Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)

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Not to be confused with Cristiano Ronaldo.
For other footballers of the same name, see Ronaldo.

Ronaldo

Ronaldo in 2019

Personal information

Full name Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima

Date of birth 18 September 1976 (age 44)

Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)

Position(s) Striker

Youth career

1990–1993 São Cristóvão[1]

 Senior career*

Years Team Apps (Gls)

1993–1994 Cruzeiro 14 (12)

1994–1996 PSV 46 (42)

1996–1997 Barcelona 37 (34)

1997–2002 Inter Milan 68 (49)

2002–2007 Real Madrid 127 (83)

2007–2008 Milan 20 (9)

2009–2011 Corinthians 31 (18)

Total 343 (247)

National team

1993 Brazil U17 7 (5)

1996 Brazil U23 8 (6)

1994–2011 Brazil 98 (62)

show

Honours

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league
only

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. Popularly dubbed in Portuguese O
Fenômeno ("The Phenomenon"),[3] he is widely considered one of the greatest players of
all time. 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. His
individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times,
and winning two Ballon d'Or awards.
Ronaldo started his career at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He
joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then world record transfer fee, and at 20 years old he
was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient
of the award. In 1997, Inter Milan broke the world record fee to sign Ronaldo, making
him the first player since Diego Maradona to break the world transfer record twice. At 21
he received the 1997 Ballon d'Or, and he remains the youngest recipient of the award.
By the age of 23, Ronaldo had scored over 200 goals for club and country, however
after a series of knee injuries and recuperation he was inactive for almost three years.
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002 and won the 2002–03 La Liga title. He had spells
at A.C. Milan and Corinthians before retiring in 2011 having suffered further injuries.
Ronaldo played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals, and is the third-highest
goalscorer for his national team. At age 17, he was the youngest member of the
Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup,
Ronaldo received the Golden Ball for player of the tournament, helping Brazil reach the
final where he suffered a convulsive fit hours before kick-off. He won the 2002 FIFA
World Cup where he starred in a front three with Ronaldinho and Rivaldo. Ronaldo
scored twice in the final, and received the Golden Boot as the tournament's top
goalscorer. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo scored his 15th FIFA World Cup
goal, a FIFA World Cup record at the time. He also won the 1997 Copa América, where
he was player of the tournament, and the 1999 Copa América, where he was top
goalscorer.
One of the most marketable sportsmen in the world during his playing career, the
first Nike Mercurial boots–R9–were commissioned for Ronaldo in 1998. He was named
in the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living players compiled in 2004 by Pelé, and was
inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame, Italian Football Hall of
Fame, Inter Milan Hall of Fame and Real Madrid Hall of Fame. In 2020, Ronaldo was
named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team, a greatest all-time XI published by France
Football magazine. In retirement from sport, Ronaldo has continued his work as
a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador, a position to which
he was appointed in 2000. He served as an ambassador for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo became the majority owner of Real Valladolid in September 2018, after buying
51% of the club's shares.

Contents

 1Early life
 2Club career
o 2.1Cruzeiro
o 2.2PSV Eindhoven
 o 2.3Barcelona
o 2.4Inter Milan
 2.4.11997–99: World record transfer and Ballon d'Or win
 2.4.21999–2002: Recurring injury problems
o 2.5Real Madrid
 2.5.12002–2005: Ballon d'Or win and La Liga championship
 2.5.22005–2007: Final two seasons
o 2.6A.C. Milan
o 2.7Corinthians
 2.7.12009–2010: Paulistão and Copa do Brasil
 2.7.22011: Retirement
 3International career
o 3.11998 FIFA World Cup
o 3.22002 FIFA World Cup
o 3.32006 FIFA World Cup
o 3.4Farewell match and sporadic appearances
 4Style of play and legacy
 5Majority owner of Real Valladolid
 6Outside football
o 6.1Personal life
o 6.2Media
o 6.3Nike sponsorship
 7Career statistics
o 7.1Club
o 7.2International
o 7.3International goals
 8Honours
 9See also
 10References
 11External links

Early life
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima was born on 18 September 1976 in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, the third child of Nélio Nazário de Lima, Snr. and Sônia dos Santos Barata. [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. [7] He
played on the streets of Bento Ribeiro, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. His mother states, "I
always found him on the street playing ball with friends when he should have been in
school. I know, I lost my battle."[7] He joined Social Ramos athletic indoor futsal team at
the age of 12, and led the city youth league in scoring with a record 166 goals in his first
season which included scoring 11 of his team's 12 goals in a single game. [5][7] Crediting
futsal for developing his skills, Ronaldo has said, "futsal will always be my first love." [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.[11] Ronaldo's agents in Brazil, Reinaldo Pitta and Alexandre Martins, signed him
as a 13-year-old. Pitta stated, "We saw right away that he could be something different
than most other players."[7] Recognized as a child prodigy, Jairzinho recommended the
then 16-year-old to his former club Cruzeiro.[12]

Club career
Cruzeiro
"The first time I saw him play was at Cruzeiro. He was still a kid. It was in a game where he ended up scoring five
goals. From that point on he showed he was truly a phenomenon."
—Brazilian defender Cafu on 17-year-old Ronaldo.[13]

In 1993, Ronaldo began his football career playing for Cruzeiro.[14] Aged 16, he made his
professional debut on 25 May 1993 against Caldense in the Minas Gerais State
Championship.[14] Ronaldo came to national public attention on 7 November 1993,
scoring five goals in the game against Bahia.[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. [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. [7][17]
PSV Eindhoven
Ronaldo chose to join PSV after the 1994 World Cup. He was selected for the
tournament despite being just 17, but did not play in any games. It was Romário who
advised Ronaldo to move to PSV; Romário having played for PSV from 1988 to 1993.
[18]
 Ronaldo scored 30 league goals in his first season in the Netherlands. [19] After scoring
a hat-trick in PSV's game against Bayer Leverkusen in the 1994–95 UEFA Cup,
Leverkusen striker and Germany World Cup winner Rudi Völler stated in a post match
press conference, "Never in my life have I seen an 18-year-old play in this way." [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'.
Then he came to Barcelona. He's the most spectacular player I've ever seen. He did
things I'd never seen before. We're now used to seeing Messi dribble past six players,
but not then. Ronaldo was a beast." [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. Everything
that would come to define him – the lightning pace, the blurry stepovers, the implausible
impression that he was faster with the ball than without it, even the exceptional upper-
body strength – was all there."[18] Rob Smyth added, "In many ways Ronaldo was the
first PlayStation footballer. His stepover was a form of hypnosis, and his signature trick,
the elastico, could certainly have come from a computer screen." [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. [18] With PSV,
Ronaldo won the Dutch Cup in 1996 and he was Eredivisie top scorer in 1995.[19] During
his two seasons at the club he scored 54 goals in 58 games. [22]
Barcelona
Ronaldo scoring the winning penalty for Barcelona in the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against Paris
Saint-Germain

During his spell at PSV, Ronaldo attracted the attention of both Inter Milan and FC
Barcelona. It was Barcelona that was willing to pay the then world record fee of
$19.5 million.[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.[22] He
led the Catalan side to UEFA Cup Winners' Cup triumph where he capped the season
with the winning goal in the cup final, and to Copa del Rey and Supercopa de
España wins.[23] He also won La Liga top scorer award in 1997 with 34 goals in 37
games, and the European Golden Shoe.[24] Until the 2008–09 season, Ronaldo remained
the last player to score more than 30 goals in La Liga. [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. [22] Óscar García, Ronaldo's
teammate that season, stated, "Back then, he was all fibre and muscle. He was a
perfect physical specimen. Such incredible power matched to his technical skills could
make him unstoppable."[25] Atletico Madrid's Quinton Fortune, who played against
Ronaldo three times that season – Ronaldo scored eight goals – including having to
mark him once, stated, "I saw him after the match finished, and that's the nearest I was
to Ronaldo on the night. As a kid, I wanted to be Pelé. I bought all the books, all the
videos and I studied what it could be like to be the best. I set off on that path. Then I met
Ronaldo. Some players were technical, some were quick, some were strong, some
were smart...Ronaldo was all of those. He was a beast; it was unfair to everyone
else."[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. Ronaldo
is the best my eyes have seen",[26] and in 2014 regarded him as the best player post-
Diego Maradona.[27]
"He was physical perfection, and he seemed like a mythical figure. I love [Lionel] Messi, I played many times
with Cristiano [Ronaldo] and I adore him, Neymar is outstanding, Ronaldinho was exceptional—but if you put all of
them together, you might get what Ronaldo was that season."
—Quinton Fortune remembers playing against Ronaldo in the 1996–97 season.[25]

Arguably Ronaldo's most memorable Barcelona goal was scored at SD Compostela on
11 October 1996.[22] Having received the ball inside his own half, he evaded a cynical
tackle of the first opponent with a drag back, before running away from another and ran
towards goal where he went past two more defenders in the box with close ball control,
and then slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net. [22] The camera then cut to
Barcelona manager Bobby Robson who had got up off the bench and clasped his head
in disbelief at what he had seen.[22] The footage of the goal was later used in
a Nike advert with a voiceover asking: "Imagine you asked God to be the best player in
the world, and he listened to you".[22] The day after the goal, the headline in the Spanish
newspaper AS read: 'Pelé returns'.[22] A hat-trick against Valencia, the third goal of which
saw him dissect two Valencia defenders before striking the ball into the net, saw
Barcelona fans waving white handkerchiefs as an expression of admiration for an
exceptional performance.[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".[21] Sid Lowe of Sports Illustrated states, "That season Ronaldo was unstoppable.
He was slim and powerful, skillful, fast and deadly. He was ridiculously good." [29] At the
end of 1996, aged 20, Ronaldo became the youngest player to win FIFA World Player
of the Year.[22]
Inter Milan
1997–99: World record transfer and Ballon d'Or win

Ronaldo at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival

Ronaldo's time at Barcelona lasted one season, as there were problems with the
renegotiation of his contract.[22] Barcelona thought the talking was over having agreed a
new long-term contract with the best player in the world until 2006, as Barcelona
president Josep Lluís Núñez declared; "He's ours for life".[22] However, when the parties
reconvened to finalise the deal the following day, the agreement collapsed, with Núñez
admitting: "It's all over, Ronaldo is going".[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." [30] Paying the buy out
clause fee in his contract, Inter Milan signed him in the summer of 1997 for a then world
record fee of $27 million, making him the second player, after Diego Maradona, to break
the world transfer record twice.[21][22]
Ronaldo adapted to the Italian style of the game in his first season, finishing with 25
Serie A goals, and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year.[31] Ronaldo started to
develop into a complete forward. He began racking up assists, became first-choice
penalty taker, taking and scoring freekicks. Halfway through his first season he
won FIFA World Player of the Year for the second time, and collected the Ballon d'Or.
[32]
 During his time with Inter, he scored several goals against city rivals A.C. Milan in
the Derby della Madonnina. Ronaldo and prolific Fiorentina striker Gabriel
Batistuta were the two best strikers in Serie A, with their duels the most anticipated in
Italy.[33] Ronaldo's goal celebrations often saw his Inter teammates congratulating him by
kneeling down and pretending to shine his shoe. [34] Ronaldo scored a trademark goal
against Lazio in the 1998 UEFA Cup Final. Running through defence to go one on one
with Lazio goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani, Ronaldo feinted to go right then left, without
touching the ball, leaving Marchegiani on his backside, before going right and slotting
the ball into the net.[35] His Inter teammate Youri Djorkaeff stated; "Ronaldo was
phenomenal. He proved that he was a cut above the rest that season." [35] After the 1998
FIFA World Cup, where he was named player of the tournament, Ronaldo was widely
regarded as the best striker in the world. [21][36] By the end of the 1998–1999 season, he
was appointed Inter Milan captain.[37]
1999–2002: Recurring injury problems
"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. That is not to belittle Ronaldo’s achievements in
the second half of his career, when he scored eight goals in a single World Cup [in 2002] and became the first
Ronaldo to receive a standing ovation at Old Trafford [in 2003], but it is the memory of the early years that puts mist
in the eyes of grown men."
—Rob Smyth, The Guardian.[21]

After two seasons with Inter, A. C. Milan defender Paolo Maldini viewed Ronaldo and
Diego Maradona as the two best players he ever faced, stating, "Ronaldo during his first
two years at Inter was a phenomenon."[38] Inter had high hopes going into the 1999–2000
season with their attack including Ronaldo and Italian stars Roberto
Baggio and Christian Vieri.[39] However, on 21 November 1999, during a Serie A match
against Lecce, Ronaldo felt his knee buckle and was forced to limp off the field. [40] A
medical examination confirmed that the striker had ruptured a tendon in his knee and
would require surgery.[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.[41][42][43] As Ronaldo fell to the ground clutching
his knee, Lazio players including Diego Simeone ran over to help him, and fans of both
teams applauded him as he was stretchered off the field. [44] Ronaldo's physiotherapist
Nilton Petrone stated, "his knee-cap actually exploded", and called it "the worst football
injury" he's ever seen.[45]
Ronaldo was forced to miss the entire 2000–01 season and much of the two seasons
either side of it.[46] Since his Inter teammate Javier Zanetti had replaced him as the team
captain during his absence, he eventually inherited the captain's armband in late 2001.
[47]
 After two operations and rehabilitation, Ronaldo came back for the 2002 World Cup,
helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title. Later in 2002, he won the FIFA World
Player of the Year award for the third time, and transferred from Inter to Real Madrid.
[32]
 Ronaldo was given his most recognizable nickname, Il Fenomeno, by the Italian press
while playing there.[7][21] His Inter teammate Djorkaeff stated, "when we were training, we
would practically stop to watch him. It was extraordinary." [48] Prior to his November 1999
injury Ronaldo had registered 42 goals in 58 Serie A games, in what was the hardest
league to score in with the most advanced defensive strategies and the world's best
defenders.[49][50] After five years he had played 99 games and scored 59 goals
for Nerazzurri.[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.[51][52]
Real Madrid
2002–2005: Ballon d'Or win and La Liga championship

Ronaldo won La Liga in his first season and received the Pichichi Trophy in his second.

Having signed for Real Madrid for €46 million, his jersey sales broke all records on the
first day.[53] Ronaldo was part of the Galácticos era of global stars signed by the club
every summer, which included Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo, Roberto Carlos and David
Beckham.[54] He was sidelined through injury until October 2002 which added to the fans
anticipation.[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.[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.[56] He also won an Intercontinental Cup in 2002
and Spanish Super Cup in 2003, scoring in both finals.[56]

Ronaldo taking a shot for Real Madrid, 2 March 2005

In the second leg of Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final, Ronaldo scored a

hat-trick against Manchester United at Old Trafford, knocking the English team out of
the competition.[57] Ronaldo was substituted on 80 minutes and was given a standing
ovation from both sets of fans.[57] Reflecting on the ovation given to him from the
opposition's fans, Ronaldo stated, "For me it remains a very beautiful, very special
moment."[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.[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.[60][61] During that second season at the club, Ronaldo
scored one of the fastest goals in the club's history when he netted after 15 seconds in
a league match against Atlético Madrid at the Bernabéu on 3 December 2003.[62] Three
days later he helped to ensure Real's first league victory over Barcelona at the Nou
Camp in 20 years when he scored the second goal in a 2–1 victory over his former club.
[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.[24]
2005–2007: Final two seasons
"He [Ronaldo] was more talented [than Cristiano Ronaldo] and if he took care of himself like the Portuguese does, his
performances would have been even more incredible."
—Fabio Capello on Ronaldo’s weight issues at Madrid.[63]

In his final two seasons at Real Madrid, Ronaldo missed a number of games with
injuries and weight issues, and with the acquisition of Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2006, he
grew further out of favour with the manager Fabio Capello.[64] Speaking in 2017 on
Ronaldo's weight issues and lack of fitness at Madrid, in addition to his ability, Capello
summed up the conflicting emotions he has with the Brazilian, "the most difficult player
to handle was the best I coached: Ronaldo, il Fenomeno." [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.[66] Although the knee
injuries before 2002 meant he "was robbed of the explosiveness of his early years" by
the time he signed for Real Madrid, Ronaldo was named by Marca as a member of the
"Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history".[41][67]
While past his 1990s prime, Ronaldo still drew praise from his Madrid colleagues, with
Zidane stating, "Without hesitation, Ronaldo is the best player I ever played with or
against. He had such an ease with the ball. Every day I trained with him, I saw
something different, something new, something beautiful." [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."[69] Teammates for six months, Van Nistelrooy said, "Ronaldo was the best natural
talent I ever played with. His innate ability went beyond anything that I'd ever seen or
played alongside."[70][71]
A.C. Milan
Ronaldo's Inter Milan away jersey (left) and A.C. Milan away jersey (right) in the San Siro museum. He played
for Inter from 1997 to 2002, and A.C. Milan from 2007 to 2008.

On 18 January 2007, it was reported that Ronaldo agreed terms with A.C. Milan for a
transfer of €8.05 million.[72] Departing Real Madrid having been the club's leading
goalscorer for all of his four full seasons, Ronaldo thanked everyone except Capello, "I
would like to thank the fans who've supported me all the time and thank all the
teammates that I've had here and all the coaches I've had – except one". [73] Capello, who
dropped him due to weight issues, commented, "I wish him the best of luck in doing
what he used to do which is being a great player." [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. [74] On 26 January, Ronaldo
successfully completed his medical tests at the Milanello training complex under the
supervision of club doctors, and the transfer was completed on 30 January. [75] Wearing
the number 99 jersey, he made his debut as a substitute on 11 February 2007 in the 2–
1 victory over Livorno.[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. [77] In his first
season, Ronaldo scored seven goals in 14 appearances. [40]

Ineligible to play having signed for the club mid season, Ronaldo (standing sixth from left) celebrated the 2007
UEFA Champions League triumph with his A.C. Milan teammates.

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.
[78]
 Ronaldo is also one of the few players to have started for Real Madrid and FC
Barcelona, which also boasts a heated rivalry. Ronaldo, however, has never transferred
directly between rival clubs. Ronaldo only played 300-plus minutes in his second
season at Milan due to recurring injury problems and weight issues. [79] Ronaldo's only
goals in the 2007–08 season, besides his goal against Lecce in pre-season, came in a
5–2 victory against Napoli at the San Siro, where he scored an emotional double.[80] It
was also the first time Milan's much hyped attacking trio of Kaká, Alexandre Pato and
Ronaldo, known as Ka-Pa-Ro, played together.[81]
Despite tremendous success over the past decade, Ronaldo never won the UEFA
Champions League in his club career.[82] In 2019, FourFourTwo magazine named him
the best player never to win the competition; [83] in 2020, Sky Sports ranked him the
second–best player (after Diego Maradona) never to win the Champions League or
European Cup.[84] Ronaldo stated, "I live football with a passion that doesn't give me any
peace for not winning the Champions League – it's a trophy everyone would love to
win."[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."[64] During the 2006–07 season, though Milan won the 2006–
07 title, Ronaldo was cup-tied with Madrid and ineligible to take part. [86][87] The closest that
he came to Champions League success was in 2003 when he helped Real Madrid to
the semi-finals, in which they lost to Juventus.[88]
On 13 February 2008, Ronaldo suffered a severe season-ending knee injury while
jumping for a cross in Milan 1–1 draw with Livorno, and was stretchered off and taken to
a hospital.[89] The club confirmed after the match that Ronaldo had ruptured the kneecap
ligament in his left knee. It marked the third such occurrence of this injury, which he
suffered twice to his right knee in 1999 and 2000. [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]. His reaction was the
same."[91] Silvio Berlusconi told Italy's RAI TV, "He fears for his career. I called him last
evening and told him to believe in himself. He has enormous physical
potential."[90] Ronaldo was released by Milan at the end of the season, as his contract
expired and was not renewed.[92][93]
Corinthians
2009–2010: Paulistão and Copa do Brasil

Ronaldo during his Corinthians unveiling in 2009, with Brazil president Lula handing him the jersey

Ronaldo trained with Rio de Janeiro based Brazilian club Flamengo during his recovery
from knee surgery, and the club's board of directors said that the doors were open for
him to join.[94][95] On 9 December, however, Ronaldo signed a one-year deal with
Flamengo's league rival Corinthians.[96] The announcement received much publicity in
the Brazilian press about his choice of Corinthians over Flamengo, since Ronaldo
publicly declared himself a Flamengo fan.[92] Rio-based sports newspaper Lance! called
Ronaldo a "phenomenal traitor", and some angry fans burned Ronaldo shirts outside
the Flamengo headquarters.[96] Ronaldo responded that playing for Corinthians was the
only option open to him. "I understand perfectly, I'm openly a Flamengo fan. But I was
training with Flamengo for four months and didn't receive any offer. Corinthians made
an offer that will let me continue my career." [96]
Ronaldo played his first match for Corinthians on 4 March 2009, a Copa do Brasil match
against Itumbiara at Estádio Juscelino Kubitschek, in which he came as a substitute
for Jorge Henrique.[97] Ronaldo scored his first goal for Corinthians on 8 March 2009 in
a Campeonato Paulista match against Palmeiras.[98] Scoring eight goals in nine matches,
his form led to calls for his return to the Brazil national team – nearly 70% of
respondents in a poll for the O Globo newspaper voted that he should be reinstated,
with the country's president Lula also calling for his immediate return.[99] He scored twice
in a 3–1 win against local rivals Santos in the first leg of the state championship final,
with Santos idol Pelé looking on from the stands. His second goal, a chip over the
Santos goalkeeper from 30 yards out, sent the Corinthians fans into hysteria.
[99]
 Ultimately, he helped Corinthians win the Campeonato Paulista with 10 goals in 14
games.[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. [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. He finished the Brazilian Serie A
2009 with 12 goals in 20 matches.[103]
2011: Retirement

Ronaldo greets fans at the Emirates Stadium in London in March 2011, one month after announcing his
retirement

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. [104]
[105]
 Commenting on his weight issues following this announcement, Brian Homewood
of The Guardian states, "Sadly, Ronaldo's celebrity is now more of a draw than his skills
on the pitch – Coldplay, Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres and actor Hugh
Jackman have all visited São Paulo to get a picture with the roly-poly star."[106]
In February 2011, after Corinthians were eliminated from the 2011 Copa Libertadores
by the Colombian team Deportes Tolima, Ronaldo announced his retirement from
football, concluding an 18-year career.[107][108][109] In an emotional press conference on 14
February, he cited pain and hypothyroidism as the reasons for his premature retirement.
[110]
 He discovered he had hypothyroidism – a condition which slows down metabolism
and causes weight gain – during tests with Milan in 2007. [111] Ronaldo admitted his body
had finally succumbed to the crippling litany of injuries that had blighted his career: "It's
very hard to leave something that made me so happy. Mentally I wanted to continue but
I have to acknowledge that I lost to my body. The head wants to go on but the body
can't take any more. I think of an action but I can't do it the way I want to. It's time to
go."[112]

International career

Ronaldo (pictured with the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017) won the trophy with Brazil in 1997

Ronaldo made his international debut for Brazil on 23 March 1994, in a friendly match
in Recife against Argentina;[113] his first senior goal for Brazil came on 4 May 1994, in a
3–0 friendly win over Iceland.[114] He went to the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United
States as a 17-year-old, but did not play, as Brazil went on to win the tournament. [115] He
stated he was "overjoyed" at the experience.[116] He was then known as Ronaldinho
("little Ronaldo" in Portuguese), because Ronaldo Rodrigues de Jesus, his older
teammate on the tournament, was also called Ronaldo and nicknamed Ronaldão ("big
Ronaldo") to further distinguish them. [117] Another Brazilian player, Ronaldo de Assis
Moreira, now widely known as Ronaldinho, was called Ronaldinho Gaúcho when he
joined the Brazilian main national team in 1999. [118][119]
In the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ronaldo played with the name Ronaldinho on
his shirt, since centre back Ronaldo Guiaro, two years his senior, was one of his
teammates. Brazil went on to win the bronze medal. [120] Ronaldo also represented Brazil
in the 1995 Copa América (finishing in second place), and won both the 1997 and
the 1999 editions of the tournament. 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.[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.
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.[124] On the combination of Ronaldo and Romário, Will Sharp writes, "to the
elation of all those fortunate enough to have watched them, they found themselves
together, fated with the opportunity to forge one of the most outrageous offensive
pairings the game has ever seen. Their partnership was brief but it was inexplicably
brilliant."[125]
1998 FIFA World Cup
"The way he combined powerhouse athleticism with a poetic touch made for an awesome sight. In the 1990s, in his
physical pomp, in his free-flowing prime, there was nothing remotely like him. By the time the 1998 World Cup came
along his reputation had extended to the point of fully formed marvel. A happening."
—Amy Lawrence, The Guardian.[115]

Ronaldo entered the 1998 FIFA World Cup billed as the world's greatest player by
reporters in the sport.[126] Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian writes, "In 1998, no one was
as ferociously talented as Ronaldo, whose supernatural mixture of power, pace and skill
had made him the player every child in the playground wanted to be; at the age of 21,
the hopes and dreams of a nation rested on his shoulders." [126]
Ronaldo scored four goals and made three assists en route to the final,[127][128] scoring
once and assisting Bebeto's goal in a 3–0 win against Morocco in the team's second
group stage match,[129] netting twice in a 4–1 win against Chile in the round of 16, set–up
two goals in Brazil's 3–2 victory over Denmark in the quarter-finals,[127][130] and scored
once in the 1–1 draw against the Netherlands in the semi-finals, also netting Brazil's first
penalty in the 4–2 shoot–out victory. [130][131][132] Hours before the final against France,
Ronaldo suffered a convulsive fit.[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.[126] The starting line up without Ronaldo was released to
a stunned world media.[126] The BBC's John Motson stated, "The scenes in the
commentary box have been absolute mayhem and chaos." [133] However, shortly before
kick off, after pleading that he felt fine and requested to play, Ronaldo was reinstated by
Brazil coach Mário Zagallo.[126]

Stade de France (interior pictured), where Ronaldo performed in the 1998 World Cup final despite suffering a
convulsive fit six hours before kick off

Ronaldo was the last Brazilian player out of the tunnel as the teams entered the field.
During the playing of the Brazil national anthem the camera focused on him throughout,
with Ronaldo showing little emotion.[133] Steinberg states that Ronaldo "sleepwalked"
through the final, which also saw him injured in a collision with French
goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.[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. [126] Brazil lost the
match to hosts France 3–0.[134] Ronaldo later reflected: "We lost the World Cup but I won
another cup – my life."[127]
An inquest was launched in Brazil, with team doctor Lídio Toledo telling the commission
"imagine if I stopped Ronaldo playing and Brazil lost. At that moment I'd have to go and
live on the North Pole."[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."[135] Despite his sub-par performance in the final due to his seizure hours earlier,
Ronaldo was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament for his
performances leading up to the final, and finished the tournament as the joint-third
highest scorer.[136] The nature of the incident set off a trail of questions and allegations
which persisted for years, with Alex Bellos writing in The Guardian, "When Ronaldo's
health scare was revealed after the match, the situation's unique circumstances lent
itself to fabulous conspiracy theories. Here was the world's most famous sportsman,
about to take part in the most important match of his career, when he suddenly,
inexplicably, fell ill. Was it stress, epilepsy, or had he been drugged?" [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.
[137]
 The parliamentary inquiry was unable to find any wider conspiracy, although the
Brazilian public remained unconvinced. [137]
2002 FIFA World Cup
"I've said before that my big victory was to play football again, to run again and to score goals again. This victory, for
our fifth world title, has crowned my recovery and the work of the whole team."
—Ronaldo on his comeback from injury and the 2002 World Cup success.[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. Tim
Vickery writes, "Without Ronaldo, Brazil were a shambles, fortunate even to get to the
tournament. With him, it was a different story." [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.[140] Many publications regarded
his personal triumph as "redemption" for what occurred at the previous World Cup. [115][140]
[141][142]
 Ronaldo spoke about his obsession with lifting the World Cup trophy, having
missed out in 1998. "I used to visualise the trophy in front of my eyes and imagine what
a wonderful feeling it must be to hold it up in the air. It was a fabulous feeling actually to
hold it in my hands and kiss it."[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.[115][143]
Ronaldo scored against every opponent in the tournament except in the quarter-finals
against England.[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. [115][145] Much attention was on his
haircut – only part of his head was shaved – done as a deliberate distraction to shift
media attention away from a leg injury. He revealed, "when I arrived in training with this
haircut everybody stopped talking about the injury". [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. [147] Ronaldo was the
first player to seek out German players to offer his condolences, [141] before he was
congratulated by Pelé when receiving his World Cup winners medal. [148] Gérard Saillant,
the French surgeon who operated on Ronaldo's knee, was in the crowd as his guest,
and stated after the game; "This gives hope to everyone who is injured, even those who
aren't sportsmen, to see that by fighting you can make it. He's back to where he was; it's
hugely satisfying and I am very moved."[138] Ronaldo received a number of accolades for
his achievement, including the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the
Year and the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, and in December 2002 he
dedicated his third FIFA World Player of the Year award to the medical team which
helped him recover.[149][150][151] In a 2017 interview with Fox Sports, Ronaldo stated, "the
best team I played in was the Brazilian one in 2002, we felt that we could always score.
It was a team without any vanity, or individuals. The collective was important." [152]
2006 FIFA World Cup

Ronaldo mural in Berlin promoting Brazilian Joga Bonito style of play. The work was commissioned
by Nike prior to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

On 2 June 2004, Ronaldo scored an unusual hat-trick of penalties for Brazil

against arch-rivals Argentina in a 2006 World Cup qualifying match.[153] With 10 goals in
15 games, including a goal against Venezuela in the last game to secure first place,
Ronaldo was the South American top scorer in Brazil's qualifying campaign. [154]
At the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo was part of a much-publicized "magic quartet"
alongside Adriano, Ronaldinho and Kaká.[155][156] The all-star Brazilian team was promoted
as masters of Joga Bonito, "the beautiful game", which was advertised by Nike before
the tournament.[157][158] Although Brazil won their first two group games
against Croatia and Australia, Ronaldo was repeatedly jeered for being overweight and
slow,[159] but coach Carlos Alberto Parreira kept him in the starting lineup.[160]
With two goals against Japan in the third match, Ronaldo became the 20th player to
score in three World Cups and also equalled the all-time World Cup finals scoring
record of fourteen, held by Gerd Müller (Ronaldo scored at France 98, Korea/Japan
2002 and Germany 2006).[160] He then broke Müller's record in the Round of 16 match
against Ghana by scoring his fifteenth-career World Cup goal.[56][161] With his third goal of
the tournament, Ronaldo became only the second player ever, after Jürgen Klinsmann,
to score at least three goals in each of three World Cups. [162] Brazil, however, were
knocked out by France 1–0 with a goal by striker Thierry Henry in the quarter-finals.
[163]
 Ronaldo was awarded the Bronze Shoe as the third-highest goal-scorer of the World
Cup.[164]
Having been listed in Guinness World Records, Ronaldo stated, "I am proud of my
career and of the records I set. But I know that one day they will be broken." [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.[166] Ronaldo finished with fifteen goals in nineteen World Cup
matches, for an average of 0.79 per game. [167] His teammate Kaká reflected, "Ronaldo is
the best player I have ever played with. I have seen il Fenomeno do things nobody else
has ever done."[168]
Farewell match and sporadic appearances

Ronaldo playing in the Match Against Poverty in Bern, March 2014

In February 2011 it was announced that Ronaldo would be given one last match for
Brazil, a friendly against Romania in São Paulo on 7 June 2011, five years after his last
match with the national team.[169] Despite it being almost unheard of in international
football for players to be given a farewell match for their national side, Brazilian Football
Confederation officials stated that given the stellar career of Ronaldo, it was only fitting
that his final game should take place in Brazil while representing his nation. [170]
Ronaldo played for 15 minutes in a match that ended with a Brazilian victory with a goal
from Fred.[171] Fred celebrated his goal with Ronaldo's famous 'finger wag' celebration
along with his Brazilian teammates. Ronaldo was introduced after 30 minutes,
partnering 19-year-old Neymar in attack, and had three shots on target which were
saved by the Romanian goalkeeper.[172] After the first half ended, Ronaldo made a
farewell speech to the crowd.[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).[173][174]

Ronaldo at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia

On 13 December 2011 Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane played a charity match with their

friends against former and current players of the German team Hamburg in the ninth
edition of the Match Against Poverty series, which Ronaldo and Zidane established in
2003.[175][176][177] In December 2012, Ronaldo and Zidane reunited for the Match Against
Poverty in Porto Alegre, Portugal, with the field littered with World Cup winners from
France and Brazil, which also saw 1982 World Cup star Zico (Ronaldo's boyhood idol)
turn out for Ronaldo's team.[178] In January 2013, Ronaldo was named one of the six
ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[179]
Ronaldo was chosen as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) in 2000 as he had the highest global appeal among sportspeople,
and he accepted the role as he saw it as "an obligation" to help with causes around the
world.[44] Ronaldo played in the UNDP's 11th Match Against Poverty on 4 March 2014
against a Zidane XI in Bern, Switzerland, with proceeds raised helping the recovery
efforts in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. [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.[181][182]
On 14 June 2018, Ronaldo featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening
ceremony held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia.[183] He walked out with a child
wearing a Russia 2018 shirt at the beginning, and returned at the end of the ceremony
with the official ball of the 2018 World Cup – Adidas Telstar 18 – which was sent into
space with the International Space Station crew in March and came back to Earth in
early June.[183]