Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)

Brazilian football legend, three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, and World Cup winner.

Nicknamed O Fenômeno, he was known for his pace, skill, and goal-scoring ability.^[1][2]

Quick Facts

Full name: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
Born: 18 September 1976
Birthplace: Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height: 1.83 m / 6 ft
Position: Striker
Total caps: 384
Total goals: 280

Life and work

Ronaldo dropped out of school at age 11 after his parents separated, playing football on the streets of Bento Ribeiro.^[3] His first futsal team was Valqueire Tenis Clube, and at age 12 he joined Social Ramos, scoring a record 166 goals in his first season.^[4] Spotted by former player Jairzinho, Ronaldo played for São Cristóvão's youth teams and was signed by agents Reinaldo Pitta and Alexandre Martins at age 13.^[5] He made his professional debut for Cruzeiro on 25 May 1993 against Caldense.^[6]

In two seasons at Cruzeiro, he scored 44 goals in 47 games, leading them to their first Copa do Brasil in 1993.^[7] He moved to Barcelona in 1996 for a then-world record fee of $19.5 million, scoring 47 goals in 49 games in the 1996–97 season.^[8][9] Inter Milan signed him in 1997 for another world record fee of $27 million, and he won the Ballon d'Or that year.^[10][11] After severe knee injuries, he transferred to Real Madrid in 2002, scoring a hat-trick against Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-final.^[12][13]

He later played for AC Milan and Corinthians, retiring in February 2011 citing pain and hypothyroidism.^[14][15][16] After the 1994 World Cup, Ronaldo moved to PSV; in his debut season there he scored 30 league goals, and during his time with the club he won the Dutch Cup in 1996.^[17][18]

What the cited sources add

The ESPN profile by Adams notes that Ronaldo's 47 goals at Barcelona included many where he took superfluous touches to round the goalkeeper, demonstrating complete mastery of the ball.^[19] Adams also describes Ronaldo's celebration as running with arms outstretched like the Christ the Redeemer statue.^[19] Kelly's These Football Times article states that Ronaldo scored 33 goals in 35 games in his first PSV season, including a hat-trick against Utrecht.^[20]

References

Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rob Hughes, "On Team of All-Time Greats, Pelé Shines Brightest", The New York Times, 10 June 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Miller, "PSV Eindhoven rekindle glory days of Romário and Ronaldo", The Guardian, 3 June 2015 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Ronaldo's return to glory", BBC Sport, 8 December 2002; Mosley, "Ronaldo: The Journey of a Genius", Mainstream Publishing, 2005; Mosley, "Ronaldo: The Journey of a Genius", Mainstream Publishing, 2005; Ronaldo: Manual de Vuelo (Brazil Documentary film) 1997; Shepard, "Brazil's Ronaldo Has the World at His Feet", The Washington Post, 4 June 1998 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Shepard, "Brazil's Ronaldo Has the World at His Feet", The Washington Post, 4 June 1998; Mosley, "Ronaldo: The Journey of a Genius", Mainstream Publishing, 2005; Shepard, "Brazil's Ronaldo Has the World at His Feet", The Washington Post, 4 June 1998; "The football greats forged by futsal"; Baker, "Our Competition is the World", Lulu, 2012, p. 276; Futsalfeed.com (14 March 2020). "Top 10 Footballers Who Played Futsal! ", "futsalfeed.com". Retrieved 14 March 2020. (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Ronaldo O Fenomeno: Sao Cristovao's greatest son", Goal; Law, "The making of O Fenomeno in Brazil: 'It was as if he had come from the moon'", Planet Football, 10 June 2021 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Law, "The making of O Fenomeno in Brazil: 'It was as if he had come from the moon'", Planet Football, 10 June 2021; "Ronaldo: My history & goals can't be erased" . FIFA.com. Retrieved 3 June 2014; Law, "The making of O Fenomeno in Brazil: 'It was as if he had come from the moon'", Planet Football, 10 June 2021; Law, "The making of O Fenomeno in Brazil: 'It was as if he had come from the moon'", Planet Football, 10 June 2021 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Placar Magazine (Mar 2003) p. 35.; "Erling Haaland's beginnings in Norwegian fourth division and youngest hat-tricks in history", 90soccer.com, 19 January 2024; "Ronaldo Nazario: The legend of O Fenomeno", goal.com, 4 October 2022; "How good was Ronaldo Nazario?", Marca (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011; Moore, "The man with the world at his feet", the Independent, 27 September 1996 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011; "Barcelona 1–0 Paris Saint-Germain", UEFA; "Spain - List of Topscorers ("Pichichi") 1929-2011" . RSSSF. Retrieved 13 May 2014; "Spain - List of Topscorers ("Pichichi") 1929-2011" . RSSSF. Retrieved 13 May 2014 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011; Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011; "How good was Ronaldo Nazario?", Marca; "Ronaldo says exits from Barcelona are often ugly for Brazilians"; Smyth, "Ronaldo at 40: Il Fenomeno's legacy as greatest ever No 9, despite dodgy knees", The Guardian, 17 September 2016; Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011; "Ronaldo signs up for Inter", The Independent, 20 June 1997; Barker, "Ronaldo at Inter Milan: The UEFA Cup en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Brazil legend Ronaldo retires from football" BBC. Retrieved 20 November 2013 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Brazil legend Ronaldo retires from football" BBC. Retrieved 20 November 2013; Shepard, "Brazil's Ronaldo Has the World at His Feet", The Washington Post, 4 June 1998; Smyth, "Ronaldo at 40: Il Fenomeno's legacy as greatest ever No 9, despite dodgy knees", The Guardian, 17 September 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Ronaldo ends Man Utd dream", BBC Sport, 23 April 2003; Jackson, "'A player above millions of others' – the night Ronaldo lit up Old Trafford", The Guardian, 23 April 2020; "Ronaldo ends Man Utd dream", BBC Sport, 23 April 2003 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Ronaldo unveiled by Rossoneri", UEFA, 30 January 2007; "Ronaldo completes move to AC Milan"; "Ronaldo completes move to AC Milan"; "Ronaldo on verge of Milan move", Irish News; "Milan complete signing of Ronaldo", BBC News, 30 January 2007; "Milan coach delighted by Ronaldo's debut", China Daily; "Ronaldo lifts AC Milan to victory"; "Ronaldo (Luíz (Ronaldo) Nazário de Lima) – Milan and Brazil", Footballdatabase.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Ronaldo returns to training with Flamengo but remains a free agent", The Telegraph}}{{cbignore; "Ronaldo sparks fury by ditching Flamengo for Corinthians", The Guardian; "Ronaldo agrees to join Corinthians" . The Independent. Retrieved 28 June 2014; "Ronaldo sparks fury by ditching Flamengo for Corinthians", The Guardian; "Ronaldo agrees to join Corinthians" . The Independent. Retrieved 28 June 2014 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gallas, "Ronaldo's troubled farewell", BBC Sport, 14 January 2011; "Ronaldo confirma o fim da carreira (In Portuguese)", GloboEsporte, 13 February 2011; "Ronaldo confirms retirement", ESPN Soccernet, 14 January 2011; Carlos Augusto Ferrari e Leandro Canônico, "Emocionado, Ronaldo atribui adeus às dores e ao hipotireoidismo", GloboEsporte.com, 14 February 2011; "Brazil soccer legend Ronaldo retires" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Miller, "PSV Eindhoven rekindle glory days of Romário and Ronaldo", The Guardian, 3 June 2015; Kelly, "Ronaldo: the PSV diaries", These Football Times, 5 March 2019; Kelly, "Ronaldo: the PSV diaries", These Football Times, 5 March 2019; Kelly, "Ronaldo: the PSV diaries", These Football Times, 5 March 2019; Miller, "PSV Eindhoven rekindle glory days of Romário and Ronaldo", The Guardian, 3 June 2015 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia, "Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Smyth, "Ronaldo at 40: Il Fenomeno's legacy as greatest ever No 9, despite dodgy knees", The Guardian, 17 September 2016; Miller, "PSV Eindhoven rekindle glory days of Romário and Ronaldo", The Guardian, 3 June 2015; Kelly, "Ronaldo: the PSV diaries", These Football Times, 5 March 2019; "Ronaldo given route back by Corinthians" . The Independent. Retrieved 16 November 2013; Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011; "Sabatina da Folha com Ronaldo - Íntegra" (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Adams, "Ronaldo's record-breaking season", ESPN, 14 April 2011. facts only, no text reused. en.espn.co.uk
Kelly, "Ronaldo: the PSV diaries", These Football Times, 5 March 2019. facts only, no text reused. thesefootballtimes.co

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.