End of an era: RONALDO
02-14-2011, 09:11 AM
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End of an era: RONALDO
Ronaldo, a true great
Ronaldo, who confirmed his retirement from football today, will go down in history as one of the most prolific and devastatingly skilful strikers ever to have played the game. He scored with astonishing regularity for some of Europe's most glamorous clubs but it is for his exploits at the FIFA World Cup™ that he will perhaps be remembered most fondly.
From the breakthrough of 1994 to the broken records of 2006 via the despair of 1998 and the redemption of 2002, the dazzlingly gifted forward experienced the full spectrum of emotions at the sport's showpiece event.
A precocious goalscorer with Brazilian side Cruzeiro, Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima was invited to the 1994 FIFA World Cup at the tender age of 17 as a non-playing member of the Brazil squad. He cheered from the sidelines as a team fired by the goals of Romario and Bebeto ended Brazil's 24-year wait for the trophy, before moving to Europe with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
Goalscoring Goliath
His phenomenal goalscoring record in the Netherlands, where he netted 54 goals in 57 games, alerted Barcelona, and he scored 47 goals in 49 matches in his only season at Camp Nou as the Catalans romped to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Elected FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, he was on the move once more a year later when Inter Milan brought him to Italy for a world record fee.
Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or and was named World Player of the Year again in 1997, before arriving at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France as the most complete striker on the planet. Clad in silver boots and terrifying defenders at every turn, Ronaldo scored four goals for the defending champions as they set up a meeting with the hosts in the final.
We missed out on the joy we are feeling now at France 98, but we are living it now and it is such a pleasure for every Brazilian.
Ronaldo upon lifting the FIFA World Cup in 2002
The stage was set for Ronaldo, the pre-eminent player of his generation, to etch his name into FIFA World Cup folklore but on the eve of the game he suffered a mysterious fit and was taken out of the team. Thirty minutes before kick-off his name re-appeared on the team-sheet and to general bewilderment he took to the field, but was clearly out of sorts as Mario Zagallo's side slumped to a 3-0 defeat. "Ronaldo was scared about what lay ahead. The pressure had got to him and he couldn't stop crying," said room-mate Roberto Carlos of his pre-match crisis.
The Golden Ball for the tournament's best player was scant consolation to the 21-year-old and a year later he suffered a serious knee tendon injury that kept him out of the game for the best part of two years. Plenty of premature obituaries for Ronaldo's career were penned as he fought to overcome the first serious setback of his professional life but at the 2002 FIFA World Cup he emerged triumphant to exorcise the ghosts of Paris.
The focal point of a devastating attack that also featured Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, Ronaldo looked back to his best and scored eight times, including both goals in a 2-0 victory over Germany in the final in Yokohoma. "We missed out on the joy we are feeling now at France 98, but we are living it now and it is such a pleasure for every Brazilian," said a jubilant Ronaldo.
Triple crowned
His third World Player of the Year gong followed and in the aftermath of his FIFA World Cup redemption he joined the Galacticos of Real Madrid in another big-money move. With Real he won the 2003 Spanish title, but after initial success his injuries became a recurrent source of frustration.
As the 2006 FIFA World Cup approached he was struggling for form and looked overweight, but despite Brazil's quarter-final exit he netted three goals to become the outright top scorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 15. He bowed out of international football with 62 goals in 97 games.
Ronaldo joined AC Milan in 2007 but suffered another serious knee injury in February 2008, prompting the end of his European odyssey and a return to Brazil with Corinthians. He had hoped to continue playing until the end of 2011 but injuries, and Corinthians' early exit from the Copa Libertadores, prompted him to call time on his incredible love affair with the global game at the age of 34.
El Fenomeno!
Ronaldo Brazil Tribute
Ronaldo, who confirmed his retirement from football today, will go down in history as one of the most prolific and devastatingly skilful strikers ever to have played the game. He scored with astonishing regularity for some of Europe's most glamorous clubs but it is for his exploits at the FIFA World Cup™ that he will perhaps be remembered most fondly.
From the breakthrough of 1994 to the broken records of 2006 via the despair of 1998 and the redemption of 2002, the dazzlingly gifted forward experienced the full spectrum of emotions at the sport's showpiece event.
A precocious goalscorer with Brazilian side Cruzeiro, Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima was invited to the 1994 FIFA World Cup at the tender age of 17 as a non-playing member of the Brazil squad. He cheered from the sidelines as a team fired by the goals of Romario and Bebeto ended Brazil's 24-year wait for the trophy, before moving to Europe with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
Goalscoring Goliath
His phenomenal goalscoring record in the Netherlands, where he netted 54 goals in 57 games, alerted Barcelona, and he scored 47 goals in 49 matches in his only season at Camp Nou as the Catalans romped to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Elected FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, he was on the move once more a year later when Inter Milan brought him to Italy for a world record fee.
Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or and was named World Player of the Year again in 1997, before arriving at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France as the most complete striker on the planet. Clad in silver boots and terrifying defenders at every turn, Ronaldo scored four goals for the defending champions as they set up a meeting with the hosts in the final.
We missed out on the joy we are feeling now at France 98, but we are living it now and it is such a pleasure for every Brazilian.
Ronaldo upon lifting the FIFA World Cup in 2002
The stage was set for Ronaldo, the pre-eminent player of his generation, to etch his name into FIFA World Cup folklore but on the eve of the game he suffered a mysterious fit and was taken out of the team. Thirty minutes before kick-off his name re-appeared on the team-sheet and to general bewilderment he took to the field, but was clearly out of sorts as Mario Zagallo's side slumped to a 3-0 defeat. "Ronaldo was scared about what lay ahead. The pressure had got to him and he couldn't stop crying," said room-mate Roberto Carlos of his pre-match crisis.
The Golden Ball for the tournament's best player was scant consolation to the 21-year-old and a year later he suffered a serious knee tendon injury that kept him out of the game for the best part of two years. Plenty of premature obituaries for Ronaldo's career were penned as he fought to overcome the first serious setback of his professional life but at the 2002 FIFA World Cup he emerged triumphant to exorcise the ghosts of Paris.
The focal point of a devastating attack that also featured Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, Ronaldo looked back to his best and scored eight times, including both goals in a 2-0 victory over Germany in the final in Yokohoma. "We missed out on the joy we are feeling now at France 98, but we are living it now and it is such a pleasure for every Brazilian," said a jubilant Ronaldo.
Triple crowned
His third World Player of the Year gong followed and in the aftermath of his FIFA World Cup redemption he joined the Galacticos of Real Madrid in another big-money move. With Real he won the 2003 Spanish title, but after initial success his injuries became a recurrent source of frustration.
As the 2006 FIFA World Cup approached he was struggling for form and looked overweight, but despite Brazil's quarter-final exit he netted three goals to become the outright top scorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 15. He bowed out of international football with 62 goals in 97 games.
Ronaldo joined AC Milan in 2007 but suffered another serious knee injury in February 2008, prompting the end of his European odyssey and a return to Brazil with Corinthians. He had hoped to continue playing until the end of 2011 but injuries, and Corinthians' early exit from the Copa Libertadores, prompted him to call time on his incredible love affair with the global game at the age of 34.
El Fenomeno!
Ronaldo Brazil Tribute
02-15-2011, 04:18 AM
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Originally Posted by CHEESEFRIES333,Feb 15 2011, 12:40 AM
Best player of all time
you young uns never heard of Diego Maradona. Let alone Pele
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02-15-2011, 07:40 AM
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2 world cups, 3time player of the year, world record goals during world cup.....pretty much every single other goal record for every team he played on. Lets not talk about 2002 world cup scoring on the flawless Kahn at the final.... Who had a better career? HE STILL scored hat tricks for Corinthians!!!!
02-15-2011, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by zzziippyyy,Feb 15 2011, 05:18 AM
Not even close, I you young uns never heard of Diego Maradona. Let alone Pele
you young uns never heard of Diego Maradona. Let alone Pele