As a kid, I wanted to be Pelé. [167] His teammate Kaká reflected, "Ronaldo is the best player I have ever played with. "[165] Ronaldo and Klinsmann's shared record of at least three goals in three separate World Cup finals was broken by German striker Miroslav Klose, who has a record of at least four goals in each of three tournaments, having netted five at both the 2002 and 2006 finals, and four at the 2010 tournament. [146] In the final against Germany in Yokohama, Japan, Ronaldo scored twice in Brazil's 2–0 win and tied Pelé's Brazilian record of 12 career World Cup goals. Emilio Butragueño stated, "Ronaldo creates a goalscoring opportunity where it doesn't exist. [40] During his first comeback on 12 April 2000, he played only six minutes during the first leg of the Coppa Italia final against Lazio before suffering a complete rupture of the knee-cap tendons. p. 138. [162] Brazil, however, were knocked out by France 1–0 with a goal by striker Thierry Henry in the quarter-finals. "[68] Michael Owen, who joined Madrid in 2004, acknowledged that he never got the chance to play with Ronaldo in his prime when "he had absolute blistering speed and strength, mesmerizing foot speed, he was just a blur, he'd be that fast", before adding, "even in training, he showed more than enough to convince me that I would have loved to play with him at his peak. But he also turned the game so that it will always look just a little bit like him. In April 2009, the family moved to a new penthouse in São Paulo. He has established records for goals scored and won individual awards en route to worldwide recognition as one of the best players in soccer. [208][209] Although they never married, they began a long-term relationship and lived together in Milan until the beginning of 1999. [126] Zagallo admitted the fears over Ronaldo affected his team psychologically, and stated "for the whole of the first half I was wondering whether to take him off", but feared a public outcry in Brazil had he done so. When he was 13 years old, he once scored a ridiculous 23 goals in a single game. I set off on that path. "[25] With his combination of speed, skill and finishing Ronaldinho called Ronaldo "the most complete striker there has ever been", a view echoed by Zlatan Ibrahimović, who stated, "as a football player, he was complete. Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi have had longer careers. [4][5] Ronaldo has a brother, Nélio Jr.[5][6] His parents separated when he was 11, and Ronaldo dropped out of school shortly afterward to pursue a career in football. Em julho de 2008, Ronaldinho recusou uma oferta de 25,5 milhões de euros do Manchester City e acabou se transferindo para o Milan por 18,5 milhões de euros, num contrato de cinco anos, com um salário em torno de 6,5 milhões de libras por ano. [55] That same reception was observed at the final game of the season against Athletic Bilbao, where Ronaldo scored to finish his first season with 23 league goals and seal La Liga title for 2003. Brazil turned in a second-place finish, and Ronaldinho won the Golden Ball Award as the tournament's best player as well as the Golden Boot Award as its leading goal scorer. ", "He was physical perfection, and he seemed like a mythical figure. "[137] A conspiracy surrounded Nike, the sportswear company who sponsored Ronaldo and the Brazilian national team, with some in Brazil believing the company had forced Ronaldo to play. [11] Ronaldo's agents in Brazil, Reinaldo Pitta and Alexandre Martins, signed him as a 13-year-old. [94][95] On 9 December, however, Ronaldo signed a one-year deal with Flamengo's league rival Corinthians. [101][102] Following an injury lay off he returned on 20 September in a match against Goiás, and a week later scored for Corinthians in a draw against São Paulo FC. As a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position, Ronaldo has been the influence for a generation of strikers that have followed. "[29], His Barcelona teammate Óscar García observed, "I'd never seen anyone play football with such technical ability, creativity and precision at that incredible speed. [22] Speaking to ESPN, Ronaldo stated, "The experience [at Barcelona] was wonderful and I had reached an agreement to renew my contract just a month before that season finished, but a week later the lawyer and the president of Barcelona agreed that that contract was absurd. "He could go in a restaurant, and I could go in with him, and you're not just there with close friends. But I know that one day they will be broken. [7][21] His Inter teammate Djorkaeff stated, "when we were training, we would practically stop to watch him. [21] Sid Lowe of Sports Illustrated states, "That season Ronaldo was unstoppable. Hope Solo proved to be one of the world's top goalkeepers while helping the U.S. women's soccer team win two Olympic gold medals and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. [16] Before joining Cruzeiro, he was turned down by Flamengo, the team he supported as a boy, after missing practice due to an inability to afford the fare for the hour-long bus ride, but Jairzinho saw Ronaldo's potential and helped get him the move to Cruzeiro. [99] Ultimately, he helped Corinthians win the Campeonato Paulista with 10 goals in 14 games. He was ridiculously good. I love, "The knee injuries suffered at Inter Milan took away the explosiveness that made him possibly the greatest young footballer of all time, a futuristic fusion of speed, strength and skill. Ronaldo starred alongside Romário, dubbed the Ro-Ro attack, in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, helping Brazil win their first ever Confederations Cup title where he finished as the third highest scorer with 4 goals, scoring a hat-trick over Australia in the final. Football is all about passion. [44] Ronaldo's physiotherapist Nilton Petrone stated, "his knee-cap actually exploded", and called it "the worst football injury" he's ever seen. "[20], Nick Miller, match reporter for The Guardian, writes, "What's striking about Ronaldo in that first year at PSV is how complete he looks, even as a skinny teenager. "[249] P. 174. [172] With 62 goals for Brazil Ronaldo retired from international football as the second-highest goalscorer for his country, behind only Pelé (Neymar has since moved into second place, with Ronaldo the third-highest scorer as of October 2020). A happening. In 2005, Ronaldinho and Brazilian dancer Janaína Mendes had a son, named João, after Ronaldinho's late father. Brazilian soccer prodigy Neymar has lived up to lofty expectations with his play for FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. "The only grass on the field was in the corner," Ronaldinho remembers. Yokohama, Japan. ", "There were two Ronaldos: the one that returned after long-term injury in 2002 was a great goalscorer, but the 1990s version was a great everything. Pierwszą bramkę dla „rossonerich”, strzelił w derbowym spotkaniu przeciwko drużynie Inter Mediolan – 28 września, wygranym 1:0. [249][250] To celebrate 15 years of the boot, Nike created a Mercurial Vapor IX inspired by the 1998 design, with Phil McCartney, VP of Football Footwear for Nike, stating; "Ronaldo's impact on the game 15 years ago was immense, and in the run up to 2014, we wanted to celebrate that boot and the man himself. [205], In September 2018, Ronaldo became the majority owner of La Liga club Real Valladolid after buying a 51% controlling stake in the club for €30 million. In addition to soccer, Ronaldinho also played futsal—an offshoot of soccer played indoors on a hard court surface and with only five players on each side. [76] The next game at Siena, on 17 February, Ronaldo scored twice and assisted on a third goal in his first start for Milan, as they won 4–3. At that moment I'd have to go and live on the North Pole. "I understand perfectly, I'm openly a Flamengo fan. [133] Steinberg states that Ronaldo "sleepwalked" through the final, which also saw him injured in a collision with French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. During the playing of the Brazil national anthem the camera focused on him throughout, with Ronaldo showing little emotion. "[198] On his speed of thought, Kaká said "For me the best players are those who are able to think of a play and execute it quickest and in the best way possible, and Ronaldo was the best at that. [24], Ronaldo was at his physical peak at Barcelona, and many of his 47 goals involved him rounding the goalkeeper before slotting the ball into the net. [204], At his physical peak in the 1990s, Ronaldo became severely affected by the knee injuries he suffered from late 1999 onward and the subsequent weight gain during his inactivity, which limited his speed, fitness, and mobility. [59] He finished the season as La Liga's top scorer with 25 goals and received the Pichichi Trophy for a second time, despite Madrid losing the league title to Valencia. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Or talks about it. [144] The match-winner against Turkey in the semi-final, with the winning goal a toe-poke finish with little back-lift while on the run – a finish he learned while playing futsal in his youth – the final whistle saw fans behind the goal hoist huge white letters to spell out his name akin to the Hollywood sign. [240] Archive footage of Ronaldo features in the music video "We Are One (Ole Ola)", the official song of the 2014 World Cup by Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez. He revealed, "when I arrived in training with this haircut everybody stopped talking about the injury". [171] Fred celebrated his goal with Ronaldo's famous 'finger wag' celebration along with his Brazilian teammates. Lionel Messi is a soccer player with FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. [59], In the 2003–04 season, Madrid were on track to win the treble, until Ronaldo was injured towards the end of the season; they subsequently lost the Copa del Rey final, were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals to AS Monaco, and suffered a league form breakdown. Then I met Ronaldo. [100], Ronaldo scored in Corinthians 4–2 aggregate defeat of Internacional in the final of the 2009 Copa do Brasil, helping the club win the trophy for the third time (the second of his career), thus earning a spot in the Copa Libertadores 2010. [130][131][132] Hours before the final against France, Ronaldo suffered a convulsive fit. He was named player of the tournament in 1997, was the top scorer in 1999, and he scored in the finals of both – against Bolivia in 1997 and Uruguay in 1999. ", "Ronaldo wins world player award for third time", "Laureus World Comeback of the Year 2003 nominees", "Ronaldo: "I didn't want to leave Real Madrid, "Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima - Goals in International Matches", "Kaka's spectacular run with Milan and Brazil overshadowed by his successors", "Brazil give magic quartet another chance to shine", "At the 2006 World Cup Ronaldo was jeered for being overweight and too slow", "Official FIFA Awards: Zidane wins adidas Golden Ball award", "World Cup Rewind: Ronaldo sets all-time goals world record", "World Cup rewind: Miroslav Klose beats Ronaldo's all-time goals record", "Kaka: I prefer Brazilian Ronaldo over Cristiano", "Ronaldo makes emotional farewell appearance for Brazil against Romania", "Ronaldo laughs off misses in his final match for Brazil", "Neymar surpasses Ronaldo as Brazil's second-highest goalscorer", "Hamburg to host 2011 Match Against Poverty –", "Blic Sport | Ronalda ne napušta osećaj za gol /video/", "Zinedine Zidane And Ronaldo Reunite For Charity Match", "Match Against Poverty: Brazil's Ronaldo stars", "Didier Drogba to join Ronaldo and Zidane in 12th annual Match Against Poverty", "World Cup 2018: Ronaldo and Robbie Williams star in opening ceremony", "Ronaldo, Romario Reinvented Striker's Role, Says Thierry Henry", "Ronaldo e Batistuta. Visit the AC Milan official website: all the latest news on the team and club, info on matches, tickets and official stores "[58] He scored in a 2–1 home win over Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, but injury crucially kept him out of most of the second leg defeat where Real were eliminated. Then, in 1997, a teenaged Ronaldinho won a call-up to Brazil's Under-17 national team. [252], Ronaldo has appeared in a series of Nike commercials. "[195] The goalscoring idol of Lionel Messi, the Argentine states "Ronaldo was the best striker I've ever seen. [138], Prior to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo had barely played since rupturing the cruciate ligament in his right knee in April 2000, and he missed Brazil's entire qualification campaign where, in his absence, the team had been poor. "Rigorous Magic: Communication Ideas and their Application". It was extraordinary. [180] Joined by Didier Drogba in attack, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in the next year's match on 21 April 2015 in St Etienne, France, with proceeds going towards the African countries most affected by the Ebola epidemic. "[21] In one on one situations, Ronaldo often used elaborate moves to trick and beat defenders and goalkeepers; he popularised the use of many football tricks and skills, such as the elastico and the step over. [7], Ronaldo has been sponsored by sportswear company Nike since the early part of his career. [89] The club confirmed after the match that Ronaldo had ruptured the kneecap ligament in his left knee. [127] At first, he was removed from the starting lineup 72 minutes before the match, and the team sheet (with Edmundo as his replacement) was submitted to the FIFA delegate. Because he knows he's black. [121][122][123] He also took part in the friendly Tournoi de France in 1997, preceding the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring a goal as Brazil finished in second. Ronaldinho played for Milan from 2008 to 2011 and scored 20 goals in 76 appearances. "[21] Ronaldo's second season was marred by a knee injury which kept him out of most of the campaign, but he still averaged nearly a goal a game, scoring 19 goals in 21 appearances. He served as an ambassador for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. [255][256] In the run-up to the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo starred as a mentor in Nike's Risk Everything animated commercial with a host of current players in the Nike stable. Ronaldinho signed with Atlético Mineiro in June 2012, a move that reignited his dynamic playmaking abilities, and he was given another shot with the national team to make the 2014 World Cup roster. [27], —Quinton Fortune remembers playing against Ronaldo in the 1996–97 season. In 2020, Ronaldo was named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team, a greatest all-time XI published by France Football magazine. [32] Ronaldo was given his most recognizable nickname, Il Fenomeno, by the Italian press while playing there. There is no direct surgery for that so the kneecap keeps, for a lack of a better word, "dancing" on the femur. [14] Aged 16, he made his professional debut on 25 May 1993 against Caldense in the Minas Gerais State Championship. [210], In April 1999, Ronaldo married Brazilian footballer Milene Domingues, at the time pregnant with the couple's first son, Ronald, who was born in Milan, on 6 April 2000. "[25] José Mourinho, who worked as an interpreter at Barcelona, referred to Ronaldo as "the greatest player I have ever seen in my life", adding, "I have no doubts. "[139] In a remarkable comeback from injury that had threatened his career, Ronaldo led Brazil to their record fifth World Cup title, receiving the Golden Boot as top scorer with eight goals. [241], Ronaldo has appeared in various commercials, from Snickers chocolate bar to Pirelli tyres. [90] Teammate Clarence Seedorf stated, "My heart stopped beating because it was like watching a repeat of the injury he suffered playing for Inter Milan against Lazio [in 2000]. Later in 2002, he won the FIFA World Player of the Year award for the third time, and transferred from Inter to Real Madrid. "[116] Dubbed the "three R's", Ronaldo starred in a formidable attack alongside Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, and the trio were named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team. [56][64][185] Dubbed Il (or O) Fenomeno (the phenomenon), he was a prolific goalscorer, and despite being more of an individualistic attacker, he was also capable of providing assists for his teammates, due to his vision, passing and crossing ability. [238] Simon Crerar of The Times listed Ronaldo's performance as one of the thirty-three funniest cameos in the history of the show. His stepover was a form of hypnosis, and his signature trick, the elastico, could certainly have come from a computer screen. I think of an action but I can't do it the way I want to. He says that his soccer career has been an emotional roller coaster filled with high highs, low lows and a lifetime of unforgettable moments. In 2003, Ronaldinho fulfilled a lifelong dream by joining FC Barcelona of the Spanish league, one of the world's most storied clubs, and winning the legendary No. [31] Ronaldo started to develop into a complete forward. [251] Unveiled in 2000, a bronze statue of Ronaldo is located next to Ronaldo Field at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. He's the most spectacular player I've ever seen. [115] He stated he was "overjoyed" at the experience. [21], His coach at Barcelona, Bobby Robson, commented: "Ronaldo could start from the halfway line and the whole stadium would ignite. [107][108][109] In an emotional press conference on 14 February, he cited pain and hypothyroidism as the reasons for his premature retirement. "Ronaldo had a problem called trochlear dysplasia. "[65] In four and a half seasons at the club, Ronaldo scored over a century of goals, becoming the fifth foreigner at Madrid to achieve the feat after Argentine Alfredo Di Stéfano, Hungarian Ferenc Puskás, Mexican Hugo Sánchez and Chilean Iván Zamorano. [246][247], —Joaquin Hidalgo, director of Nike's Brazilian marketing unit, 1998. The following month, Ronaldinho headlined a very talented Brazilian squad that entered the World Cup with sky-high expectations. Ronaldinho in action for AC Milan in 2008. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʁoˈnawdu ˈlwis nɐˈzaɾju dʒi ˈɫĩmɐ]; born 18 September 1976),[2] commonly known as Ronaldo, is a Brazilian business owner, president of La Liga club Real Valladolid, and a retired professional footballer who played as a striker. "[85] In 2011, Paul Wilson wrote in The Guardian, "Ronaldo was unlucky in his timing or his choice of club – for there is no doubt that at his very best he would have walked into any club in the world. [56][64][194] Sid Lowe of Sports Illustrated writes, "When he was one on one with the goalkeeper, you knew that he would score. "[8][9][10] Spotted by former Brazilian player Jairzinho, who was coaching São Cristóvão, Ronaldo played for the São Cristóvão youth team where he showcased his talents on the field. "[18] His dribbles from midfield caught the attention of many in the sport, with future Barcelona teammate Luis Enrique stating, "I'd seen him on television at PSV and thought ‘wow'. [55] Ronaldo scored twice on his debut against Alavés, the first 61 seconds after coming on, and he received a standing ovation at the Santiago Bernabéu as he left the field. Soccer player Ronaldo starred for the Brazilian national team and several European clubs over the course of a career that spanned nearly two decades. "[91] Silvio Berlusconi told Italy's RAI TV, "He fears for his career. [32] Ronaldo's performances at the club – especially the first two seasons before injury – saw him named among the four inaugural inductees into the Inter Milan Hall of Fame in 2018. Some players were technical, some were quick, some were strong, some were smart...Ronaldo was all of those. Mutasd az orrod, megmondom, milyen vagy! The Brazilian superstar remains close to his family, with brother Roberto serving as his agent and sister Deisy acting as his press coordinator. [24], —Fabio Capello on Ronaldo’s weight issues at Madrid. The ceremony reportedly cost £700,000 (€896,000). [28] Such was the manner Ronaldo ran through opposing defences, former Real Madrid forward Jorge Valdano commented; "he's not a man, he's a herd". "[73] On 25 January, Ronaldo flew from Madrid to Milan, with statements on the club's website stating Ronaldo was in Milan for a medical, and that a meeting had been arranged with Real Madrid officials to discuss and finalize his transfer to the Milanese club. "Football's Great Heroes and Entertainers". [103], In February 2010, Ronaldo signed a contract extension with Corinthians that would keep him with the club until the end of 2011, and said he would then retire. [22] During the 1996–97 season, Ronaldo scored 47 goals in 49 games in all competitions, with his goal celebration invariably the same with his arms outstretched like the statue of Christ the Redeemer that watches over his native Rio de Janeiro. His innate ability went beyond anything that I'd ever seen or played alongside. called Ronaldo a "phenomenal traitor", and some angry fans burned Ronaldo shirts outside the Flamengo headquarters. Had he managed to stay free of injury, he had every chance of becoming the best footballer ever. [185], Comparing his natural ability to Roger Federer, Paul MacDonald of Goal writes, "there's a joy to be had watching something we know to be extremely difficult executed with considerable ease. The real Ronaldo is the greatest No.9 in history", "Veltroni intervista Cannavaro: «Scudetto al Napoli. Antony Young (2007). [237], Ronaldo appeared in The Simpsons season 18 episode "Marge Gamer" broadcast in April 2007. [15], Ronaldo scored 44 goals in 47 games with Cruzeiro, leading them to their first Copa do Brasil in 1993, and the Minas Gerais State Championship in 1994. Ronaldo in his prime was able to do that better than anyone who has ever played the game. [51][52], Having signed for Real Madrid for €46 million, his jersey sales broke all records on the first day. Living with that kind of background, I learned a great deal from them. [7][17], Ronaldo chose to join PSV after the 1994 World Cup. "[126] Adrian Williams, professor of clinical neurology at Birmingham University, said that Ronaldo should not have played, that he would have been feeling the after effects of the seizure, and "there is no way that he would have been able to perform to the best of his ability within 24 hours of his first fit – if it was his first fit. "[58] By 2003 he was fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, and had a good understanding of English. [214][215][216] Ronaldo's father, Nelio Nazario, stated, "He knows full well that he's black. In 2005, Ronaldo became engaged to Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniela Cicarelli, who became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage; the relationship lasted only three months after their luxurious wedding at the Château de Chantilly. [40], After his move to Milan, Ronaldo joined the list of the few players to have played for both Inter Milan and A.C. Milan in the Derby della Madonnina, and is one of few players to have scored for both rival teams in the Milan derby game (for Inter in the 1998–99 season and for A.C. Milan in the 2006–07 season), the others being players such as Giuseppe Meazza, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Enrico Candiani and Aldo Cevenini.
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