazil, setting the stage for his professional debut.

3. Club career

Roniéliton Pereira Santos's professional club career was extensive, with numerous transfers and significant periods at various teams both domestically in Brazil and internationally.

4. International career

Roniéliton Pereira Santos represented Brazil at both youth and senior international levels. As a member of the Brazil U-20 team, he participated in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.

For the senior national team, Rôni made his international A-match debut in 1999 during the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. He started in three matches in the tournament. His debut match was against Germany in the group stage. He scored his debut international goal in the semi-final match against Saudi Arabia. In the final against host nation Mexico, Rôni also found the net. Brazil ultimately finished as runners-up in the tournament. Following the 1999 Confederations Cup, Rôni was not called up to the national team again. He concluded his international career with 5 appearances and 2 goals for the senior Brazil national team.

5. Retirement

Roniéliton Pereira Santos announced his retirement from professional football in March 2012. At the time of his retirement, he requested a release from AA Anapolina, the club he had joined in January of the same year.

6. Post-retirement activities and controversies

Following his retirement from professional football, Roniéliton Pereira Santos was reported to have transitioned into a career as a businessman. However, on 25 May 2019, he was arrested in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. The arrest was related to allegations that he was part of a criminal group involved in gambling fraud and that he attempted to commit tax evasion through illegal data entry.

7. Career statistics

8. Honours

Roniéliton Pereira Santos achieved several significant titles and awards throughout his career at both club and international levels.