Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima Biography

Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima or Ronaldo was born in Bento Ribeiro, Brazil, 18 September 1976, is a retired Brazilian footballer. His nickname is Il Fenomeno (“The Phenomenon”)

Considered one of the best strikers in world football history, his name has always been synonymous with the more solid goal. Known throughout the world for his skill with the feet and impressive at getting around defenses, his magic with the ball takes years dazzling world football, who has surrendered at the feet of the show. Saying Ronaldo goal … ie. And speaking of goals dreamed of sprints lethal executions and untold, fenónemo Il is talking about.

The FIFA World Player Cruzeiro to PSV in
From a humble family, Ronaldo’s mother, divorced, worked fourteen hours a day in pizzerias and supermarkets to raise her three children. They lived in the suburb of Benito Ribeiro, forgotten and far as so many of the northern suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, where people know the paradise south of the city, with its beaches, luxury cars, and rich people. At 14, Ronaldo was about to play for Flamengo but did not have enough money to afford the four bus tickets needed to get from your home to the club. He started playing in the Sao Cristovao, that two years later he was transferred to Cruzeiro Mine Gerai, and at age 16 his life took a turn. At the club was quickly appreciated and all teams were bidding for him.

PSV took him to Holland, where he played 94 seasons to 96. In his last campaign was chosen by the FIFA World Player. That same 1996 Ronaldo joined Barcelona and his move at that time became the most expensive Spanish football: 4,500 million pesetas. Wearing a Barca shirt gained worldwide fame with many memories as he scored against Compostela on 12 October of that year and was issued worldwide to commemorate the birth of the new Pele. On January 20, 1997, was consecrated again by FIFA as the best player in the world, and that same year collected the Golden Ball awarded by the magazine France Football. That summer, even before the end of the season, Ronaldo left Barcelona to sign for Inter Milan. But in the years following the injury would accompany him and just played with the elastic neoazurra.

The ordeal of his right knee

Since November 1999, Ronaldo was virtually absent from the pitch. He had a brief appearance and the fateful April 12, 2000, in the final of the Italian Cup contested between Lazio and Inter Milan. In a frantic race with which he tried to beat his rival, Portuguese Couto, collapsed. Nobody touched him and made him a bad check, but Ronaldo was seriously injured, broke the tendons of his right knee.

What was once the king of football during its heyday, praised even by the legendary Pele, had to leave the soccer fields. He spent more than six hours a day to do physical therapy with his ailing knee, which added to the numerous exercises performed at home. His dream was to return to work magic with the ball at his feet. His highly anticipated comeback came on August 19, 2001, completing a brilliant performance in a friendly match at the Inter thrashed easily champion Nigeria. Ronnie played 35 minutes, scored a goal and left the field to a standing ovation.

Before the end of the year again muscle problems and needed several months to adapt to play again. Doubts about his fitness and his game possibilities were finally cleared at the World Cup in Korea and Japan (2002), where Ronaldo claimed his star status on merit and returned to the top of Olympus football. He was top scorer of the tournament, he was the only goal that ranked Brazil against Turkey for the final and also left their boots with two goals that eliminated canarinha powerful Germany in the final match for their fifth Cup World.

Its excellent performance in the World striker placed in the spotlight of the best clubs in the world and the last day of August 2002, after weeks of tough negotiations between Inter Milan and Real Madrid, he joined the Whites. Later that year, the Brazilian star picked up the two most prestigious awards in the world of football, the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA player of the planet. Several months later also two prizes awarded Laureus as a member of the Brazilian national team as the best athlete of 2002.

A white dream

Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002 from the hand of Florentino Perez. The Rio debuted in white on October 6, 2002, in a league match against Alaves in which whites Ronie won 5-2 and scored the fourth and final goal merengue. In his first season with the elastic Madrid, Brazilian fable signed some numbers. His 29 goals were decisive for the Real Madrid conquered the League and the Intercontinental Cup (December 2002), before the Olimpia de Asunción Paraguay. Ronaldo opened the scoring in the Yokohama Stadium by scoring pass from Roberto Carlos and shone again with his skill and speed characteristics. That year he was again the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player.

In his second season in white (03-04), Ronie numbers improved and won the top scorer in the league (24 points, plus four in the Champions League). In terms of titles, Real Madrid could only add to his resume Supercup against Mallorca Spain. In the next season, Ronaldo returned to perform at a good level. Scored 21 goals in the league and 3 in the European Cup. Then scorers records fell. Injuries began to take its toll (especially after suffering a serious entry Perea Atletico at the Vicente Calderon). But despite playing only 23 league games, Ronie held his line, scoring 14 goals in the league and two in as many matches of Champions.

In his senior year, Ronaldo scored a goal in seven league games. His performance was marked by the assistance which was submitted at the beginning of the season to clean up some calcification in his knee. Since then enjoyed continuity alignments and Brazilian Fabio Capello left the discipline of Real Madrid on January 30, 2008 to play for Milan.