Jardel Suffered Depression and Cocaine Overdose After 2002 Snub

Left off the 2002 World Cup squad, Mário Jardel suffered a deep depression and later turned to cocaine.

“I scored more goals than anyone else, and to this day I don’t understand why Luiz Felipe Scolari decided not to call me up for the Brazil World Cup squad,” Jardel told the Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, as reported by Eurosport. “From that moment on, my life was over,” said the player nicknamed Super Mario by fans.

Jardel netted 168 goals in 175 matches for Porto and 67 goals in 62 appearances for Sporting, attracting interest from FC Barcelona and AC Milan. Following the 2002 tournament, however, his career took a sharp downward turn, leading him to play in eight different countries before his 2011 retirement.

Jardel overcame cocaine overdose with psychiatric treatment

The former striker admitted he tried cocaine in 2003 because he felt it temporarily cured his depression.

“It happened that I was awake for a whole week. Then once I overdosed, I was close to death, and a friend saved me. That’s when I hit rock bottom,” he told Eurosport HU. Psychiatric treatment and family support ultimately helped him leave drugs behind.

Brazil won all seven matches of the 2002 tournament with an 18–4 goal difference under Scolari. The squad relied heavily on attacking stars Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Kaká, Juninho, and Denílson, alongside attacking full-backs Cafú and Roberto Carlos, while Jardel made only ten appearances for the national team between 1996 and 2001, scoring one goal, according to Eurosport HU.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many goals did Mário Jardel score for Sporting CP?

Jardel scored 67 goals in 62 matches for the Lisbon club, according to Eurosport HU.

When did Mário Jardel retire from professional football?

He retired in 2011 after playing in eight different countries following his peak years, as reported by Eurosport HU.

Who managed the Brazil national team during the 2002 World Cup?

Luiz Felipe Scolari managed the squad to victory, winning all seven matches with an 18–4 goal difference, according to Eurosport HU.