Former Brazilian goal-scoring sensation Mario Jardel recently opened up about his playing days and revealed that he was once close to joining Barcelona, “close to joining Barcelona and AC Milan” according to Mundo Deportivo.
Barcelona has a long history of housing prolific goal scorers and playmakers from Brazil, including Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Romario, Dani Alves and Neymar Jr., with Raphinha currently representing the Selecao in the squad per Barca Universal.
While discussing his career highlights in a recent media interview, Jardel noted that a special transfer to Camp Nou was a realistic option at one point in time.
The primary focus of Jardel’s recent interview centered on how he missed out on a call-up for the 2002 FIFA World Cup at a time when he believed he was among the best active strikers on the planet.
Jardel was never a player to contribute heavily in the attacking buildup, but his ability to strike the ball and score extraordinary goals was always viewed as something special.
The former striker spent most of his career shining bright at FC Porto where he made over 175 appearances with a staggering 168 goals to his name.
Another major highlight of his career came during his time at Galatasaray when he scored twice in his team’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid.
Despite his club success, Jardel’s international legacy never reached the levels expected from a player of his caliber, primarily owing to a lack of chances for unknown reasons.
He earned just a few senior appearances for the Brazilian national team and missed out on the 2002 World Cup squad that ultimately went on to win the tournament, despite being a worthy candidate.