31/03/2009
Ronaldo's Career

Born striker

Ronaldo Lu&iacutes Naz&aacuterio de Lima signed his first professional contract at age 14 for Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. His professional contract propelled him on to the junior national team where by age 16 the super striker had scored 59 goals in 57 matches.
Al Bello/Staff - Getty Images


Learning from the best

At age 17, Ronaldo was selected to the senior national squad for Brazil's 1994 World Cup winning campaign. Although resigned to the sidelines, he was able to watch first hand the wizardry of famous goal scoring tandem Romario and Bebeto.


Perfect at PSV

After the 1994 World Cup, Ronaldo joined PSV Eindhoven of the Dutch Eredivisie for the 1994-1995 season. Ronaldo impressed immediately and finished as the Dutch league's top scorer.
Ruediger Fessel/Staff - Getty Images


DisemBARCAing

After his inspiring performances in Holland, Ronaldo moved to Barcelona in the 1996-1997 season where he scored 34 goals in 37 appearances (47 in 49 if one includes appearances in the Copa Del Rey and European Cup Winners Cup). Ronaldo's amazing play blew away football fans and critics alike, earning him, hands down, the 1996 World Footballer of the Year award.
Andreas Rentz/Staff - Getty Images


Rewarding experience

In 1997, Ronaldo moved from Spain to Italy where he signed with Inter Milan, shown here with his new club holding Serie A's golden boot award. Ronaldo's display of skill, power, and speed, wowed not only the Blue half of Milan but the world as well as he won the 1997 World Footballer of the Year award for the second consecutive year.
CARLO FERRARO/Staff - Getty Images


What goes up...

In the 1998 World Cup, the twice World Footballer of the Year was overwhelmed by expectation and while managing to score four goals, crashed out in the final match of the tournament against host nation France.
Mark Sandten/Staff - Getty Images


Birth of the Gordito

A year after the 1998 World Cup, Ronaldo severely injured his right knee and was sidelined for several months. During his first comeback in 2000, he managed to play only seven minutes before injuring his knee for a second time. Pictured above in late 2000, Ronaldo gets serious about his rehab.
VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/Staff - Getty Images


FooCheeBaller

Ronaldo had his comeback at the 2002 World Cup where he was the tournament's top scorer with eight goals. Pictured here against Germany and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, Ronaldo scores his second goal of the final match to lead Brazil to their fifth World Cup title. Later that year, Ronaldo rightfully went on to be awarded World Footballer of the Year for the third time.
Shaun Botterill/Staff - Getty Images


Nice kit

After the World Cup, Ronaldo transferred from Inter Milan to Real Madrid for $51 million as a result of frequent disputes with Inter Milan coach Hector Cuper. Sales of Ronaldo's new Real Madrid jersey on the day of his signing alone, broke every previously established record.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/Staff - Getty Images


The Meringue Flamenco

Delayed because of injury, Ronaldo's long awaited Madrid debut in 2002 saw him scoring a brace and demonstrating that the Ronaldo of old had returned to club football. Here, Ronaldo is pictured in his famous debut scoring his first of 23 league goals on the way to claiming his first domestic title, the coveted 2003 La Liga Championship.
PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/Stringer - Getty Images


Master of disaster

Ronaldo, still doing it for Brazil, played a pivotal role in their excellent CONMEBOL qualifying campaign. Ronaldo is pictured here being brought down in the box in a qualifying match against Argentina in 2004. Ronaldo converted three goals from the penalty spot to earn himself a rather peculiar hat trick.
ORLANDO KISSNER/Stringer - Getty Images


Broken record

Ronaldo was all smiles after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup 2006 match between Brazil and Ghana. Not only did he help his team advance to the quarterfinals, but his goal also made him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
Christof Koepsel - Getty Images


Back to Italy

Ronaldo's time with Real Madrid came to a close in January of 2007 when he transferred to Italian giants AC Milan during the January transfer window. Ronaldo hoped that a fresh start with Milan would reignite his Brazil career.
Guiseppe Cacace - Getty Images


End of the Road?

On February 13, 2008, Ronaldo was substituted into a Milan home match against Livorno at the San Siro. Having only recently returned from a long-term thigh injury, the stadium was brought to a quiet hush when Ronaldo fell in the penalty area and clutched his left knee. Doctors later confirmed a severed tendon which could effectively end his career.
GIUSEPPE CACACE/Stringer - Getty Images


Good as new

Corinthians' Ronaldo (right) plays in his first competitive game, after recovering from knee surgery, during a Brasil Cup soccer game in Goias, Brazil, Wednesday, March 4, 2009.
Ricardo Rafael - Associated Press

01.04.2009 08:47 +0300
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