Ronaldo

Ronaldo is simply "the phenomenal one". The quiet face of football for the next millennium is going to be the one of a brazilian boy, born in Bento Ribeiro, who will be just 22 years old in Jenuary. He began to play football in the street like many others of his age. However it was clear from the beginning he had something more than the others.

Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima made his first appearance in professional football when he wasn't 15 years old yet. That was the 1990-91 season and he played for Social Ramos Clube. The next season he played for Sao Cristovao and, in 1993, he was traded to Cruzeiro for 60 millions of italian lira becoming, for everybody, simply Ronaldo. Ronaldo, the unstoppable forward who runs like a train creating a panic in the opposite defenses. He's got the talent, the sense of goal, the hunger of success. He is the star who can already stay on the pedestal, close to Pele', in a country like Brazil where football is religion and poetry.

Ronaldo won the Championship of Minas Geiras with Cruzeiro and made his first appearance with the "Selecao" versus Argentina (24th of March 1994). A month and half later (4th of May) Ronaldo scored his first goal with Brazil, versus Iceland. Shortafter he even won his first World Cup (U.S. 94) but, still today, he considers that just an half title because he wasn't a starter. The real chance for him will be France 98. After the season with Cruzeiro he was lured by many teams all around the world.

Inter optioned him but the real competition was among Atletico Mineiro, Palmeiras, Ajax, and PSV Eindhoven. PSV was finally successful and Ronaldo stayed in Holland for two seasons playing 56 games and scoring 55 goals between Cup and Championship. He won the Holland's Cup, finished third with Brazil at the Olympic games in Atlanta, and was awarded by FIFA as the best player of the year.

In summer 1996 another shocking trade: for 30 thousand millions of italian lira, Ronaldo went to Barcelona to win the spanish Cup and Supercup, the European Cup of Cups and the America's Cup with Brazil. He became the top-scorer of the spanish League (34 goals in 37 games). Meanwhile he was again optioned by Inter which successfully tried to acquire him at the end of the season.

Ronaldo went to Inter for a record-figure (48 thousand millions of italian lira) and achieved the final recognition. France Football awarded him with the "Golden Football" for his extraordinary 1997 season. The previous year he lost the same award for just 3 votes in favour of Sammer. Italian football now can show off Ronaldo. He's got fantasy, technique and coordination inherited from the brazilian football but also energy and inxhaustible lungs which are more typical of a german "panzer". He is simply "the phenomenal one".