The Real Ronaldo

[spud_gun]

How come he changed clubs so regularly? Was he a merchant?

He followed what was a tried and tested path for the Brazilian players of playing in Dutch football for a couple of seasons and then moving to Spain or Italy.

He played at Barca for a single season and i think he had his head turned by agents as to the amount of money Inter were willing to pay him and no doubt them.

He should have stayed at Barca for another couple of seasons at the very least.

I don't think he ever reached the highs he did at Barca again in his career. Silly think to say given what he did in 2002 with Brazil i know.

[Chrono]

I'm guessing he means something like mercenary. I wouldn't say he was though, he was just chucked about all over the place like an expensive trophy to show off.

I read an article on his life and he grew up under a corrogated sheet of iron with no bed or furniture, etc. Literally a child beggar without a penny fighting for food. The boy done good

[Craig_H]

He followed what was a tried and tested path for the Brazilian players of playing in Dutch football for a couple of seasons and then moving to Spain or Italy.

He played at Barca for a single season and i think he had his head turned by agents as to the amount of money Inter were willing to pay him and no doubt them.

He should have stayed at Barca for another couple of seasons at the very least.

I don't think he ever reached the highs he did at Barca again in his career. Silly think to say given what he did in 2002 with Brazil i know.

That was mainly due to injury, when he ruptured his tendon in his knee while he was at Inter, and i think this same injury recurred twice more in his career, and effectively ruined it. If you can call a 347 goal in 501 appearance career as being ruined

[Chrono]

I also remember that at PSV he was put up in a top hotel while he sorted out a home and an his agent came to speak to him and he wasn't in his room and he found him outside the hotel in a payphone as he was worried about the cost of using the hotel phone

[Craig_H]

I also remember that at PSV he was put up in a top hotel while he sorted out a home and an his agent came to speak to him and he wasn't in his room and he found him outside the hotel in a payphone as he was worried about the cost of using the hotel phone

Bless him.

That's the kind of thing i was talking about when i mentioned him being far more humble than one would expect, for such a superstar.

I hadnt heard this story before, but it doesnt surprise me in the slightest. I've heard and read many things that Sir Bobby said about Ronaldo and the thing which always stands out was how he'd describe him as a 'lovely boy', and very grounded, always willing and wanting to learn, to improve, to get better.

Class act.

[BillobShaisley]

Watch out for the video of the goal he scored for Barca with players hanging off his shirt. He ran from midfield dribbled round players, pulling away from thise chasing despite being yanked back.

Think Torres, crossed with Drogba (except the flouncing about and diving), very fast, incredibly powerfull and strong, the deftest of first touches, Shearer like power and precision in his shots but capable of dainty lob or deceptive dink when needed too. He can rightly be compared to Pele or Van Basten.

[Fernandinho]

Do you guys think he can be related to Ronaldinho in a way, came from being dirt poor in Brazil to being an absolute superstar, at times untouchable on the pitch but then by the time they had achieved everything in their career's they liked having fun and lost fitness. It seems like he never won a CL or did i miss that?

[Craig_H]

Watch out for the video of the goal he scored for Barca with players hanging off his shirt. He ran from midfield dribbled round players, pulling away from thise chasing despite being yanked back.

Think Torres, crossed with Drogba (except the flouncing about and diving), very fast, incredibly powerfull and strong, the deftest of first touches, Shearer like power and precision in his shots but capable of dainty lob or deceptive dink when needed too. He can rightly be compared to Pele or Van Basten.

Spot on.

[BillobShaisley]

How come he changed clubs so regularly? Was he a merchant?

Bobby Robson coached him at PSV / Feyenord ? (Sensible World of Soccer on the Amiga) and then talked Barca into buying him.

Can't for the life of me understand why Barca let him go, but that is what truely big clubs do, without getting worried about a perception of being a selling club. Maybe they then bought Zidane or Figo?

[Chrono]

Do you guys think he can be related to Ronaldinho in a way, came from being dirt poor in Brazil to being an absolute superstar, at times untouchable on the pitch but then by the time they had achieved everything in their career's they liked having fun and lost fitness. It seems like he never won a CL or did i miss that?

Story wise perhaps, player wise they are not similar.

[Craig_H]

Do you guys think he can be related to Ronaldinho in a way, came from being dirt poor in Brazil to being an absolute superstar, at times untouchable on the pitch but then by the time they had achieved everything in their career's they liked having fun and lost fitness. It seems like he never won a CL or did i miss that?

Ronaldinho doesnt come close to Ronaldo in my opinion, mainly in terms of longevity of performance and consistency, but also because Ronaldo was simply a class apart. They were different types of players, but even allowing for that, Ronaldinho was never anywhere near as good.

In terms of loss of fitness, i'm sure Ronaldo loved partying and what-not, but i think the onset of his loss of fitness was caused by his very serious knee injury and subsequent failure to fully shake it off, rather than a lack of discipline with his off field activities.

[Fernandinho]

Was that knee injury just before the 2002 WC, I seem to remember something about him nearly missing that world cup, then absolutely dominating it.

[Craig_H]

Bobby Robson coached him at PSV / Feyenord ? (Sensible World of Soccer on the Amiga) and then talked Barca into buying him.

Can't for the life of me understand why Barca let him go, but that is what truely big clubs do, without getting worried about a perception of being a selling club. Maybe they then bought Zidane or Figo?

I dont think Robson and Ronaldo were at PSV at the same time, were they? Robson coached PSV after the 1990 world cup until 1992, and then again for one year from 1998-99. I dont think their paths actually crossed at PSV Eindhoven.

[BillobShaisley]

I'm not 100% sure but I think so, that's why Bobby convinced Barca to splash out on him. I could be wrong but seem to remember Bobby himself talking about it an interviewat some point. Wikki/google I'm sure can confirm either way.


He seemed to get injured right after a world cup and take 4 years to get fit again.

[Craig_H]

Was that knee injury just before the 2002 WC, I seem to remember something about him nearly missing that world cup, then absolutely dominating it.

If i remember correctly, the injury occurred a while before that, but recurred and then led to a furious race for fitness, in order for him to actually be able to go to the World Cup and make up for the problems he had at the 1998 final.

In fact, **** the memory, i wiki'd it:

On November 21, 1999, during a Serie A match against Lecce, Ronaldo felt his knee buckle and was forced to limp off the pitch. Medical exams after the match confirmed that the striker had ruptured a tendon in his knee and would require surgery.[4] During his first comeback on April 12, 2000, he played only seven minutes during the first leg of the Coppa Italia final against Lazio before injuring his knee for a second time.[5] After two operations and months of rehabilitation, Ronaldo came back for the 2002 World Cup, helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title