Ronaldo has already proved at 2002 that he is at his most dangerous in adversity and saves his best for his country rather than his club.
Brazil striker Ronaldo has spent most of the season battling against the weighing machine and fans of Real Madrid, prompting some pundits to write him off for the World Cup.
The Phenomenal One, however, has other ideas. Ronaldo has already proved at 2002 that he is at his most dangerous in adversity. He is also the type of player who saves his best for his country rather than his club.
Four years ago, Ronaldo had only just recovered from three years of injury misery which included two major knee operations. Some even said that coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was irresponsible for picking him.
Yet, he finished as top scorer in the tournament with eight goals, including two in the final, as Brazil won their fifth World Cup. This time, it is Ronaldo’s pride that has been hurt.
Ronaldo has taken much of the blame for the failure of Real Madrid’s Galacticos. The situation deteriorated still further earlier this year when he said he felt unloved by the club’s fans.
Still only 29, Ronaldo will be taking part in his fourth World Cup. In 1994, he was included as a 17-year-old but was not given a game. Four years later, he arrived amid huge expectations and failed to live up to them.
His illness before the final against France is still clouded in mystery and poor performance in that match has never fully explained. Then came 2002 and his dramatic resurgence. In all three tournaments, Brazil reached the final. Ronaldo is one great players of the modern age, something he can still enhance in Germany.
Ronaldo
Full name: Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima
DoB: September 22, 1976
Birthplace: Bento Ribeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Country: Brazil
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 89 kgs
Nickname: The Phenonmenon
Current club: Real Madrid
Other clubs: Cruzeiro (1993-94), PSV Eindhoven (1994-96), Barcelona (1996-97), Inter Milan (1997-2002)
International appearances: 91
Goals scored: 58
Know him better
- In 2005 Ronaldo became co-owner of A1 GP team Brazil alongside Brazilian motorsports legend Emerson Fittipaldi
- He was married to Milene Domingues, then model and VJ Daniella Cicarelli, and is now dating model Raica Oliviera
- Ronaldo was recommended to the Brazil youth team by World Cup winner Jairzinho when he was 14
- In 1994, at the age of 17, Ronaldo was also known as “Ronaldinho”, (meaning ‘Little Ronaldo’ in Portuguese) since another veteran in Brazil’s squad had the same name. Now, that name belongs to Ronaldo de Assis Moreira.
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