The former Brazil striker Romario has been elected to the senate in his home country after winning 63.4% of the vote for the Rio de Janeiro seat.
The 48-year-old Socialist candidate, who was part of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winning side, finished comfortably ahead of his Democratic Party rival, Cesar Maria, who received 20.5%.
Elected as a congressman for the Social Party in 2010, Romario was strongly hosting the 2014 World Cup, alleging corruption and a waste of public money.
Romario came to prominence in Europe after a successful spell with PSV Eindhoven secured a move to Barcelona in 1993, where he helped the Catalan club to La Liga title and the Champions League final in his first season, scoring 30 goals in 33 matches.
