How World Cup winner Roque Junior ended up at Leeds United — Four Four Two 22/2/25
By Joe Mewis
Contributions from Felipe Rocha
Leeds United thought they had pulled off a transfer coup
when they landed World Cup winner Roque Junior in 2003
In 2003, Leeds United were at the start of a crisis that
would take them the best part of two decades to recover from.
Under free-spending chairman Peter Ridsdale the club reached
the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001, but their subsequent failure
to qualify for Europe’s top tournament meant the club were quickly up against
it financially when the bills started to arrive.
After selling a host of players and narrowly avoiding the
drop in the 2002/03 Premier League season, Leeds were in a full-on relegation
dogfight the following year, meaning manager Peter Reid had to rely on loan
moves and free transfers to pad out his squad.
A Champions League and World Cup winner, who had just turned
27 years old sounds like an ideal player to throw into this situation, but
unfortunately for Leeds, the signing of Brazil international Roque Junior did
not pan out as anyone would have hoped.
The centre-back, who had been a part of the Brazil squad
that lifted the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea had won the Champions
League with AC Milan at the end of the 2002/03 campaign, so why was he heading
to Elland Road just four months later?
“I received offers
from Bolton and Newcastle, but they didn’t progress far. Then Leeds made an
offer and I saw it as a chance to experience a new league and country, learning
new styles of play and immersing myself in new cultures. Unfortunately, my time
at Leeds was short, but it was an experience I value.”
Roque Junior had
first-hand experience of Leeds United when he came up against the Whites during
the Champions League group stage in 2000, something which influenced his
decision to move to the Premier League.
“I think so,” he
adds. “Leeds are a historic club with a lot of tradition, and in that period
they were playing in the Champions League, which shows how strong they were. I
remember those games being tough for Milan, at home and away. Leeds had
passionate fans and that atmosphere stayed with me, so I already had a good
impression of the club when the chance to join them came later.”
Any excitement that Leeds had signed a difference-maker in
their battle against relegation soon disappeared, as a disastrous debut in a
4-0 defeat at Leicester City was a sign of things to come, as he was red carded
in his home debut against Birmingham City. The club shipped in 25 goals in his
seven appearances, losing six times and he would return to Milan after just
three months. His stint was ranked at No.24 in FourFourTwo's worst-ever Premier
League spells.
By that time Peter Reid had been sacked, but Roque Junior
looks back at his time with the former Manchester City and Sunderland boss
warmly.
“Peter was a good man – always upbeat and positive, even
though Leeds were going through a difficult period. That’s what I remember most
about him: his positivity. The club was struggling, but he tried to lift
spirits and keep us motivated. It was a pleasure to work with him.”