| Roberto Batata | |
| Fullname: | Roberto Monteiro |
| Position: | Forward |
| Birth Date: | 1949 7, mf=yes |
| Death Place: | Belo Horizonte, Brazil |
| Clubs1: | América-MG |
| Years2: | 1969–1976 |
| Clubs2: | Cruzeiro |
| Caps2: | 90 |
| Goals2: | 24 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1975 |
| Nationalteam1: | Brazil |
| Nationalcaps1: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 3 |
Roberto Monteiro, commonly known by the nickname Roberto Batata (July 24, 1949 – May 13, 1976), was an association football forward who played for several Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Cruzeiro and for the Brazil national team.[1]
Batata's nickname, meaning Roberto Potato, was given by the head coach João Crispim, because of his love for French fries (known in Brazil as batata frita).[2]
Born in Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais, Roberto Batata started his professional career playing for América-MG, leaving the club to join Cruzeiro in 1969.[1] Defending Cruzeiro, he won the Campeonato Mineiro in 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974 and in 1975, and the Copa Libertadores in 1976.[1] He played 90 Série A games for his club, scoring 24 goals.[3] Including other competition games, he played 281 games for Cruzeiro, and scored 110 goals.[2]
Roberto Batata played six Copa América games in 1975, scoring three goals.[4] His first game was played on July 31, against Venezuela.[4] He scored his first two goals for the national team against that same country, on August 13.[4] His third goal was scored on September 30, against Peru.[4] His last game for the national team was played on October 4, against Peru.[4]
Batata died on May 13, 1976, in Belo Horizonte, after a car crash at Rodovia Fernão Dias when he was traveling to Três Corações to visit his wife Denize and his eleven-month son Leonardo.[2] The accident happened one day after he played his last game for Cruzeiro, in which he helped his team beat Alianza Lima of Peru 4–0, scoring one of the goals.[2]
Roberto Batata is buried in Cemitério Bonfim - Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais