Quick Facts
Biography
Roberto Moreira Linck Junior (born July 31, 1988 in Cachoeira do Sul), nicknamed Betu, is a Brazilian/American footballer and entrepreneur. He is the owner of Linck Group and current player at Miami Dade FC.
Youth and college
Linck grew up playing in the youth system of Gremio in Brazil, before moving to United States. He was a player for the Olympic Development Program, Region IV Team. He played for Park City High School in 2006 where he won a state title in his senior year. Linck joined the Irvine Valley College in 2007 and was the starting midfielder during his years with the school.
Career
Soccer
On July 30, 2010, Linck was signed by the New England Revolution of the Major League Soccer, a day prior to his 22nd birthday. He made his professional debut for the New England Revolution coming on for Khano Smith in the 80th minute in the team's 1-0 victory over DC United on August 8, 2010. He was released by New England on February 28, 2011. Due to an injury suffered to his hamstring he was forced to stop playing soccer in 2011. On May 20, 2014 Linck returned to play soccer and was signed by the Miami Dade FC to play as a striker. He made his debut with Miami Dade FC scoring 1 goal on the 83rd minute of the match.
Business
Linck is the owner of Linck Group, an American investment company that owns Miami Dade FC, and Ginga Scout.
After being appointed CEO of Linck Group, the company invested in the sports and entertainment industry by acquiring the company Conttratta. Conttratta is the official production company of Pro Footvolley Tour and is responsible for the image of artists and sports figures such as Claudia Alende, Laura Rizzotto, Edgaras Jankauskas and Emerson Ferreira da Rosa.
Linck was the founder of Miami Dade FC, an American soccer club. In the first year of the club, they were crowned champions of the NAL. Played two international friendly matches against the Brazil champions Cruzeiro, competed in an international tournament in Colombia and won a award from the United Nations. On November 3, 2015, former Brazil capitain Emerson Ferreira da Rosa announced that he was joining Miami Dade FC.
On November 1, 2015, alongside his partner Roberto Carlos, they launched Ginga Scout, a soccer software application to help connect players with scouts from around the globe.
Charitable work
Linck is a founding member of the Soccer Mission group. He helped launch the charity group in 2014. Their first work was on Thanksgiving Day with a half-dozen of the Miami Dade FC team’s players and staff, they spent an afternoon making pasta at the Fort Lauderdale factory of Spaghetto, which manufactures fresh pasta, to then cook and donate to over 150 homeless.
On July 5th, 2015, United Nations presented Linck with an award for peace against drugs and offense. The charity event was held in Barranquilla, Colombia at Estadio Metropolitano in front of 15,000 fans.
Personal life
Linck has an unusual background for an MLS player having trained through the youth system of Brazil's Gremio Football Porto Alegrense which schooled Ronaldinho, and then playing college soccer in California, professional indoor soccer for the Chicago Storm, and a season with CSM Ramnicu Valcea in Romania. He is the son of Roberto and former Rede Globo anchorwoman Alessandra Linck. He has a younger sister, Tatiana. He currently resides in Miami, Florida.
His great-grandfather (Aurélio de Lima Py) was the founder of the Federacao Gaucha de Futebol and one of the founders, first patron and 9 times president of world champion Grêmio.
Linck's family also created the Projeto Pescar, "The Fishing Project" (The name was inspired by the proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.") Is an non-profit initiative supported by companies with the intention to prepare low-income youth for social inclusion in the labor market. During the course young people learn about some professional area according to the branch that the company works as well as guidance on: Citizenship, environment, sex education, family and technology. The project began in 1976 in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with the initiative of the entrepreneur Geraldo Tollens Linck (1927 - 1998), owner of Linck SA.
Honours
New England Revolution
North American SuperLiga Runners-up (2nd Place) 2010
Miami Dade FC
NAL - Champion (2014)
APSL - Regular Season Champion (2016)
United Nations Peace Award - UNODC Respira Paz (2015)