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Mário Jardel Almeida Ribeiro (born 18 September 1973 in Fortaleza, Brazil) is a professional footballer.
Jardel played for Vasco Da Gama, but moved in 1995 to Grémio Porto Alegre, where he won the Libertadores Cup.
In 1996, he was linked to several teams, and after failing a transfer to SL Benfica and Rangers (due to the strict British rules involving non-EU players) he signed to Portuguese side FC Porto, where with help from players such as Zlatko Zahovic, Sérgio Conceição and mainly Ljubinko Drulovic he won 4 consecutive golden boots, with a goal average slightly over 1 goal/match (130 goals in 125 games, avg: 1.04). He was sold to Galatasaray before the 2000-2001 season.
Scoring five goals in his debut match might suggested he was going to adapt himself well to his new club, but injuries and familiar problems hinted he was going to move outside Turkey again. He ended the season with 22 Goals.
In 2001-2002, failed his turkish adventure, he tried to return to Portugal. The first team interested in his contract was SL Benfica, and was a major key in Manuel Vilarinho's campaign, but talks failed. Then, he returned to Porto, but his transfer was refused by coach Octávio Machado. Sporting appeared last, but took the player.
The 2001-2002 proved quite successful to Jardel - 42 goals in 30 games, and won both the Primeira Liga and the Portuguese Cup. He also captured his fifth gold boot.
While the 2001-2002 season was arguably the best season in Jardel's career, the following season proved to be the beginning of the end. Left outside the Brazilian national team again, this time for the 2002 World Cup (despite his tremendous goal-scoring abilities he was rarely called) and unfit at the start of the season, he spent the most of it on the injury list.
While physically he was only overweight, medical reports showed that Jardel was depressed. Some say it was because of a discussion with his agent José Veiga, others pointed possible promiscuous behaviours by his wife, illegal gambling problems or drug abuse. In the Christmas break he returned to his native Fortaleza, where he injured his knee by falling on the pool. He scored only nine goals that season.
He was released by Sporting before the start of the 2003-2004 season. He moved to English side Bolton Wanderers, but haven't scored a goal in seven games. During the winter break, he moved to Italian side Ancona, but never convinced the staff of his physical capabilities. By the end of the season, he quit european football, and tried to return at Corinthians, but also failed to pass physical exams.
On July 2004 Jardel signed a contract with Rosario side Newell's Old Boys, after rumours about a possible return to Portugal, to play in the newly promoted Penafiel, where his former team mate Ljubinko Drulovic plays and António Oliveira (his first Porto manager) assumed the chairman position.
In 25 September 2004, Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola published a seven page investigation report about Jardel's career. The investigation concluded that Jardel was actually involved in drugs and nightlife, which combined with several broken promises related to transfers (including one to Real Madrid, weeks before Ronaldo joined them in 2002) led him to depression. Later that day, Jardel confirmed most of the story to web portal Mais Futebol'.