SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Romario turns 40 on Sunday and he has a lot to celebrate.
The striker - arguably one of Brazil's greatest players - remains in great form despite his age, continuing to amaze soccer enthusiasts around the world.
Romario, who recently said only Pele was better than him inside the penalty area, doesn't have the same speed and explosiveness that made him famous during his prime.
But somehow he continues to do what he did best - score goals.
The veteran stunned everyone last year by winning the scoring title in the tough Brazilian league. He netted 22 goals, two more than 22-year-old Argentina international Carlos Tevez of Corinthians.
Romario is trying to reach his career goal No. 1,000 and has already scored eight times in six matches with Vasco in 2006. Five of those came in friendlies against smaller clubs, however, in matches set up by Vasco as part of a project called "Romario 1,000," aimed at helping the striker reach the milestone.
"I don't care if it's in a pickup game, a World Cup or against a third-division club, the goals are worth the same," Romario said recently.
Romario led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title in the United States and says he has a total of 949 goals in his 21-year career. The striker's main objective is to score the remaining 51 goals by the end of the season.
He had 35 goals in 2005.
Vasco, a four-time national champion, is doing what it can to help. In addition to setting up the friendlies, the club also has given Romario some exclusive privileges.
The beach-loving striker is not obliged to practice nearly as much as his teammates. Last week, he was allowed to miss two training sessions so he could attend a pre-Carnival party.
The missed practice didn't seem to make a difference as Romario scored a hat trick the next day in Vasco's 5-3 loss to Botafogo in the Rio de Janeiro state championship.
"I went to bed at 4 a.m. the night of the match and still scored three goals, that's how my body works," Romario said. "I've always said I never liked to practice although that doesn't mean I didn't work hard earlier in my career."
His recent performances have kept the subject of retirement at bay, but the charismatic player already talks about a possible career in politics and as a TV talk show host after he's done playing.
"There's a possibility I'll get into politics," Romario said. "And if I do run for office, it will be mainly to help the poor children in the shantytowns."
Romario's prestige in Brazil is such that some fans have been demanding his presence with the country's national team at the World Cup in Germany.
Romario missed the 1998 World Cup in France because of a last-minute injury, although many said he would have had a chance to recover and shouldn't have been cut from the squad. Already a veteran in 2002, he was left out of the competition by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Romario made his last official appearance with Brazil - his 84th overall - in 2005 in a friendly against Guatemala. He scored his 71st - and final - goal with the national team in that match.
"I had my moment in the national team," Romario said. "Thankfully, it's been quite some time that it doesn't need my services anymore."
Romario burst onto the scene with Vasco in 1985. He returned to the club in 2000, after having played abroad with PSV Eindhoven and FC Barcelona. He also played with Vasco rivals Flamengo and Fluminense.
"It was with Barcelona that I could show my true potential to the world," Romario said. "I would've been named the best player in the world another three of four times if I had stayed there."
Romario, voted the world's top player in 1994, said that former Barcelona teammate Michael Laudrup was the best offensive partner he ever played with.
Despite speculation he was going to retire at the end of last season, Romario renewed his contract with Vasco earlier this month until the end of the year.
Romario also intends to pursue a career in beach soccer after retiring. Last year, he helped Brazil earn third place in FIFA's inaugural Beach Soccer World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.