In 2005, Ronaldinho reached the pinnacle of football with the Ballon d'Or, marking the pinnacle of his career. His performances on the pitch are mesmerizing, and his childlike playfulness is especially rare on the professional stage. World-renowned for his extraordinary skills and deep understanding of football, Ronaldinho even earned a standing ovation from the crowd in Barcelona's away match against the national derby. At the age of 25, the prospect seemed limitless, as if it could surpass all that had been achieved. Unexpectedly, however, his career was about to decline, and the signs of it were already showing.
To outsiders, Ronaldinho seems to have it all. But for those in the depths, his career is littered with signs of failing to reach his full potential. This probably dates back to when he was a child, when the family moved from a poorer neighborhood to a better home with a swimming pool due to the success of his older brother. Unfortunately, the death of their father in a diving accident has made the older brother play an even more important role in Ronaldinho's life. This lifestyle shift may be one of the reasons behind his imprisonment in Paraguay for more than a month in 2020 and on the verge of bankruptcy. This may also explain why he failed to consistently maintain the professional standards required for his career.
Despite his love of partying, Ronaldinho's football journey began at Gremio's futsal pitch, which also saw his brother's professional footsteps. It was here that he developed a fluid samba style and a knack for tricking opponents in tight spaces. After 14 years at Gremio, he made his professional debut with a confident style, bringing the art of futsal to the standard football pitch and becoming known for his trademark smile and stunt at his feet.
Although the older brother also has his own achievements, he was the first to publicly praise Ronaldinho's talent. As he grew up in Gremio, his older brother was clearly very accurate. Ronaldinho's moments at Gremio included masterfully slotting the ball past the legendary World Cup-winning captain and stunning his opponents with his mesmerizing dribbling skills.
Some commentators have even speculated that when Duga took charge of Brazil's World Cup squad in 2010, Ronaldinho might have been excluded because of that awkward moment. While this is speculation, a failed loan move in 2001 that was supposed to see Ronaldinho travel to Scotland to play for St Mirren fell through to a Brazilian passport issue, which seemed to foreshadow the challenges of the latter part of his career.
During his short two-year spell for PSG, Ronaldinho made 77 appearances and scored 25 goals, leaving behind some memorable performances, notably two goals and one assist in a single game against Troyes. In 2002, he also won the World Cup as a member of the Brazilian team, which boasted legends such as Rivaldo and Ronaldo.
However, everything changed when Ronaldinho returned to Paris Saint-Germain. It has been noted that he seems to be fully committed only in a major competition like the Champions League. He began to act as if he was above the club. Once this happens, the relationship between the player and the team can deteriorate rapidly. It was in this context that Ronaldinho proposed a replacement for the then manager, Luis Fernandez, who criticized him for preferring nightlife to football.
Eventually, PSG opted to back their manager Fernandes, and Ronaldinho then moved to Barcelona, who were in desperate need of his talent, to help the club regain in difficult times. Barcelona paid him a transfer fee of €30 million – a record at the time** – because they were convinced that he could lead the team back to glory.
Ronaldinho's five years at Barcelona were the pinnacle of his career, especially between 2004 and 2005. He helped Barcelona win the league title for the first time since 2000. At Barcelona, the team created the perfect playing environment for him, allowing young Andres Iniesta and Messi to emerge from the Barça Academy. Ronaldinho played a unique role in the history of the game, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of the game with a precise through ball that set up the first goal of Messi's career.
His performances in the Champions League were impressive, with the goal against Chelsea particularly memorable: his second touch from outside the box deftly rounded the defender and fired the ball into the top corner of the net, past the obstructed view of Petr Cech. In his league-winning season, he excelled on the road against arch-rivals Real Madrid, scoring two goals and earning the respect and applause of Real Madrid fans as they realised they were witnessing one of the greatest performances in a national derby.
Ronaldinho's performance is a testament to his style of play: no one beats the odds with his unconventional passing, direct attack, subtle movement and ball control, and the ability to beat opponents and score two goals. But what is unknown in the world of football is that this was Ronaldinho's greatest moment.
The moment he won the Ballon d'Or in 2005 and became the best player in the world, Ronaldinho expressed his love for football in an extremely emotional way: "I had the opportunity to make a living from what I love most in my life – and that was playing football. I can make people happy and enjoy myself at the same time. This quote profoundly reveals the core driving force of Ronaldinho's career: pure love of football, rather than professionalism for perfection, in stark contrast to contemporary football superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
During Barcelona's glory days, despite his personal contribution to helping the team win the Champions League for the first time since 1992, his professional attitude began to be questioned as time went on. Ronaldinho's partylife and nightlife legend is well-known in and around football. Remarks from former team-mate Samuel Eto'o highlighted his lackluster training attendance. What's more, the story of his anonymous appearance in a café when he joined a Brazilian band at night adds a layer of mystery and controversy to him.
In 2008, with Pep Guardiola's arrival and strict discipline in the team, Ronaldinho's Barcelona career came to an end and he moved to AC Milan, where he still showed his moment as a football magician, but his career was overshadowed by frequent partying and constant injury problems.
Ronaldinho's three years at AC Milan have been a rollercoaster of performances, and while he still shows the magic of football that flashes from time to time, those moments have become increasingly rare. His header in the Milan derby, his goal against Juventus and his Europa League free-kick against Portsmouth were all highlights of his time at Milan. However, what hasn't changed is his love of partying, a lifestyle that has not only affected his professional attitude, but also negatively impacted his body and performance.
After leaving Milan and in a state of declining health and fame, Ronaldinho returned to Brazil, seemingly in search of the laid-back lifestyle that characterizes Brazil. He joined Flamengo in an exciting 5-4 matchup against Santos alongside future Brazilian football superstar Neymar. In this game, he scored three goals and provided an assist, proving that Ronaldinho can still put in a good performance when it mattered most. However, his contract with Flamengo was terminated early due to several consecutive days of absence.
He then became a nomadic player, moving to Atletico Mineiro and Mexico's Querétaro before moving to Fluminense in 2015. Although his contract at Fluminense was terminated after just seven games due to fitness or absence issues, the club sees it as a successful attempt on the market as the shirt sales have skyrocketed and the fans don't seem to mind as they now have the permanent right to show off the names of the most glamorous players behind their beloved club.
Although Ronaldinho did not immediately announce his retirement, he played futsal in India for some time and clearly enjoyed the opportunity, often playing with a smile on his face. In 2018, Ronaldinho officially retired. Once retired, the football world generally had a lot of love and respect for him, with many praising his talent and unique style of play.
When people recall Ronaldinho, they think of what it was like to play football as a child – with a pure love of the game, freedom of expression, no need to show their skills, defeat opponents, create breathtaking moments of style, just like he did, dancing on the pitch to the rhythm of samba.
Ronaldinho and his brother spent 32 days in a maximum-security prison in Paraguay after they ran into trouble with border checks because they had passports believed to be forged. Further investigation revealed that this could be linked to a money-laundering scheme. This incident may come as a shock and not a surprise to those who know Ronaldinho, who has always been easy-going.
According to his lawyer, Ronaldinho received a passport as a gift and claimed his innocence. But those who know Ronaldinho know that he has little say in off-field matters, as his older brother has been in charge of all his affairs since the age of 14. Therefore, it is likely that he just did what he was told. Despite being imprisoned for his legendary status, Ronaldinho managed to enjoy some of the better things in prison, such as television, where he also managed to win the Champions League against Liverpool at Atletico Madrid and continue to enjoy playing.
His former teammate and good friend Samuel Eto'o is said to have paid his bail because Ronaldinho was barely penniless at the time. After a few failed business decisions, Ronaldinho has made a comeback in his usual fashion. Not only was he seen as the face of random events, but he could also be seen alongside a sheikh in an ad and even play a bongo drum at the World Cup. Ronaldinho truly lets the waves of life take him in every direction possible.
It seems that the football world only briefly experienced Ronaldinho's all-round abilities at the peak of his all-round abilities in 2005, when he was determined to become the ultimate professional footballer, the ultimate entertainer we know and love, the player who made millions smile and fall in love with this beautiful sport, and may be considered one of the greatest players in the history of football. On the contrary, Ronaldinho left us in a reverie about what could happen and lost almost everything.