Ronaldinho

Whenever you watched Ronaldinho on the football pitch, you had the feeling he could do anything. Widely regarded as the most skillful player of his era, Ronaldinho reveled in using a wide range of feints to beat his opponents or throw them off balance. He was also known for his vision and creativity, which allowed him to provide goalscoring opportunities seemingly out of nowhere. During his long and successful career, he won a Ballon d'Or and two FIFA Play-er of the Year awards.

Ronaldinho scores for Flamengo in the Final da Taça Guanabara de 2011.

Biography

Signs of excellence

Ronaldinho first caught the eye of scouts at the age of 13, when he scored every goal in a 23-0 victory against a local team. He started his senior career at Gremio, making his first-team debut during the 1998 Copa Libertadores. The next season, he exploded onto the scene by scoring 23 goals in 48 appearances and displaying an otherworldly knack for the game.

Naturally, it didn't take long for Ronaldinho's talent to be noticed. In 2001, he joined Paris Saint-Germain on a 5-year deal. After being immediately incorporated into the first team, Ronaldinho went on a tear, scoring a number of memorable goals and leading PSG to the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue. Despite these achievements, PSG coach Luis Hernandez complained on multiple occasions that Ronaldinho was too focused on Parisian nightlife.

The three R's

After his first season in Europe, the hype around Ronaldinho had never been higher. Nowhere was this more evident than at the 2002 World Cup, where Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Ronaldo formed an offensive unit dubbed the "three R's". Having previously played together at the 1999 Copa America, it didn't take the three stars too long to establish a successful partnership. Eventually, they became the feel-good story of the tournament as Brazil secured their record fifth World Cup title.

Ronaldinho's most memorable World Cup moment occurred in the quarter-finals against England, where he scored a free-kick goal from over 40 yards. Despite being sent off by the end of the game, he returned to the starting lineup in the finals. Along with Rivaldo and Ronaldo, he was named into the World Cup All-Star team.

Immortality in Barcelona

Following a relatively disappointing second season at PSG, Ronaldinho moved to Barcelona in 2003. Thanks to his entertaining style of play and technical skills, he quickly captured the hearts of Barcelona fans. After overcoming an injury-riddled first season, he led Barcelona to their first La Liga title in the new century. In December 2004, FIFA named him Player of the Year.

The 2005/06 season was Ronaldinho's magnum opus. In addition to securing their second straight La Liga title, Barcelona won the Champions League by defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the finals. Much like the season before, Ronaldinho was instrumental to the team's success, which saw him win his first and only Ballon d'Or. His greatness was recognized even by opposing fans, as evidenced by the standing ovations he received at Santiago Bernabeu in a 3-0 Barcelona victory.

Ironically, all of this success had a negative effect on Ronaldinho, who started feeling as he had already achieved everything he could in football. Soon enough, he went back to his partying lifestyle, which -- along with numerous injuries -- played a big part in his tenure in Barcelona coming to a premature end. At the end of the 2008/09 season, he bid Spain goodbye and moved to AC Milan.

Later career and legacy

After struggling with his physical condition during his first season in Italy, Ronaldinho reminded the world of his undeniable ability during the 2009/10 season. In a mini-career revival, he scored 15 goals in 43 matches, finishing the season as the Serie A's assist leader. However, he ended up playing just 16 games the following season, which didn't stop Milan from winning the Serie A title.

Ronaldinho soon returned to his homeland by signing a deal with Flamengo, where he was greeted by over 20,000 fans at his unveiling. He also played for Atletico Mineiro, Queretaro, and Fluminense before ending his playing career in 2018.

Today, Ronaldinho is known as one of just seven players to have won the Ballon d'Or, the World Cup, and the Champions League. Despite all his achievements, many pundits believe that Ronaldinho could have been the greatest player in football history if only he took the game more seriously. If you ask the man himself, however, he'd tell you he has no regrets about how it all played out.

By Rosa Nelson

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronaldinho
https://www.biography.com/people/ronaldinho-16636081
Image sources:
Alex Carvalho