This profile of Ronaldinho chronicles the events from the start of the player’s career through the 2008 football season.
Affectionately known as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira was born on March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil and currently plays club football for FC Barcelona in the Spanish League and the Brazilian national team. The midfielder’s club career began in 1998 when he played in the Copa Libertadores for Grêmio, his ability to score goals and his skills on the ball earned him a place in the Brazilian team in 1999.
At the end of his season in 2001 at Grêmio, several clubs tried to lure him to their clubs; notably Manchester United, but the midfielder signed a five-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain FC in France and moved there for the season that began in 2001-2002. He never finished his contract with PSG, as his then-manager, Luis Fernandez, claimed the player seemed more interested in Paris nightlife than his football career. Having built a reputation for playing against the big teams, the Brazilian earned a place in the hearts of many people around the world and in his own country.
In 2002, destined to prove his status on the world stage, Ronaldinho helped Brazil lift the world cup with outstanding performances, particularly against England. However, this did not do much to improve Ronaldinho’s profile, as his performance was marred by receiving a red card in the same match. Fresh from his World Cup triumph, the midfielder returned to PSG and made it clear that he wanted to leave. Having attracted the interest of the perennial Spanish giants Barcelona; On July 19, 2003, the Maestro was acquired by the club for a handsome sum of £21m.
Eager to prove his worth, the Brazilian scored his first goal for the club in an exhibition match with AC Milan that was played in front of a crowd of 45,000 at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC His dream to start the season was not ser tan suffered an injury and returned to action inspiring Barcelona to second place in La Liga. In the seasons that followed, the midfield phenomenon guided Barcelona to back-to-back La Liga titles and the coveted Champions League title.
The profile of Ronaldinho and the Brazilian National Team
Following Brazil’s surprise elimination from the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the midfielder finished third in the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year award, an accolade he won in 2004 and 2005. In 2008, after a disappointing injury-plagued season for Barcelona, The Brazilian midfielder was linked with a transfer to AC Milan. His accolades include: The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2005 Confederations Cup.
