- published: 08 Oct 2011
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Mário Jardel de Almeida Ribeiro (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈmaɾiu ʒaʁˈdɛw]; born 18 September 1973) is a Brazilian retired footballer. He was most noted for his positioning on the field and his heading ability. He was a legend for Grêmio, playing a major part in the squad that won the 1995 Copa Libertadores. With his exceptional positioning ability, he was able to become one of Europe's most prolific strikers during his time at FC Porto, Galatasaray, and Sporting CP, scoring 266 goals in 274 games for those clubs.
After leaving Sporting in 2003, at 29 years old, Jardel had a succession of brief and unsuccessful stints at clubs in England, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Argentina and Australia. He then played for several smaller clubs in Brazil before retiring in 2011.
Jardel made his debut for the Brazil national football team in 1996, making a total of 10 appearances and being selected for the 2001 Copa America.
Jardel played first for Vasco da Gama, but moved in 1995 to Grêmio, where he won the 1995 Copa Libertadores.