Raí

Raí

Raí in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Raimundo Souza Vieira de Oliveira
Date of birth	(1965-05-15) 15 May 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth	Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1980–1985	Botafogo-SP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1984–1987	Botafogo-SP
1986	→ Ponte Preta (loan)	10	(1)
1987–1993	São Paulo	110	(25)
1993–1998	Paris Saint-Germain	147	(51)
1998–2000	São Paulo	19	(1)
Total		284	(77)
International career
1987–1998	Brazil	49	(17)
Medal record Men's Football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 1994 USA Copa América Runner-up 1991
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Raimundo Souza Vieira de Oliveira (born 15 May 1965), popularly known as Raí (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁaˈi]), is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. The younger brother of Sócrates,^[1][2] who played in the same position as him, Raí represented Brazil for more than a decade and was part of the country's victorious 1994 World Cup squad.

He spent most of his 15-year career with São Paulo^[3] and Paris Saint-Germain, winning 10 major titles with the two teams combined and nearing the 100-goal mark. Raí is considered by fans, journalists and players as a legend of PSG, despite his relatively short period at the club.^[4][5]

Born in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Raí started his career with local side Botafogo and in 1986 came to Ponte Preta, where he debuted in the Série A.^{[citation needed]}

Raí joined São Paulo FC for the 1987 season, only making his league debut on 18 October due to injury. He only scored once in his first year but, following the arrival of Telê Santana as coach, blossomed into a prolific scorer, scoring 28 overall in the 1991 campaign as the team won both the regional Campeonato Paulista and the National Championship.^{[citation needed]}

In 1992, Raí was part of the São Paulo team that won the club's first ever Copa Libertadores, scoring the only goal of the final second-leg against Newell's Old Boys that took the match to a penalty shootout.^{[citation needed]} Later that year, he was instrumental in the defeat of FC Barcelona in the 1992 Intercontinental Cup, netting both goals in a 2–1 win in Tokyo. This form saw Raí named South American Footballer of the Year for 1992.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1993 season, São Paulo defended their Copa Libertadores title, with Raí again scoring in the final as CD Universidad Católica were beaten 5–1 at the Estádio do Morumbi.^[6]

In June 1993, Raí was acquired by Paris Saint-Germain F.C. of France for US$4.6 million,^[7] remaining with São Paulo until the end of the year. He still managed to contribute with six goals in 28 Ligue 1 games as his new club won the national championship for the second time in its history; he helped PSG to the following season's French Cup, and was on target in the League Cup final against SC Bastia (2–0).^[8][9] He also reached the semi-finals of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League with PSG.

Raí once again proved essential as the capital outfit won the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, scoring twice in a 3–1 home win against Parma, after a 1–0 away loss. He also appeared in the final against SK Rapid Wien, and went on to score three seasons in double digits during his five-season spell. In 1997–98 he scored in both the Coupe de la Ligue final and the Coupe de France final against Bordeaux and Lens respectively as PSG won both games.^[10][11]

At the age of 33, Raí returned to São Paulo.^{[citation needed]} He retired in 2000.

Raí gained the first of his 49 caps for Brazil in 1987, whilst at São Paulo, being selected to that year's Copa América in Argentina, playing twice – including in the 0–4 group stage loss against Chile – in an eventual group stage exit.^[12] His debut occurred on 19 May at the Rous Cup, playing 15 minutes in a 1–1 draw against England.^{[citation needed]}

Raí was picked by coach Carlos Alberto Parreira for his 1994 FIFA World Cup squad. He captained the team in the group stage and scored a penalty in the first match, a 2–0 win against Russia, after Romário was brought down in the box. Raí was subsequently dropped from the first team in the knockout stages, with Dunga taking over the captaincy. He was used as a substitute against the Netherlands (quarterfinals, ten minutes) and Sweden (semifinal, 45 minutes)^[13] as the Seleção went on to win the tournament.

After retiring, Raí became a social activist, being involved in two separate philanthropic organisations.^[2]

In the early 2000s, Raí made a cameo appearance in the TV Globo telenovela Laços de Família. He played his own role as an ex-footballer who meets one of the programme's characters (Ciça Soriano, played by actress Júlia Feldens) as she is flying to New York.^[14]

São Paulo

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1991
• Campeonato Paulista: 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000
• Copa Libertadores: 1992, 1993
• Intercontinental Cup: 1992

Paris Saint-Germain

• Division 1: 1993–94
• Coupe de France: 1994–95, 1997–98
• Coupe de la Ligue: 1994–95, 1997–98
• Trophée des Champions: 1995
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1995–96; runner-up 1996–97

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1994
• Copa América runner-up: 1991

Individual

• Bola de Prata: 1989
• Intercontinental Cup Most Valuable Player of the Match Award: 1992
• South American Footballer of the Year: 1992
• South American Team of the Year: 1992^[15]
• IFFHS World's Best International Goal Scorer: 1992^[16]
• ESM Team of the Year: 1995–96
• Laureus Sport for Good Award: 2012
• Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur: 2013^[17]
• Honorary degree of the Paris Nanterre University: 2019^[18]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Raí Souza.

• Raí – French league stats at Ligue 1 – also available in French
• Raí at National-Football-Teams.com
• Raí at Sambafoot (archived)