Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, born on March 21, 1980, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and famously known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho or simply Ronaldinho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or left winger. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d'Or.
He is the only player ever to have won a World Cup, a Copa América, a Confederations Cup, a Champions League, a Copa Libertadores and a Ballon d'Or. A global icon of the sport, Ronaldinho was renowned for his dribbling abilities, free-kick accuracy, his use of tricks, feints, no-look passes, and overhead kicks, as well as his ability to score and create goals.
Early Life and Influences
Ronaldinho came from a family deeply rooted in soccer. His father, João Moreira, was a former professional soccer player and shipyard worker, while his mother, Miguelina de Assis, was a cosmetics saleswoman who later became a nurse. Ronaldinho's older brother, Roberto Assis, was also a professional soccer player; Ronaldinho was surrounded by soccer from the day he was born. "I come from a family where soccer has always been very present," he said.
In particular, he idolized his father, who suffered a fatal heart attack when Ronaldinho was 8 years old. "He was one of the most important people for me and in my career, even though he died when I was very young," he said. "He gave me some of the best advice I've ever had. Off the field: 'Do the right thing and be an honest, straight-up guy.' And on the field: 'Play soccer as simply as possible.' He always said one of the most complicated things you can do is to play it simple."
Ronaldinho began playing organized youth soccer at the age of 7, and it was as a youth soccer player that he first received the nickname "Ronaldinho," the diminutive form of his birth name, Ronaldo. Growing up in a relatively poor neighborhood, Ronaldinho's youth teams had to make do with makeshift playing fields. 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.
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Ronaldinho's early experiences with futsal helped shape his unique playing style, marked by his remarkable touch and close control on the ball. "A lot of the moves I make originate from futsal," Ronaldinho once said, explaining, "It's played in a very small space, and the ball control is different in futsal. And to this day, my ball control is pretty similar to a futsal player's control."
Ronaldinho quickly developed into one of Brazil's most talented youth soccer players. When he was 13 years old, he once scored a ridiculous 23 goals in a single game. While leading his team to a variety of junior championships, Ronaldinho immersed himself in Brazil's long and glorious soccer history, studying past greats such as Pelé, Rivelino and Ronaldo, and dreaming of following in their footsteps.
Then, in 1997, a teenaged Ronaldinho won a call-up to Brazil's Under-17 national team. The squad won the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Egypt, and Ronaldinho was selected as the tournament's best player. Soon afterward, Ronaldinho signed his first professional contract to play for Grêmio, one of the most celebrated teams in the Brazilian league.
Futsal helped shape Ronaldinho's unique playing style.
Professional Career
Ronaldinho made his senior debut for Grêmio in the 1998 Copa Libertadores tournament. The next year, he was invited to join the senior Brazilian national team to compete in the Confederations Cup in Mexico. 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.
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Firmly established as a star on the international stage, in 2001, Ronaldinho left Brazil for Europe, signing a contract to play for Paris Saint-Germain in France. Aged 20, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain in France, where he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup, before signing for Barcelona in 2003.
He made his league debut for the club on 4 August 2001, appearing as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with Auxerre. Ronaldinho spent the majority of the first few months of the 2001-02 season alternated between the bench and starter's role. He scored his first goal for the club on 13 October in a 2-2 draw against Lyon, converting the equalizing penalty in the 79th minute after having come on ten minutes prior.
After returning from the winter break, Ronaldinho went on a tear, scoring a goal in four consecutive matches to open the new campaign. He recorded impressive goals against Monaco, Rennes, Lens and Lorient. Ronaldinho was also influential in the 2001-02 Coupe de la Ligue, helping PSG reach the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Bordeaux.
Despite repeated rifts with Fernández, Ronaldinho returned to the team for the 2002-03 season, with the player switching to the number 10 shirt. Although his performances in his second season with the club were underwhelming compared to his first, Ronaldinho performed admirably with the club.
On 26 October 2002, he scored two goals in PSG's 3-1 victory over Classique rivals Marseille. The first goal was a free kick, which curled past numerous Marseille players in the 18-yard box before sailing past goalkeeper Vedran Runje. Ronaldinho was also praised for his performance in the Coupe de France when he scored both goals in the club's 2-0 win over Bordeaux in the semi-finals, which inserted PSG into the final.
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For his performance, Ronaldinho was given a standing ovation by the Parisian supporters. Unfortunately for the club, however, Ronaldinho and the team failed to capture the form that got them to the final as they bowed out 2-1 to Auxerre due to a last-minute goal from Jean-Alain Boumsong. Despite Ronaldinho's performances, the club finished in a disappointing 11th-placed position.
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. 10 jersey typically worn by the squad's greatest creative player. Ronaldinho made his Barcelona debut in July 2003. He scored his first league goal on 3 September 2003 against Sevilla.
After receiving the ball from his goalkeeper inside his own half, Ronaldinho ran through the midfield and dribbled past two Sevilla players before striking the ball from 30 yards which hammered off the underside of the crossbar and back up into the roof of the net. Ronaldinho suffered from injury during the first half of the campaign and Barcelona slumped to 12th in the league standings midway through the season.
Ronaldinho won his first league title in 2004-05, and was named FIFA World Player of the Year on 20 December 2004. His captain at Barcelona, Carles Puyol, stated, "The greatest compliment I could give him is that he's given Barcelona our spirit back. He has made us smile again."
Ronaldinho's fame grew due to his entertaining and productive play in both the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. On 1 May 2005, Ronaldinho made the assist for Lionel Messi's first goal for Barcelona, executing a scooped pass over the Albacete defence for Messi to finish. By the end of the year 2005, Ronaldinho had started to accumulate a host of personal awards.
He won the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year in September 2005, in addition to being included in the 2005 FIFPro World XI, and being named the 2005 European Footballer of the Year. On 19 November, Ronaldinho scored twice as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-0 on the road in the first leg of El Clásico.
The season is considered one of the best in Ronaldinho's career as he was an instrumental part of Barcelona's first Champions League title in 14 years. After winning their group convincingly, Barcelona faced Chelsea in the round of 16 for a rematch of the previous year. Ronaldinho scored a decisive goal in the second leg, going past three Chelsea defenders on the edge of the penalty area before beating the goalkeeper, sealing Barcelona's qualification to the next round.
He also contributed one goal in Barcelona's elimination of Benfica in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 home victory. On 25 November 2006, Ronaldinho scored his 50th career league goal against Villarreal, then scored a second time with a spectacular overhead bicycle kick; receiving Xavi's cross, he flicked the ball up with his chest and spun 180 degrees to finish-Barcelona fans waved white handkerchiefs in admiration of the goal.
After the match, he told reporters that the latter was a goal he had dreamed of scoring since he was a boy. He scored once and set up two others in Barcelona's 4-0 Club World Cup win over Mexico's Club América on 14 December in Yokohama, Japan, but Barcelona were defeated 1-0 by Brazilian club Internacional in the final. Ronaldinho played his 200th career match for Barcelona in a league match against Osasuna on 3 February 2008.
In 2004 and 2005, Ronaldinho won back-to-back FIFA World Player of the Year awards, the sport's highest individual honor. He also led his teammates to the pinnacle of club success in 2006 with a triumphant run through the prestigious Champions League tournament. The following month, Ronaldinho headlined a very talented Brazilian squad that entered the World Cup with sky-high expectations. However, the tournament ended in disappointment for the defending champs, as France knocked Brazil out with a stunning upset in the quarter-finals.
In 2008, Ronaldinho left Barcelona to join another of the world's most renowned clubs, A.C. Milan, but his performance for the Italian Series A giant was mostly nondescript. Ronaldinho joined Barca as a toothy-grinned wizard who had the club under his spell for three glorious seasons. He will leave a rather forlorn figure.
Ronaldinho scored his first goal for Milan in a 1-0 derby victory over Inter Milan on 28 September. His first brace was in a 3-0 win over Sampdoria on 19 October. He scored a 93rd-minute match-winner against Braga in the UEFA Cup group stage on 6 November. Ronaldinho finished the 2008-09 season at Milan with 10 goals from 32 appearances in all competitions.
After a good start to the season, Ronaldinho struggled with fitness, and was often played from the bench to end a disappointing first season for Milan. A perceived lack of dedication in training and a lifestyle of late night partying not befitting of an athlete saw him receive criticism, with Carlo Ancelotti, his coach at Milan in his first season in Italy, commenting, "The decline of Ronaldinho hasn't surprised me. His physical condition has always been very precarious.
Ronaldinho's second season did not begin on a high note, but he soon rediscovered his form and was arguably Milan's best player of the season. On 10 January 2010, Ronaldinho scored two goals against Juventus in an away match, sealing a 3-0 victory for Milan. In the following match, against Siena on 17 January, Ronaldinho scored his first hat-trick for Milan when he converted a penalty kick, scored with a header from a corner and finished with a strike into the top right corner from 20 yards out.
The Estado De São Paulo newspaper declared, "Ronaldinho revives his golden years". On 16 February, Ronaldinho played against Manchester United in the Champions League. He scored early in the game at the San Siro to give Milan the lead. Ronaldinho finished the season as the assists leader of Serie A.
Underscoring his fading status, the former World Player of the Year was not included in the 2010 Brazilian team that competed in the World Cup in South Africa. During the first half of the season, Ronaldinho was part of the team's attack that also included two new signings, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Robinho.
After being heavily linked with a move back to his childhood club Grêmio, Ronaldinho joined Flamengo on 11 January 2011 with a contract ending in 2014. Ronaldinho scored his first goal for Flamengo in the 3-2 victory against Boavista on 6 February 2011. On 27 February, he converted a second-half free kick for Flamengo to beat Boavista 1-0 and win his first piece of silverware with the team, the Taça Guanabara.
Ronaldinho lifted his first trophy with Flamengo after curling in a right-footed shot over the wall in the 71st minute at Engenhão stadium. The goal gave Flamengo its 19th Taça Guanabara title, which earned the Campeonato Carioca title two months later, as the team also won the Taça Rio.
Ronaldinho made a move to Atlético Mineiro on 4 June 2012 in a six-month contract, just four days after leaving Flamengo. Ronaldinho made his debut for Galo on 9 June 2012, playing for 90 minutes in a 1-0 away win against Palmeiras, and scored his first goal for the club on 23 June 2012 against Náutico, from the penalty spot.
Ronaldinho led Atlético Mineiro to a good 2012 season, in which the club finished second in the 2012 Brasileirão and qualified for the 2013 Copa Libertadores. The following year, Ronaldinho helped Atlético win the Campeonato Mineiro and led the club to its first Copa Libertadores title. Ronaldinho scored four goals and assisted on eight occasions during Atlético's dramatic title run, which included consecutive comebacks from 0-2 first leg defeats in both the semi-finals against Argentine club Newell's Old Boys and the finals against Club Olimpia from Paraguay.
Both ties were determined in Atlético's favour after penalty shootouts. At the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup held in Morocco in December, Atlético lost 3-1 to Raja Casablanca in the semi-final, with Ronaldinho scoring from a free-kick. On 18 April 2015, Ronaldinho scored twice against Liga MX title-holders América in an away game at the Estadio Azteca, in which his team won 4-0.
All of the spectators, mostly consisting of América supporters, gave a standing ovation to Ronaldinho after his goals had brought him to tears. This was the second time in Ronaldinho's career he had received such an ovation from opposing fans (after Madrid fans had applauded his performance in a Barcelona shirt in 2005), and after the match, Ronaldinho stated in an interview, "It is an emotion to live more. I had an ovation at the Bernabéu and now here. I never imagined this.
Ronaldinho scored two penalties in consecutive matches, the second giving Querétaro the classification to the Liga MX playoffs. On 17 May 2015, Querétaro progressed to the semi-finals after defeating Veracruz 4-3 aggregate. In the second match, Ronaldinho scored a free kick with the help of the opponent's goalkeeper who made contact with the ball. Querétaro eventually advanced to the final after beating Pachuca on aggregate 2-2.
In the final against Santos Laguna, Querétaro lost the first leg 0-5 and then won the 2nd leg 3-0 but lost 3-5 on aggregate. In June 2015, Ronaldinho, now 35, a... Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer.
In 2011, Ronaldinho returned to Brazil to play for Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro. The relationship between the club and its most prominent player got off to a great start when Flamengo won the 2011 Campeonato Carioca, but things turned sour by the following season. Ronaldinho missed several practices and performed indifferently in games, and eventually had his contract terminated due to unpaid wages.
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.
International Career
In 1997, Ronaldinho was part of the first Brazilian team to win the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt. He scored two goals and won the Bronze Ball award. On 26 June 1999, Ronaldinho made his debut for the Brazilian senior team. He scored one goal during Brazil's winning 1999 Copa América campaign.
In 2002, he participated in his first World Cup on a loaded Brazilian squad that also featured Ronaldo and Rivaldo. Ronaldinho scored two goals in five matches, including the game-winner in a quarter-final victory over England, and Brazil went on to defeat Germany in the finals to claim its fifth World Cup title.
Ronaldinho captained Brazil to their second Confederations Cup title in 2005. He scored a penalty in a 3-2 semi-final win against Germany. He was named Man of the Match in the 4-1 victory over Argentina in the final. Ronaldinho scored three goals in the tournament.
For the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldinho was part of Brazil's "magic quartet" with Adriano, Ronaldo, and Kaká. However, the team had a disappointing campaign. Ronaldinho did not score any goals and only had one assist. Brazil lost 1-0 to France in the quarter-finals.
Despite being in good form, Ronaldinho was not chosen for Brazil's squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In September 2011, Ronaldinho returned to the national team. He had strong performances in friendly matches.
Ronaldinho Top 20 Goals That SHOCKED The World
Style of Play and Legacy
Ronaldinho is considered one of the most skilled players ever. He could play in several attacking positions, often as a winger or an attacking midfielder (a "classic number 10"). He was naturally right-footed but could also play on the left side. Ronaldinho was also a great finisher with both feet. He was a specialist at free-kicks and penalty kicks.
He was known for his excellent first touch, speed, and dribbling ability. He used many tricks and fakes to get past opponents, like step overs and nutmegs. He also used flashy moves like back-heels and no-look passes. ESPN described Ronaldinho as "skillful by nature" and "wonderful with the ball."
Zlatan Ibrahimović said, "Prime Ronaldinho was phenomenal. He made his opponents look like children." Former Portugal player Rui Costa praised his vision and passing. His former Barcelona teammate, Edgar Davids, called him the best player he ever played with for his skills and tricks.
Despite his incredible talent, Ronaldinho sometimes faced criticism for his lack of discipline in training. Ronaldinho has had many endorsement deals with companies like Nike, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola. He appeared on the cover of several FIFA video games. Ronaldinho has been an official ambassador for UNICEF since 2006.
Ronaldinho's career poses a stark question. Should we be grateful for what he gave us or angry that it ended so soon?
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