Romario given helping hand in his quest for 1,000th goal

Vasco da Gama have given veteran striker Romario a helping hand in his quest to score 1,000 goals by declaring a training match to be an official friendly.

Vasco were due to take on part-timers Duque de Caxias at their training centre last night in what the club's official website described as the first pre-season friendly of 2006.

"It gives Romario another reason to be motivated," said Vasco.

"Goals scored in friendlies will also count towards the incredible total of 1,000 goals in his career."

Romario, who will be 40 at the end of this month, has signed a new one-deal year with Vasco after finishing as last year's Brazilian championship top-scorer with 22 goals.

Vasco's ploy is likely to add to the controversy about how many goals he has scored in his career.

The total is quoted at anything between 913 and 949 and Brazilian media suggested that many of his goals until now have been scored in youth team matches, pre-season friendlies and training games.

Similarly, Pele's total of more than 1,000 goals, which Romario wants to emulate, also included goals in matches which nowadays would not be counted as official, such as games for the Brazilian army.

Brazilian media have reported that Vasco intend to declare another training session tomorrow as a club friendly.

"I don't think even Romario knows how many goals he's scored," said Vasco coach Renato Portaluppi.