Antônio Rinaldo Gonçalves

Antônio Rinaldo Gonçalves, commonly known simply as Rinaldo (born October 31, 1966), is an association footballer. He played for several Campeonato Brasileiro Série A clubs. He also played for Portuguese Liga clubs and for the Brazilian national team.

Born in Campina Grande, Paraíba state, Rinaldo started his professional career playing for Campinense, then moving to their rivals Treze. He played 36 Série A games for Santa Cruz between 1987 and 1988, scoring five goals. He then joined Fluminense, playing 21 Série A games and scoring seven goals for the Rio de Janeiro-based club. With São Paulo, Rinaldo played 15 Série A games, scoring two goals, between 1991 and 1992. Including other competition games, he played 28 games for São Paulo, and scored four goals. In 1992, he played four Copa do Brasil games for Sport Recife, scoring four goals. He left the club after the 1993 season. After leaving Sport Recife, he played for Portuguesa, then Portuguese Liga clubs Marítimo and Moreirense, Juventude, and in 1994 Kärnten of Austria, when he retired and moved to Recife city.

National team

Rinaldo played only one game for the Brazilian national team, in 1990. It was a friendly game against a Rest of the World combined team to celebrate Pelé's 50th birthday. The game was played on October 31, 1990 at Stadio San Siro, Milan, Italy, and Brazil was defeated 2–1. The game is notorious because after Rinaldo received a pass from Pelé, instead of returning the ball to him, he shot the ball, missing the goal, and preventing Pelé from scoring his 1282nd goal.