Ronaldo Fenômeno

Lore & Background

Ronaldo started his career at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then world record transfer fee and at 20 years old, he was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the award. In 1997, Inter Milan broke the world record fee to sign Ronaldo, making him the first player since Diego Maradona to break the world transfer record twice. At 21, he received the 1997 Ballon d'Or and remains the youngest recipient of the award. By the age of 23, Ronaldo had scored over 200 goals for club and country. However, after a series of knee injuries and recuperation, he was inactive for almost three years. Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002 and won the 2002–03 La Liga title. He had spells at AC Milan and Corinthians before retiring in 2011, having suffered further injuries. He was turned down by Flamengo, the team he supported as a boy, after missing practice due to an inability to afford the fare for the hour-long bus ride.

In Their Own Story

The humid air of the Maracanã hung heavy as the clock ticked toward halftime. A hush fell over the North Stand, broken only by the rhythmic clapping of thousands of hands. Then, a familiar figure emerged from the tunnel, his number 9 jersey billowing slightly in the breeze. It was Ronaldo. The roar that followed shook the concrete foundations of the stadium, a sound of pure nostalgia and reverence. He touched the grass, looked up at the stands, and smiled—a silent promise that even if he couldn't run like lightning anymore, the magic of Flamengo would always live within him.

Reader's Guide

Ronaldo played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals and is the third-highest goalscorer for his national team. At age 17, he was the youngest member of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo received the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament after he helped Brazil reach the final, where he suffered a convulsive fit hours before kick-off. He won the 2002 FIFA World Cup, starring in a front three with Ronaldinho and Rivaldo. Ronaldo scored twice in the final and received the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goalscorer. This achievement, viewed as 'redemption' for what occurred at the previous World Cup, saw Ronaldo named the 2002 FIFA World Player of the Year, receive the 2002 Ballon d'Or, and for his return from injury, won the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo scored his 15th World Cup goal, a tournament record at the time. He also won the 1997 Copa América, where he became the player of the tournament and the 1999 Copa América, where he was the top goalscorer.

Did You Know?

• Ronaldo was turned down by Flamengo, the team he supported as a boy, after missing practice due to an inability to afford the bus fare.
• He is the youngest recipient of both the FIFA World Player of the Year award (at age 20) and the Ballon d'Or (at age 21).
• Ronaldo scored his 15th World Cup goal at the 2006 tournament, a record at the time.
• He became the majority owner of Real Valladolid in September 2018 and bought a controlling stake in Cruzeiro in December 2021.