Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, known simply as Ronaldo, was born on 18 September 1976 in Itaguaí, Brazil. A former professional striker, he is widely considered one of football's all-time greats and was nicknamed O Fenômeno and R9. He previously owned and served as president of Real Valladolid, a club in Spain's second division. Ronaldo redefined the striker role with his versatility, influencing a generation of forwards. He won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times and the Ballon d'Or twice.

Ronaldo began his career at Cruzeiro before moving to PSV in 1994. In 1996, he joined Barcelona for a then-world-record transfer fee. At age 20, he became the youngest FIFA World Player of the Year. The following year, Inter Milan broke the world record again to sign him, making him the first player since Diego Maradona to break the transfer record twice. At 21, he won the Ballon d'Or, remaining the youngest recipient. By 23, he had scored over 200 goals for club and country. However, a series of knee injuries sidelined him for nearly three years. He joined Real Madrid in 2002, winning La Liga in 2002–03, and later played for AC Milan and Corinthians before retiring in 2011 after further injuries.

For Brazil, Ronaldo earned 98 caps and scored 62 goals, making him the nation's third-highest scorer. At 17, he was the youngest member of the squad that won the 1994 World Cup. In 1998, he won the Golden Ball as tournament player of the year after leading Brazil to the final, though he suffered a convulsive fit hours before kick-off. He starred alongside Ronaldinho and Rivaldo in the 2002 World Cup, scoring twice in the final to win the Golden Boot as top scorer. This performance, seen as redemption for 1998, earned him the 2002 FIFA World Player of the Year, the 2002 Ballon d'Or, and the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year. At the 2006 World Cup, he scored his 15th World Cup goal, a tournament record at the time. He also won the 1997 Copa América (player of the tournament) and the 1999 Copa América (top scorer).

During his career, Ronaldo was one of the most marketable athletes globally. He was named to Pelé's FIFA 100 list in 2004 and inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame, Italian Football Hall of Fame, Inter Milan Hall of Fame, and Real Madrid Hall of Fame. In 2020, France Football included him in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Since 2000, he has served as a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador. In September 2018, he became majority owner of Real Valladolid by buying 51% of its shares. In December 2021, he purchased a controlling stake in his boyhood club Cruzeiro, investing $70 million, and sold that stake in April 2024.

Ronaldo was born the third child of Nélio Nazário de Lima Sr. and Sônia dos Santos Barata. He has a brother, Nélio Jr. His parents separated when he was 11, and he left school soon after to focus on football, playing on the streets of Bento Ribeiro, a Rio de Janeiro suburb. His mother recalled always finding him playing ball instead of attending school. He first played futsal for Valqueire Tenis Clube, then joined Social Ramos at age 12, leading the city's youth league with a record 166 goals in his first season, including 11 of his team's 12 goals in one match. Ronaldo credits futsal for his skills, calling it his first love. His coach Alirio Carvalho noted his unflappable attitude, saying nothing disturbed or overawed him.

Spotted by former Brazilian star Jairzinho, who coached São Cristóvão, Ronaldo joined their youth team. Under coach Alfredo Sampaio, he quickly advanced through the under-17 and under-20 ranks while still 15. His agents, Reinaldo Pitta and Alexandre Martins, signed him at age 13. Pitta said they immediately saw he could be different from most players. Recognized as a child prodigy, Jairzinho recommended the 16-year-old to his former club Cruzeiro.

At Cruzeiro, Ronaldo attracted big clubs, but his agents rejected offers from Botafogo and São Paulo. Flamengo, his boyhood team, turned him down after he missed practice because he couldn't afford the bus fare. Jairzinho helped secure a move to Cruzeiro, where his agents accepted a €50,000 offer. Ronaldo scored four goals on his youth team debut. Three months later, he made his professional debut on 25 May 1993 against Caldense in the Minas Gerais State Championship. His first senior goal came in a friendly during a tour of Portugal, scoring against Belenenses and impressing new coach Carlos Alberto Silva enough to become a regular. His performance against Porto on that tour led to a $500,000 bid from the Portuguese club.