Name Rosenery do | ||
Died 2011, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||
Rosenery Mello do Nascimento (1965, Rio de Janeiro – June 4, 2011), best known by the stage name Rosenery Mello, was a Brazilian celebrity and model also known as "Fogueteira do Maracanã".
She was known by the incident at the football game between the teams of Brazil and Chile in the Maracanã Stadium, in a World Cup qualifier in 1989. A firework thrown by Mello landed about a yard away from Chilean goalkeeper Roberto Rojas. Rojas then deliberately cut himself with a razor hidden in his glove in an attempt to have the match nullified and possibly have Brazil penalized by FIFA. Rojas, his head bloodied, was carried off the field; his teammates then refused to return claiming that conditions were unsafe. The match was unfinished.
Video evidence later showed that Rojas had not been hit by the firework. His head injury was discovered to have been self-inflicted with a razor blade hidden in his glove. FIFA awarded Brazil a 2–0 win, effectively eliminating Chile from the 1990 World Cup. As a consequence, Chile was banned from the 1994 FIFA World Cup and Rojas was banned for life, along with the coach Orlando Aravena and the team doctor Daniel Rodriguez.
In November 1989, she was the cover of men's magazine Playboy.
Rosenery Mello died of brain aneurysm on 4 June 2011, at the age 45, in Rio de Janeiro.
