Ronaldinho
Name: Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
Birth Date: 21/03/1980
Birth Place:Porto Alegre
Nationality: Brazilian
Height: 180cm
Weight: 80kg
Position: Forward
Club Number: 10
Ronaldinho was born into a family of football addicts, living in a wooden house in the heart of a favela. His father, Joao da Silva Moreira who played for an amateur club made ends meet by by working as a car park attendant at Gremio Football Club. His brother Roberto was a great hope for the club but then his career was unfortunately ended by a terrible knee injury.
At the age of 8, tregedy struck as Ronaldinho's father drowned in a swiming pool at a villa provided by Gremio for Roberto. Following in the footsteps of his brother Ronnie then joined the Gremio's footballing school and wowed everyone there. He made it into the first team in 1997 and was being heralded as one of the best young hopes in Brazilan football. Meanwhile, he was already making the breakthrough with the national squad, and his six goals were fundamental in Brazil's Copa America triumph in 1999.
The goal Ronaldinho scored against Venezuela is remembered to this day as one of the most spectacular ever scored by a player wearing the famous Canarinha jersey.
In 2001, Ronaldinho moved on to PSG where he became a fan's favourite with his tremendous flair and excting style of football - also contributing tremendous amounts of goals. However his employer's still weren't happy with his atitude and looked ot get rid of him. Of course, he continued to shine in the international arena. His finest hour came at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea, where he was a key member of the side that won Brazil's record fifth world title - scoring in the quarter final and playing an integral role in midfield in the final.
In his childhood, Ronaldinho's skill in football began to blossom due to his particular interest in futsal and beach football, which later developed into a fondness for more standardised football. His first brush with the media came after a 23 goal flurry against a local team, at just 13 years of age. His reputation as a footballer was built up through his childhood, particularly since he was a prolific goalscorer in the Egypt under-17 world championship. His stylish play at the tournament also caught the eye of many.
Ronaldinho then moved to Barcelona - arguably the biggest club in the world - for what now seems a bargain at £21,000,000. When he arrived, he said that his desire was to bring as much success to the club as so many Brazilians had done before him, such as Evaristo, Ronaldo, Romario and Rivaldo. Having won the World Footballer of the Year title it seems he has now fulfilled that desire.
Early Career
Born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira in 1980, but more commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaucho (the name given to Brazilians who come from the Rio Grande do Sul area of Brazil), the Brazilian footballer is a renowned forward/ attacking mid-fielder and currently a key player in FC Barcelona. Dubbed the ‘new Pele,’ and regarded as one of the finest talents in the game today, Ronaldinho grew up in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre and began his career at the youth team of Gremio, the team that first signed his older brother and current manager Roberto.
At the age of thirteen, Ronaldinho began to make his mark on the pitch, when he led his team to victory after scoring all twenty three goals in a local youth match. In 1997 he played in the Egypt Under-17 World Championship, where he impressively scored with two penalty kicks. He went on to represent the Gremio senior team at the Libertadores Cup, a championship for South American clubs, during which he caught media attention for his flair for goal-scoring and his remarkable ball control.
Injuries, critics and Ronaldinho's breakdown
After their elimination, Ronaldinho and the rest of the Brazilian squad were heavily criticized by the media and the fans. Ronaldinho's statue in Chapecá was destroyed by unsatisfied fans. Later that day, Ronaldinho and Adriano returned to Ronaldinho's house in Barcelona to have a party. They were spotted in a nightclub that same night, which caused the fans to accuse Ronaldinho of a lack of effort.In the season of 2006-2007, Ronaldinho scored the 50th goal in his career. Barca finished second in the World Cup for Clubs after losing 1-0 to Internacional. Ronaldinho did score a goal and gave two assists in the 4-0 win over Club América. Ronaldinho also won the Bronze Ball Award.
Ronaldinho has only capped 3 times in 6 months under head coach Dunga. In 2007, he scored twice in the 4-0 victory over Chile. These were his first goals for Brazil since the 2005 Confederations Cup.
Brazil won the 2007 Copa América but Ronaldinho wasn't called up to participate. Later that year, Ronaldinho returned too late in Barcelona after a friendly match between Brazil and Ecuador. Ronaldinho and several other Brazilian internationals celebrated their win in Rio de Janeiro. To punish him, Barcelona put him on the bench for the next match.
Ronaldinho also finished 3rd in the running for the FIFA World Player of the Year, behind Fabio Cannavaro and Zinédine Zidane. Ronaldinho also won a place in the UEFA Team of the Year for the 3rd consecutive time in 2007. In March, Ronaldinho suffered from an injury in the 3-3 draw against Real Madrid. Ronaldinho played his 200th match for Barcelona against Osasuna in 2008. Another injury ended what would be his last season at Barca. |  |
Ronaldinho played a very disappointing season after his excellent seasons at Barcelona. Critics and tabloids were after him. The fans expected him to play like he did during the last two seasons but Ronaldinho just couldn't reach that level anymore.
Moving to Europe
 | In 2001, Arsenal showed interest in Ronaldinho. They were close to signing him, but the transfer was cancelled when Ronaldinho wasn't able to obtain a work permit due to a lack of caps. To gain some international experience, Ronaldinho wanted to play on loan at Scottish St. Mirren. This move was also cancelled because Ronaldinho was involved in a fake passport scandal in Brazil just recently. But in the end, he did get his transfer to Europe when he signed a 5-year deal at Paris Saint-Germain. Ronaldinho participated in the World Cup in 2002. He formed a magnificent trio with Rivaldo and Ronaldo. Ronaldinho scored twice. Due to a suspension, he had to miss the semifinal. He did play in the final which Brazil won in a 2-0 victory over Germany. |
Back in France, PSG's coach, Luis Fernández, claimed that Ronaldinho was more into the city's nightlife than into soccer. Nevertheless, Ronaldinho dreamt of playing in the Champions League or the UEFA Cup. When PSG failed to qualify for either tournament in 2003, Ronaldinho decided it was time to leave PSG.
Awards
Individual Honours
- FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006, 2007
- FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball Award: 2006
- Best Foreign Player in La Liga: 2004, 2006
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2006
- UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2006
- FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2005, 2006
- European Footballer of the Year: 2005
- UEFA Club Best Forward: 2005
- FIFA World Player of the Year: 2004, 2005
- EFE Trophy: Best Ibero-American Player in La Liga: 2004
- FIFA 100: 2004
- FIFA World Cup 2002 All-Star Team: 2002
- Rio Grande do Sul State Championship Top Scorer: 1999
- FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 1999
- FIFA Confederations Cup Top Scorer: 1999
Player Statistics
| Period | Team | Appearances (Goals) |
|---|---|---|
| 1998-2001 | Grêmio | 35 (14) |
| 2001-2003 | Paris Saint-Germain F.C. | 55 (17) |
| 2003-2008 | F.C. Barcelona | 145 (70) |
| 2008-present | A.C. Milan | 3 (0) |
| 1999-present | Brazil | 88 (35) |
| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Current club | Flamengo | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987–1998 | Grêmio | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2001 | Grêmio | 44 | (21) |
| 2001–2003 | Paris Saint-Germain | 55 | (17) |
| 2003–2008 | Barcelona | 145 | (70) |
| 2008–2011 | Milan | 76 | (20) |
| 2011– | Flamengo | 10 | (5) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1996 | Brazil U-17 | 6 | (2) |
| 1999 | Brazil U-20 | 5 | (3) |
| 2000–2008 | Brazil U-23 | 10 | (3) |
| 1999– | Brazil | 88 | (32) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 July 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21 July 2011 | |||
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