Ronaldinho Bio

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, born March 21st, 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, has risen to become one of soccer’s greatest players. The 5′11″, 177-lb “Ronaldinho” began wowing spectators back in 1999 with his amazing mastery at the forward position. He began his amateur soccer career by following the path of his father Joao. Here he honed his talents by playing beach and indoor (”futbal”) soccer.

Ronaldinho’s mother Miguelina had to raise her son afer Joao died when Ronaldinho was only eight years old; she was helped by his brother and sisters. Ronaldinho earned his first cap It was with Gremio’s senior team coached by Celso Roth that Ronaldinho won his first cap in 1999. Then in 2001, Arsenal FC got Ronaldinho in their sights, but he couldn’t obtain a work permit and so no deal was struck. But Paris Saint-Germain FC got him signed to a five-year contract. But, an unhappy Ronaldinho returned to Barcelona in 2004 after playing for Paris under allegations that he put more time into the nightlife than he did into soccer practice.

Ronaldinho and his talented teammates Ronald and Rivaldo mesmerized onlookers at the Copa America in Paraguay. Ronaldinho scored Brazil’s fifth goal in their 7-0 trouncing of rival Venezuela. When Ronaldinho scored the game-winning goal off of an astounding 30-yard free kick which completely baffled England’s goalie David Seaman at 2002’s FIFA World Cup in Japan, he had made what has hence been known as the “Wonder Goal”. Having taken the quarterfinal, his team eventually won the World Cup. Ronaldinho was rewarded by being named part of the all-tournament team.

Ronaldinho has won a great array of soccer’s greatest prizes. Among these are the FIFA World Player of the Year for 2004 and 2005, as well as the UEFA’s Champion League Award in 2006 in Barcelona (he scored seven goals in only 12 matches in that year). “Sports Illustrated” magazine named Ronaldinho the fifth wealthiest athlete of 2008 for his earnings of $37.5 million that year (salary, bonuses, product endorsements, and live appearances). This put the 28-year-old soccer star in group that included Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, David Beckham, and Kimi Raikkonen.

Early summer of 2008 saw Ronaldinho injure a muscle in his right leg while playing in his 200th match. Much to the dismay of spectators and fans around the world, he would be benched for the remainder of the season. But not ending there, Ronaldinho’s troubles looked worse when he and his club argued about his decision to play in the Bejing Olympic games. But after the dust had settled, Ronaldinho sealed a deal with the Italian Club AC Milan. This allowed him to play in the Olympics beside his countrymen.

Ronaldinho turned down a $25.5 million contract offer from Manchester City to play for AC Milan for three years. He was getting paid $21 million in Barcelona. The great Italian AC Milan player Clarence Seedorf had also worn Ronaldinho’s #10 and it was retired, so he went with jersey #80 to honor the year of his birth. Milan quickly saw the wisdom of their new player selection when Ronaldinho scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Internazionale in September of 2008.

Ronaldinho drove Milan into a 2-2 draw after they had fallen behind 2-0 against Sporting Braga in November 2008’s UEFA Cup and then scored a match-winner in the 93rd minute of the match. Ronaldinho’s brother Roberto has been driving his brother as his agent, and has gotten him endorsement after endorsement so that his great soccer playing sibling is booked up with them through 2014. And Ronaldinho apparently enjoys his current home of Milan, Italy much more than he did Paris.

In 2005 Ronaldinho named his and Brazilian dancer Janaina Mendes’ newborn son Joao was born. Only the soccer star and his brother the agent know where Ronaldinho is going to wind up next. However, many are already thinking, “If Beckham can go to the United States, why not Ronaldinho?

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