Roberto Carlos’s Narrow Escape: Brazil’s Football Legend Under Emergency Heart Surgery
31 December 2025
Emergency procedure for a Brazil legend
Brazilian football icon Roberto Carlos, now 52, underwent emergency heart surgery after doctors diagnosed a heart condition while he was with his wife and child. Initial signs included a small blood clot in his leg, which prompted hospital transport, according to sources reporting on the event.
Following a full-body MRI, clinicians identified a heart issue that required urgent surgery to install a tube. The operation, initially planned to last about 40 minutes, stretched to nearly three hours due to complications.
The former Real Madrid star is said to be in good condition post-surgery and will remain under hospital observation for 48 hours as a precaution.
Career context and current update
People close to the player told AS that Carlos is fine now. He spent 11 years with Real Madrid, appearing in 527 matches and collecting four La Liga titles along with three Champions League trophies between 1996 and 2007.
He finished second in the 2002 Ballon d’Or, a year when he helped Brazil clinch the World Cup. Carlos remains a celebrated figure in football, renowned for his thunderous left foot and memorable spells at Madrid.
As of now, the health update brings a sense of relief to fans who remember his contributions on the field and his iconic status in the sport.
