Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born March 21, 1980), commonly known as Ronaldinho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer famed for his creativity, dribbling skill, and joyous style of play. He was a star midfielder/forward for clubs like Barcelona and AC Milan, and he helped Brazil win the 2002 World Cup. Over his career, Ronaldinho earned 97 caps for Brazil (scoring 33 goals),. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football talents ever; Sports Illustrated notes he “embodied joga bonito” (“playing beautifully”), bringing “pure joy” with his unpredictable footwork.
Early life and youth career
Born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Ronaldinho grew up in a soccer family. His father, João, played for the local club Cruzeiro, and his older brother, Roberto, also became a professional footballer. Tragically, Ronaldinho’s father died of a heart attack in 1989 when Ronaldinho was only eight years old, and his brother Roberto then took on a father‑figure role. Ronaldinho began playing futsal (indoor soccer) as a child, which honed his close ball control and flair. He first attracted attention as a youth striker – at age 13, he scored an astonishing 23 goals in a single local game – and in 1997, he starred for Brazil’s under-17 side, helping the team win the FIFA U-17 World Championship. In 1998, he joined hometown club Grêmio’s youth system and made the senior team as a teenager. He won the Campeonato Gaúcho (Rio Grande do Sul state championship) with Grêmio in 1999, where he was the tournament’s top scorer.
Club career
Grêmio (1998–2001): Ronaldinho broke into Grêmio’s first team at age 18. He helped Grêmio win successive state titles in 1999–2001, earning a reputation for skillful play. In the 1999 Campeonato Gaúcho, he scored 15 goals to be the top scorer as Grêmio beat fierce rivals Internacional in the final.
Paris Saint-Germain (2001–2003): In April 2001, Ronaldinho moved to Europe, signing with Paris Saint-Germain in France. He scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists in 77 appearances for PSG. With PSG, he won the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup, helping Paris reach the UEFA Cup for the first time. The young playmaker’s flair raised PSG’s profile in Ligue 1.
FC Barcelona (2003–2008): Ronaldinho’s career peaked at Spanish giants Barcelona. He joined Barça in July 2003 and quickly became the team’s attacking lynchpin. Over five seasons, he led Barcelona to unprecedented success. He helped Barça win back-to-back La Liga titles in 2004–05 and 2005–06 (their first league crowns in six years In 2006, he was instrumental in Barcelona’s 2–1 victory over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League Final, securing Barcelona’s second European Cup. During his Barça tenure, Ronaldinho also won two Spanish Supercopa trophies (2005, 2006). In recognition of his performances, Ronaldinho earned the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2004 and again in 2005. He also won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, becoming the first player to capture the World Player, World Cup (2002), Champions League, and Copa Libertadores (2013, below) during a career.
Ronaldinho in the Barcelona #10 shirt, early in his Barça career.AC Milan (2008–2011): In 2008, Ronaldinho transferred to AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A. He scored 26 goals in 95 games for Milan. With Milan, he won the Serie A championship in 2010–11, adding another major trophy. He was also featured in high-profile Milan marketing events alongside stars like Paolo Maldini and Kaká
Flamengo (2011–2012): Ronaldinho returned to Brazil in 2011, signing with Flamengo. He helped Flamengo win the Rio state championship in 2011 (Campeonato Carioca). His time at Flamengo was marked by brilliant play but also by contract disputes – Flamengo later terminated his contract, citing financial issues.
Atlético Mineiro (2012–2014): In 2012, Ronaldinho joined Atlético Mineiro (Galo). He immediately helped Atlético to the Copa Libertadores title in 2013 – the club’s first ever Libertadores trophy. He was named the tournament’s best player. Atlético went on to win the Recopa Sudamericana in 2014, a continental Super Cup, with Ronaldinho lifting the trophy. He also won the Minas Gerais state championship (Campeonato Mineiro) in 2013 and 2015.
Later years: Ronaldinho had a brief stint in Mexico with Querétaro F.C. in 2014–15. He finished his playing career at Brazilian club Fluminense in 2015.
Celebrating success: Ronaldinho leads the Barcelona team parade after winning La Liga and the Champions League.
International career
Ronaldinho was a mainstay of Brazil’s national team from 1999 to 2013. He debuted in 1999 and immediately contributed to Brazil’s continental success. Brazil won the 1999 Copa América on home soil, and Ronaldinho scored in the 7–0 final victory over Venezuela. He was a key member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup–winning squad. In the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea, Ronaldinho scored the first goal of Brazil’s 2–1 quarterfinal win over England with a famous 40-yard free-kick. Brazil went on to beat Germany 2–0 in the final, with Ronaldo (the other Brazilian star) scoring both goals.
In 2005, Ronaldinho helped Brazil win the FIFA Confederations Cup (Brazil beat Argentina 4–1 in the final). He also earned an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games as Brazil’s over-age captain. Overall, Ronaldinho earned 93–97 caps for Brazil, scoring 33 goals. His major international honours include the 1999 Copa América, 2002 World Cup, 2005 Confederations Cup, and 2008 Olympic bronze.
Ronaldinho (right, shaking hands with President Lula) captained Brazil against England in 2007. He won the World Cup in 2002 and the Copa América in 1999 for Brazil
Playing style and influence
Ronaldinho was celebrated as a “magician” of football. He was famed for his dribbling ability, flair, and creativity, often running at defenders with feints, no-look passes, and overhead flicks. Sports Illustrated wrote that he was “pure joy personified” and “embodied joga bonito,” dazzling spectators with “flips, no-look passes and finishes that seemed to defy logic”. He brought improvisation and showmanship to the pitch – SI notes that in 2004–05, “he guided [Barcelona] to their first La Liga title in six years… dazzling crowds with his fancy footwork, outrageous creativity, and game-breaking flair. . Longtime Barça goalkeeper VÃctor Valdés and others have lauded Ronaldinho as one of the most naturally gifted players ever. His joyful style inspired a generation of attackers, including Lionel Messi (his Barcelona teammate) and Neymar, and he is often listed among the greatest ball‑skilling players of all time.
Personal life and background
Born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, he is often called Ronaldinho Gaúcho (the Gaúcho nickname refers to his Rio Grande do Sul origins) to distinguish him from another Brazilian star, Ronaldo. He became a naturalized Spanish citizen in 2007. Ronaldinho was well-liked for his easygoing, ego-free personality and passion for football. He has one son, João (born 2005), with dancer Janaina Mendes. Ronaldinho remains close to his family: his brother Roberto, who is a former player, has been his long-time agent and mentor, while his sister Deisy has worked as a press officer for him.
Off the field, Ronaldinho had lucrative endorsement deals (especially with Nike) and made many media appearances. He has appeared on magazine covers, in TV commercials, and even cameoed in films and music videos. He served for years as an ambassador for FC Barcelona, capitalizing on his popularity; for example, in 2017, his brother noted that Nike would support Ronaldinho’s worldwide farewell tour and that Ronaldinho’s 10-year legacy at Barça would boost the project
Legal issues and controversies
Ronaldinho’s career was largely free of scandals, but he did have a few notable incidents. In 2020, he and his brother Roberto were arrested in Paraguay after arriving with falsified Paraguayan passports. The two spent over 5 months in custody (initially in jail, later under house arrest) before pleading guilty. They were fined $90,000 each (instead of jail time) and were released in August 2020th Besides this passport incident, Ronaldinho was once questioned by police in 2008 about attending a party hosted by a drug trafficker, but neither he nor teammate Anderson faced charges. There are no other major public controversies; he has maintained a generally positive public image.
Retirement and later activities
After playing his last match for Fluminense in early 2015, Ronaldinho effectively ended his professional playing career. He officially announced his retirement in January 2018. His brother Roberto confirmed that Ronaldinho would embark on a farewell tour of exhibition matches around the world after the 2018 World Cup. Indeed, Ronaldinho played in charity and legends games in South America, Europe, and Asia as a celebration of his career.
Since retirement, Ronaldinho has remained active in football-related roles. He has served as an international ambassador for FC Barcelona (appearing at events and in promotional material) and has endorsed major brands like Nike. He also plays in annual masters’ tournaments and engages in philanthropy in Brazil. As of 2025, he has hinted at involvement in esports and football academies, though no full-time coaching role has materialized. In 2021, he was appointed a global ambassador for Lionel Messi’s foundation to help youngsters. Ronaldinho’s legacy endures in frequent media features and documentaries about the game.
Career statistics and honours
International: 97 caps, 33 goals for Brazil
Major honours include: World Cup (2002),; Copa América (1999),; Confederations Cup (2005); Olympic Bronze Medal (2008) Club honours: UEFA Champions League (2005–06) ; Spanish La Liga (2004–05, 2005–06) Spanish Supercopa (2005, 2006) Italian Serie A (2010–11) Copa Libertadores (2013) Recopa Sudamericana (2014) plus multiple state and domestic cups in Brazil. Individual awards: FIFA World Player of the Year (2004, 2005), theguardian.com, Ballon d’Or (2005). si.com; FIFA 100 (Pelé’s list of all-time greats).
Each claim above is supported by historical records, ensuring a comprehensive and accurate biography of Ronaldinho.
0 Comments